Author	Thread: Very Touchy Topic
Admin	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 18 Jul, 2009 06:03 PM Im not quite sure if i should even post this so if you are easily offended please close this I dont want to hurt anyone but this is something that has bothered me for a long time. Especially reading profiles on here it is more and more prevalant. Why is it that almost every christian woman who feels called in the missionary field pours their heart and soul into foreign countries? Yes other countries need to be witnessed to but have any of ya'll looked around lately? China takes our jobs while our children drop out of school. Japan cranks out doctors and engeneering marvels while our brothers and sisters live on the streets. Have we become so comsumed in the "glory" of missionary work that we have forgotten what it means to witness? How can we help someone in a foreign land while we turn our back on the needs of our natives. It makes me sick to read about these young women who want to work in china or africa or such when there is so much missionary work that needs to be done here. America used to be a superpower but now we have fallen, we have turned a deaf ear to the cries and pleas of our countrymen to help those in other places, I am truly sorry if i offended anyone I just wanted to know Post Reply
FalSmiles View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 18 Jul, 2009 06:18 PM Lone, No offense taken. I have often thought the same thing. Working in childern's ministries and with Celebrate Recovery I see first hand the work that needs to be done right here in our own back yard. Weather it is children needing food and a stable home or parents who need a second chance, our home front should be taken care of. I have always thought if it like when you get on an airplane. They always tell you that in case of an emergency and you have children put your oxygen mask on first. This makes sense, you can not help your children if you can not breath yourself. Perhaps that is the attitude we need to take in missions as well. Post Reply
View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 18 Jul, 2009 06:21 PM AMEN! i never heard that analogy before but that sums up my entire ramble. thanks for your comment Post Reply
View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 18 Jul, 2009 07:27 PM Fal great response. i second that. God Bless, Zoe :angel: Post Reply
View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 19 Jul, 2009 12:05 AM I agree some should be called to help at home in this country. I would not wish to leave the country. I know all to well the hardships people here have.. Anyone who is called to go else where is doing what they think best and I can not argue with that, but myself I want to do good here in the USA GBU Post Reply
Phoenyx View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 19 Jul, 2009 08:03 PM Thanks for bringing this up. Had a talk with someone about it just today and they think by tithing they've completed the need to witness. I'll give you a clue though as to why some would rather move. In the days of Jesus, if you were born into an area and claimed to be a prophet within it, you were usually called a liar, but go to another region and you are believed. Joseph was rebuked by his father and brothers for his dreams. Then again, we also have the lazy that would rather give their money than their time and heart. Post Reply
View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 20 Jul, 2009 10:25 PM Haha, I LOVE this topic! =D I'm one of those young women who have been called into the missions field. Allow me to tell you a little about my story.. When I was roughly 13, it was made quite clear to me that I was to at some point do missions work. I assumed this would be short-term missions trips later on in my life, definitely NOT a career choice. I had no desire to do so. However, when God made it clear that he wanted me to work with his people, I told him, "Hey, that's fine. Keep me here, send me wherever, but just keep me the heck away from China." Big mistake. Long story short, China continuously came up this past year at college (this is six years later), and I basically ignored it. As a (at that time) music education major, I had the option of signing up for a student teaching opportunity over in China for my senior year. I signed up, mainly because I wanted the overseas experience; not because I wanted to be in China. Well... that was in November. Fast-forward to February 12 of this year. At this point, I hadn't discussed China, missions, or student teaching with a single person at my university. Not one. I hadn't blogged about it, nothing. No one knew a thing. I was sitting at night chapel, alone.. all my friends decided to bail on going that night.. This was, ironically, during missions week (of which I was completely oblivious. February was a busy month and I was clueless to what was going on anywhere but my classes and recital hall), and towards the end of the sermon, those of us who knew we would at some point be doing missions work were to come forward and sign a book, like they used to many years ago. Okay, cool.. I was fine with that. I was assuming our names were going to be it. I get up there and there's a spot that says "Country." I look, and without hesitation write "China." I looked at it and was instantly confused. Where did that come from? I started doing some heavy praying that God would make it unmistakably clear as to whether or not that split-second decision was what was supposed to happen or not. I got back to my room and jumped on Facebook, and my one of my buddies IM's me asking how night chapel went. I told him, "Well.. I think I'm supposed to be doing missions work somewhere specific.." And he stopped me. "Wait, if you say China, I'm going to laugh." I was instantly concerned. "Why, Parker? Where did that come from?" "Because today I was walking by a booth about China and the second I stepped in front of it, I knew I was supposed to talk to you and tell you to prepare. I went back to my room and got down on my knees in prayer because I had no idea where this came from. God made it clear that you were to go to China." This story is no coincidence. I don't believe in something like this being coincidental when I serve a God who answers prayer. To answer your question.. I think this is one you have to look at from a few different angles.. 