Connecting the Dots—and People—Through Mission

Often, when Americans think of doing missions, they think of going to help people in practical or spiritual need. But do we realize that we are also people in need and that God is also working in our own hearts? 

We first met Sunny* about seven years ago. Originally from a country in Asia, Sunny’s kids attend the same charter school as ours in the US. Our first impressions were that she and her husband were sincere Christians, that they had given up a good life as professionals to immigrate to the States, and that they had very little English-speaking ability, making communication difficult.

So, we thought maybe we could “help” Sunny. We sat with them at high school soccer games. We encouraged our kids to hang out with theirs as they tried to assimilate into the local community. And we tried to network for them to find better jobs.

Yet we weren’t sure we were making much of a difference. Their work in service industries requires long hours for low pay, and they were outsiders in our Western Carolina culture. It hurt to watch them struggle.

Meanwhile, in my role equipping cross-cultural workers before they depart, we trained a young missionary woman preparing to work with Sunny’s people group. We arranged for her to visit Sunny’s church, where they worshiped together in Sunny’s mother tongue. Sunny even gave this worker a bilingual Bible in her language and English. Soon, this young woman graduated and moved on to her ministry.

A couple weeks ago Sunny and her family visited our church. She asked about the young missionary woman, so we contacted her. The young woman replied, “Please tell her I use the Bible she gave me every day. I’m so thankful for it!”

That’s when I remembered a phrase we often tell the future missionaries we train: 

“What God wants to do in you is as important to him as what he wants to do through you.“

Missions teaches us humility in so many ways. 

You come to realize that you personally cannot “save” the world or “fix” all the problems out there. You grow to understand that God is working everywhere. You will be blessed more than you bless, and you will learn way more than you can teach. 

If you allow it, God will use being on mission as his process of sanctification in your own life.

The very person that you are trying to help may become your biggest cheerleader, supporter, or friend. You try your best to prepare and plan, but only God can connect the dots, painting a beautiful picture you never could have imagined.

*Some details have been changed for security reasons 

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