Q&A

A recent missionary intern at ASELSI asked us some questions about missionary life for new missionaries. I thought I’d share our answers…

Q. How did you know you wanted to be missionaries?
A. We’ve both had a desire to be part of fulfilling the Great Commission since we were kids. Chrisi remembers telling her friends and family that she was going to be a missionary one day…even though she wasn’t really sure what that meant! I (Michael) grew up reading missionary biographies, and knowing that God has a purpose for me and that it includes missions. I remember my family helping missionaries and since I was a young teenager, I have had the privilege of traveling to the mission field personally and seeing what God is doing and discovering how He wants me to be part of His plans! Those were the seeds in our hearts that began germinating as God gave us fertile ground and opportunities to grow, be trained, and develop deeper relationships with Him. Our journey to the mission field has been indirect, but straight in the direction God has for us one step at a time. We very much see God’s hand in preparing us to be here. This is good, because it makes us all the more reliant on Him and His leading now that we are here!

Q. What is the most challenging aspect of coming on to the mission field?
A. There are the challenges of new language, different culture, and support raising, but I think one of the most challenging things is to keep our eyes on Christ and not on challenges, circumstances, or even our temporary goals. When we get our eyes off of Christ and His purpose for us here, we can get discouraged, into bad attitudes with others, negative outlooks on our surroundings, and out of fellowship with Christ. However, when we keep our focus on Christ and His desire for us to grow in love for God and for people, we stay on track. That’s the challenge, keeping our focus on Christ and His desire for us and for the nations!

Q. What do you love most about serving with ASELSI?
A. We love that ASELSI has a vision and tradition of training up local people and preparing them not only for the task at hand but for the purpose and plan that God has for them. We want to not only be here and do our part, but to help train up others to do things even better than we can, in ways that we haven’t though of yet, and in places that we can’t go. We love being part of ministry that is training a new generation of leaders who will bring Christ to their people and to the nations!