Dear Missionary,
As you journey into the field, it is important for you to remember to BE PROACTIVE.
Where you are going will never be a place of perfection – you won’t have everything working out in order – there will be days when the tools you need won’t be available, and days when the systems and materials you are used to won’t be available at all. It is such times SOLUTIONS MUST BE CREATED, just to get the work done. In such times, the strength of your assignment will depend on your willingness to take initiative despite the unavailability of tools.
Don’t wait for perfect conditions because if you do, you will never get anything tangible done as a missionary labouring especially in the rural communities where they are far from the closest modern amenities.
The gospel advances through men and women who discern needs early and respond with WISDOM, CREATIVITY, and COURAGE.
Missions is very spiritual, but it is also extremely practical. You may need to set up temporary structures, improvise with local materials, organize people with limited resources, or craft simple tools that help the message travel further.
Learn to improvise. Use what is in your hands. Adapt quickly. Find possibilities where others see limitations.
During our last SUMMER MISSIONS TRIP, there was need to erect a bathroom and we had two options: to spend nothing less than N150,000 to construct one or use woods from the bush. Of course, we chose the latter and I got to work immediately. As I speak today, we don’t only have a bathroom, we also constructed few stools from that adventure and we also successfully saved money, which was used to attend other pressing needs during the trip.
Your flexibility will become a testimony. Your initiative will become a seed. Your responsiveness will open doors for the Gospel to take root in places where rigidity would have failed.
The mission field honours those who can THINK, PLAN, and ACT beyond their comfort zone. It rewards those who are observant enough to see needs before they become crises, and are diligent enough to respond with solutions that reflect both wisdom and love.
As you serve, may the LORD grant you sharp discernment, steady hands, and a heart that is willing to build with whatever is available. May He teach you to multiply little into much, and turn simple ideas into lasting impact.
Grace to you!
