Half-time Missionary

Not surprisingly people ask what it means to be half time in East Africa as a missionary. Who ever heard of that before anyway? Well, for me it means that I have a son still in college who depends on me in some ways. And I have a son whose father died two years ago and who, even though he may not want to admit it, kinda needs at least one parent nearby sometimes. I have much freedom because he is very independent but, until he graduates, I will share my time with him and with the people in East Africa.

What I’ve found so far is that preparation for ministry in East Africa is very time consuming while I’m at home. I’m arranging meetings, developing ministry programs, preparing curriculum, designing blogs, planning logistics, thinking about how to manage the holidays, doing research, reading about culture, helping develop resumes, and three more pages of details literally sitting on my desk next to my computer. Every item on these lists are related to mission work. I’m not sure how this pans out to be half time. Maybe it would be more correct to say that I am a full-time missionary living half-time in the field.

However my life is defined, it has been given over to the people in East Africa and developing those relationships stays at the top of any list I make. Whatever it is that will help them grow in the Lord and prosper their families is the work that I will do to the best of my ability. Sometimes that work is best done in America, sometimes I really should be there but have to make due, and sometimes I’ll actually be in East Africa. The kind of work to be done is best done in all these places. For example, internet costs way too much in Uganda so doing research from America is more wise.

Still…whether I would be considered a half-time or a full-time missionary…I’m sure busy with mission work all the time. And I LOVE IT.