This is what we looked like when we first started doing this "deputation" gig in 1999. You'd think we'd be veterans by now. But the start of every home assignment is fraught with stage fright for me. |
It was like a glass of water poured over me. Reality check: you're going back to Australia where you'll be asked, on the spot, to summarise your call to Japan, your life ministry etc. in just a few minutes. Thankfully this church has given us a few days notice, but still I'd forgotten how challenging this is. Home Assignment will be no stroll in the park.
I remember when we finally left to come to Japan for the first time in 2000. I was thoroughly sick of giving the "who is Wendy" speech in just a couple of minutes. In fact I was getting pretty angry at having to summarise who I was in such a short time.
Here's the second question they have for us on Sunday:
"What led you in the first place to believe that you were called to serve in Japan?"
It's the kind of question I can give a 15 or 20 minute answer to. We won't have that long.
I'm glad they're interested. I hope that we'll be able to bridge the gap between where we are and where they are. But once again, we're facing a situation, a whole year of situations, where we don't have sufficient resources to do the job.
Leaning into God again.
Love reading your thoughts Wendy. It reminds me that we should all be able to give voice to the "why" of our lives in the Lord. I am not a "missionary" in the traditional sense but your blog reminds us that we are all strangers in our land, living for a different king than the majority. Just thinking
ReplyDeleteAnon, I'm glad I've got you thinking!
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