Faith Missionaries

Simple practical tasks can fill an otherwise normal day but once in a while, an otherwise normal day can become something amazing, special, and life-changing.

I was in the kitchen, preparing dinner after a long day at work, and reflecting on my day's activities. I had spent this whole day teaching my third-grade class. That same afternoon, I was involved in teaching lower primary (elementary) children how to play tennis. Teaching tennis for the first time in my teaching career had made my day more than ‘full.’  Despite these challenges, it was gratifying to observe each child learning new things and working towards achieving their goals. 

Deon arrived home from his work, as a draftsman, just as dinner was being served. As we shared dinner, I sensed that Deon was carrying a burden and I prayed for him that he would seek God’s guidance. Later that evening, after finishing the dishes and winding down for the night, Deon approached me in the lounge and asked if we could chat. He expressed his desire to serve the Lord full-time. He believed studying further would equip him with more Biblical knowledge and training. 

Our First Move of Many

Deon was uncertain about his specific future  - ministry direction, Deon was unsure if the Lord wanted him to become a pastor or a church-planting missionary or have another ministry. Once his training with the Church Ministries Institute in South Africa was underway, the Lord made it clear to him which path to choose. As graduation from Bible college approached, decisions needed to be made for our ministry in missions. 

One of the major decisions we had to make was how we would approach the income we would need as missionaries. We were uncertain whether we should become tent-makers (working a secular job while ministering) or rely solely on church support that would allow us to entirely devote our time to the ministry. Both concepts were new to Deon, who grew up in a denomination that sends out missionaries to places chosen by the church, with the denomination’s full financial support provided by the church. After many months of prayer and seeking counsel from pastors, missionaries, and family we decided to go as ‘faith missionaries’ who would not have a fixed salary, completely trusting the Lord for what we would need.

Living a life as ‘faith missionaries’ meant that we moved a lot sometimes because these reasons mostly revolved around finances. Other times, our moves were due to our landlords wanting to sell their homes or due to our desire to be closer to the people we were called to reach and minister to. On one instance we needed to move because of my high-risk pregnancy that called for us to move from the rural areas of the Western Cape where we had been living to the city where a better-equipped hospital was located. We moved at least ten times within Cape Town’s metro area and often we have not completely unpack everything. With these many moves, just the necessities were brought out because most of the time we knew we wouldn’t be staying long. This was not new to me since I had lived this way as a single missionary and earlier in my life, as a missionary kid, as well.  

I find it most humourous, that because I’m so used to moving every two years, if I stay in one place for too long, even when there is no need to move, I mentally start preparing myself for a move. Constant moving is difficult and as a mother, I’ve learned that moving is one of the things our children dislike the most about being missionaries. It can bring about uncertainty, and that is when we encourage ourselves and our children to look to the Lord. By putting our trust in Him and by knowing that we need not worry about what tomorrow holds our family finds its stability. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:33-34

There have been times that I have had the thought that maybe thinking of my children’s wants would be a better decision for our family. They would like to stay in one place just that little bit longer, but then I am reminded again in God’s Word that He expects us to prioritize Him over our wants and needs (1 Corinthians 7:35.) Being a ‘faith missionary,’ in some instances, can keep you from experiencing all the world has to offer. Serving as a `faith missionary’ means the things you grew up with or used to have before you became missionaries need not be real priorities in life. 

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; 

but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 4:15

Another want that crept into my mind, at one stage, was thinking that my children needed what other people’s children had. It wasn’t physical things like a particular toy or the extra activities that kids have nowadays in all the activities being offered to them. Instead, for me, what I was hoping for was a Sunday school class full of children their age, or a good group of teenagers to have a youth group with, just a more comfortable setting for them to enjoy. It was at that stage that I decided to go off of social media so that I wouldn’t be tempted to think about these things in that way. I had started believing that these things were more important than they were, especially for the spiritual growth of our children. I had forgotten that God knows that missionary kids and kids from small churches have these struggles but He cares and understands the needs of children living in these more limited situations.  “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20

Being a ‘faith missionary’ isn’t only about financial support and the physical needs you may have on the mission field it is also about your inner spiritual welfare. God has supplied our need in this area with each year that passes we are encouraged by the many people who become a part of our ministry: You, our prayer partners, have become our extended family in our minds. We know that we have the true fellowship of other believers because of people like you who encourage, pray, and support our family. As the Lord blesses our efforts in ministry a special memory for me was being able to share about the six children who came to know the Lord as their Saviour through the video ministry we produced during the pandemic. It is a joy for us to be able to share these blessings with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are on this journey with us. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:” 1 Peter 3:8

We continue to follow the Lord as ‘faith missionaries’ as we have done in the past on several occasions and we believe that He is calling us to move, for Him, once again. As you know, we left our home in South Africa and are looking to the `Lord to serve in another unfamiliar home, unfamiliar place, and unfamiliar people. We are aware that the whole world needs to hear the Gospel and we are committed to standing true to the Gospel Message no matter where the Lord takes us. We trust in the Lord to make our ministry efficient and effective and we will continue to serve Him as we strive to do His Will. So, whether it be in South Africa, Ireland, or elsewhere, we serve the Lord. We appreciate your faithfulness to the Lord and your prayers to Him on our behalf.