1.) Believe it or not, God DOES call people to other countries. Granted, some people just decide they would rather go overseas, but I hate to tell them: they're going to get one SERIOUS wake up call when they get over there. Life is not a walk in the park like it is here. You may not think that America is a walk in the park, but I promise you.. it is. 2.) I encourage you to read the Old Testament. This is opening up a HUGE can of worms in the realm of theological debates, but I'll shed my own point of view on it anyway. America is quickly going downhill. If you don't agree with this point, you've been blinded and deceived. Morally, we're going downhill. Economically, going downhill. Ah, but how interesting. It's a proven fact that when an economy booms, the church suffers. When it crashes, the church thrives. However, getting back to the Old Testament. There are many, MANY times where Israel disobeys God's commands and he allows them to feel the pain of their decisions. He chooses to not hear their cries, because he tried for so long to awaken them to a different life, yet they wanted their idols. How strange it is that this sounds so much like America. Granted, I don't think God has given up hope on us yet, but why in the world should he NOT call people to other countries when America has hardened her heart towards God? Why shouldn't he send us to countries where people are thirsting for something more? You're correct in saying that people in our neighborhoods need us as well. Since I know nothing about you, allow me to ask a simple question. What is it that you're doing in your neighborhood to further the Kingdom? When was the last time you brought someone to Christ? When was the last time you picked up a hitchhiker on the side of the road who needed a ride? When was the last time you fed the hungry? When was the last time you looked after orphans and widows? I know nothing about you, which is why I'm asking. I'm also asking because unless you're doing everything in your power to meet the needs of those here, please don't bash those of us who are trying very hard to follow God's call. I made it crystal clear to God that I had no desire to go to China. Why? Selfish pride. How perfect it is to send me there in order to teach humility. Could you turn each of those statements around and ask me the same thing and ask why I'm going overseas when they need done here? Sure. Of course you could. And if you want specific answers, I'd love to chat with you about them. It is said in the Bible that the Son of Man will not return until every ear has heard. Honestly, it's pretty darn easy to hear about God in America. It's a little more difficult to hear about him when you're in a country where you risk being beaten and killed for it. Believe it or not, I agree with you fully. I really do. But I encourage you to also look at it from other angles and to be very cautious when you're generalizing a topic. People have been called. Following that call is what they MUST do to bring glory to God Almighty. Keep that in mind. Post Reply
FalSmiles View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 20 Jul, 2009 10:54 PM Miss, My response was not meant to bash those that go to missions outside of this country. While yes it seems harder to know of God in a far off country I urge you to look deeper. Every Sunday I see lost children looking for our Lord and an understanding of his love. Just because we are in this Country and have "access" to God does not mean those in this country find him easily. I know that God has called me to mission here in this country in my very community and I know this as strongly as you know that our Lord has called you to Mission in China. That is the Glory of our Lord, he knows above all else what is best for his people. Peace and blessings be with you in your coming Mission trip. Post Reply
View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 21 Jul, 2009 07:45 AM Oh no no! My response was to the original post. Did I press the wrong button? =P I'm new on here. =P Post Reply
View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 22 Jul, 2009 02:40 AM this past weekend i loaded up all of my stuff into a u-haul and moved 5.5 hrs to a larger city. while i was loading, I put some furniture and misc. into the truck and headed to the humane society's thrift store to donate, and donated books to the library along with other errands. i was gone a couple of hours. meanwhile, i had my cds, audio books, two cd players, fancy headphones, 3 other headphones, cassette player stolen off my enclosed entry porch. I have never had anything stolen from my house or felt unsafe. Earlier, I noticed a boy kinda standing in front area of my house, across street, and suspected he was from this house that always seems to have kids unruly and bored. I stopped by there and asked if one of the kids was at my house as i was missing cd players and cds. First the older woman said the kids never leave the area, then after i persisted, she said he has been known to take things, then she and other kids told me that he has been in trouble for stealing a bike, going into people's houses, police know him well, and he is TEN YRS OLD! he just left and was going to be gone a few weeks as he is with his mom. so a couple of my thoughts, this appeared to be a form of foster care (Oregon pays extended members to care for their relatives through foster care program), 1) the need for role models to serve for our youth, 2) is this child a sociopath with no fear or compliance to right and wrong, 3) what real impact does my volunteering actually contribute in lives? One doesn't need to know all the facts in my experience, to see that there is a real need to parent all these "lost" children in the U.S.A. I too have heard people speak of missions, even w/in United States...spending $800 for travel and per diem costs, to build wheelchair ramp after a flood in Texas. In this case, giving $800 to a local program to hire a local carpenter to do the work would have had great economic impact for that community. Another example is a non-baptised 23 yr old paid $1200 fee to be part of "Christian" group trip to a foreign country where they did some work building a simple church (in usa is would be called a shack). It would have been more prudent to send the money to the ministry who would hire the locals to do the same work. In this case, one fee could have built the whole church. I think, in the foreign country, the citizens are literally starving for basic needs and do not have the materialism upbringing. So witnessing may be easier than to my neighborhood boy. I also think that it stems from desire to feel good from thinking they are doing good. I am not making a comment about those who spend a year or years living w/in a community. i have been abroad three times to Europe and Soviet block countries.Through museum visits and tour guides, I learned that the Soviet rule did a successful job of creating a generation of non-believers. The churches/temples, if standing, are mostly being used as museums, offices, or empty -rarely as a place to worship. Want to do a mission? Try those countries. :angel: Post Reply
myhopejeremiah29_11 View Profile History	Very Touchy Topic Posted : 22 Jul, 2009 08:19 PM Well as for me, I feel as if I have been called to work in Africa. But I am wanting to work in a free clinic on the medicinal end. When talking to my classmates/nurses/doctors/ and other medics....they all tell me why on earth would you feel like you want to do that? They feel the need to stay here, there are not that many who are willing to go on my end all in all so why should I hold back when there are few as there is? Post Reply

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