MISSION Focused and the Power of Photography...

Every once in a while, I get asked if short-term ministry makes any real difference in the lives of those we serve.

The answer usually is that it depends.

Certainly it can if you are part of a team that brings some significant improvement to a family, church, or area.

But those are the big obvious examples.

Far more times we are never going to see how our work impacts those in other countries when we go to serve.

Today however was different.

I was next door to a church we helped build in San Baltazar, Oaxaca, talking to the Jaime and his family as they were working in their trade, making shawls.  When it was time to leave, Jaime’s wife Marta invited me into the house to talk and have a cup of avena.

As I walked in the door, I saw it.  A picture I have seen a million times on my computer.  It is one I have used on the Adventures in Life Ministry web site.  It was a picture of my friend Doug and the new friend he made in Oaxaca, Julian, Jaime’s dad.

Everyone in the family remembered Doug and the day that photo was taken.  I listened as they shared about their dad helping us build the church next door and his work with us alongside Doug in Tlacolula. 

One of the ministries we have partnered with is MISSION Focused.  When we are on mission in Mexico, Brother Joe Ramirez and his team come with us to take photos.

Now I’ll be honest, sometimes I wonder if we need to take a million photos of us working.  But we are not the only people Brother Joe and his team are photographing while they are in Mexico.

Every ministry site we are on in Oaxaca, anyone in the village can come and get photos of their families, kids, their home, or whatever.  

For many, it may be the first color picture they have ever seen of themselves, or their families.  For most, it is the first tangible expression of God’s love they have ever received from the church.

Today when we finished talking next door with Jaime and his wife Marta, they asked if we could come back later and take some photos of his new son.

It is amazing to see what something as seemingly simple as a photograph can mean to a person, or a family.

Every day people around the globe are serving in short-term mission taking pictures.  And every day, for the most part, those people will go home with their photos, forever missing a chance to leave a lasting impact with those whom they are serving.

It is good to know that when we leave this week, alongside the photo of Doug and Julian, there will also be photos of Jaime’s and Marta’s baby boy.

And it is even better to know that the ministry of MISSION Focused is helping Adventures in Life Ministry and churches in places like San Baltazar Guelavila and San Felipe Guila build bridges into their communities for Jesus through the power of photography.

Supporting the Mission... 5 easy ways to tell your missionary you are in their corner...

Here's a few quick ideas you can use to help support your favorite missionary as he or she serves around the globe.

1.  Everybody travels.  And a lot of folks travel to visit, or serve with missionaries in other countries.  Open a frequent flyer account, accrue your miles, and then transfer them to your missionary.  It will cost you nothing, but this can really be a Godsend to a missionary.

2. Give 'em a job.  That's right, give your missionary a job when they are in the US.  I was traveling with a friend last year and he shared that when his brother is home on leave, a Christian school hires him to help out around the campus and share about his missionary journeys.

Recently, a friend of mine hired me to work part-time at his factory.  Now I suck at factory work, but I am getting better, so it is working out.  And it is a win win situation.  He gets trusted part-time help when he needs it, and I get a little extra income, just like my friends brother.

3.  Make a missionary your missionary in residence at your church when they are home.  Maybe this is for only 1 or 2 months but believe me, everyone will be blessed.  Have them preach and teach, and then pay them.  A good salary for their time.  Yes, I know you'll have to budget this in, but imagine if you are a pastor and you know a trusted friend will be in the pulpit for you.  This could be the break in your annual schedule that will keep you fresh and allow you more time to connect personally with your congregation.

Plus you congregation gets a chance to hear in more detail about the mission they are supporting, rather than the usual 10 minutes we are accorded in most churches.

You want your church to support and love missions?  Show them how important missionaries are when they come home. 

4.  Arrange a vacation for your missionary.  It does not have to be something extravagant and with time shares abound, maybe you can do this where your missionary is serving.

We get tired serving on the field and usually our time in the states is filled up looking for more support, so it is not very relaxing.  A chance to take a week on the beach, in the mountains, or just sitting by a pool with no responsibilities is a luxury few missionaries will ever have unless someone steps up to the plate.

5. Send a gift card.  Maybe there is a book we have needed or some music we could use, either personally or for our ministries.  A gift card from Apple or Amazon is something that could really benefit your missionary and their ministry.

I know some of you have heard me mention a few of these ideas before, but I do not want you to forget them.  And I don't want you to forget your missionaries.  While we are all on the front lines of ministry, oftentimes when you serve "over there" it is just a little bit more lonely and difficult.

Sometimes the personal support from home can be the biggest encouragement for us.

Vocation, Calling and Christian Leadership... Searching for Peyton Manning...

Years ago, a couple of football teams in the NFL had a choice to make about who to draft as their next quarterback.  The choices were Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning, two great college players.

Stats wise, both were about equal, with completion percentages above 55% and QB ratings around the 150 mark.  However, when they hit the pros, the tables turned.  Manning became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.  Leaf has disappeared from sight after a disastrously short career.

The question is why.

This morning I was listening to Dan Patrick for my sports radio fix.  He said that people that make great NFL quarterbacks love football and that for Ryan Leaf, he loved being famous, not football.  Manning became a great player because his great love for the game itself propelled him beyond other better than average players who lacked the same passion.

Thinking about that, vocation and calling came to my mind and how they relate to mission and ministry.

I wonder if we are really striving, as leaders, to get people into places that fit their calling and about which they are passionate.  Or, are we trying to fit round people into the square peg vocational places where we want and feel we need them.

If it is the latter, and we are unable to put aside our selfish desires to see our ministries grow and succeed, as opposed to seeing others grow, maybe that explains part of the reason we struggle to find the Peyton Manning leaders in our midst and settle instead for the Ryan Leafs.

Think about it...