Fellowship / Friendships on the field

[John of Japan]

Originally posted by Mexdeaf:
C4K,

I always get a kick out of the transformation I usually see when a man who is pastoring gets called to the field. They learn real fast- or they never make it past the first term, or even to the field for that matter.

OTOH, my favorite sending pastors are men who were formerly missionaries. They gave me so much good advice when we were on deputation, and have stood by me to this day.

Amen and Amen!!

 

[John of Japan]

Originally posted by superdave:
I am looking forward to a missions trip in the spring. I think it will open my eyes to what missionaries really deal with in a remote foreign mission. One of the missionaries that I spoke to that has been on the field told me to make sure I leave my midwestern american perspective at home, as my experience will be far removed from anything I have experienced in my short life as a WASB cheese head transplanted to Motown.

I know of several missionaries that work on teams with multiple team members, they seem to like both the camraderie, and the ability to share workload, maintain ministries during furlough, etc.

Our pastor has been on several trips, he is also supposed to go with us in the spring, and I remember most recently when he came home from India, his already strong commitment to missions seemed exponentially stronger.

Superdave, I trust you have a wonderful missionary trip. It will no doubt change your life. And by all means, listen to your missionary friend who said to leave your "midwestern American perspective at home."

I remember when my parents came to Japan, we set it up for my Mom, a wonderful speaker to women's groups, to speak to a Japanese women's meeting put together by several churches. We pastors were banned from the women's meeting, so we met upstairs, where we fellowshipped and my pastor-father shared some wisdom with us.

Meantime, my mother's interpreter was Mrs. Kobayashi, a woman from my church who was very good in English. I gave Mom strict instructions: "Pause after every sentence, and do not use American idioms." Well, Mom gave a wonderful talk to the ladies, by all accounts. However, her first words were a whole paragraph! Poor Mrs. Kobayashi finally said, "Mrs. H., please stop so I can interpret." Mom got flustered and said (in a Texan idiom), "Well, bully for you!"

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Originally posted by John of Japan:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Mexdeaf:
C4K,

I always get a kick out of the transformation I usually see when a man who is pastoring gets called to the field. They learn real fast- or they never make it past the first term, or even to the field for that matter.

OTOH, my favorite sending pastors are men who were formerly missionaries. They gave me so much good advice when we were on deputation, and have stood by me to this day.

Amen and Amen!!

</font>[/QUOTE]Boy ain't that the truth