Oh boy, I didn't do any research related to yesterday's post, but I just typed "missionaries vacation" into Google and found this post called
Missionaries don't need vacations! http://myall4him.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/missionaries-dont-need-vacations/
Thanks for passing this on! I fully agree missionaries need vacation!!
ReplyDeleteThere's a sense in which we do need to be sensitive to supporters, but there's also a sense in which we can't let the fear of what others think control our every move.
Years ago, a supporter contacted our mission office to complain that a certain missionary's prayer letter(s?) of late had been about moving into a nicer house and how relaxing their vacation was. The moral of that story is NOT to stop taking relaxing vacations, of course, but does point out the balancing act of the fact that supporters want to read (mostly) in prayer letters of the work that their missionary is doing to advance the Gospel.
Yet I believe the prayer letter (or blog) is a great place for missions education (about the realities of cross-cultural life and ministry and the accompanying stresses, etc.). Books such as Honourably Wounded, Serving as Senders, and The Re-entry Team are all helpful as well. I have been known to photocopy applicable pages and mail them to the mission committee of my home church, asking THEM to advocate for me within the congregation and help educate people so that I didn't get the insensitive questions.