Pray That They Can Stay

It has been the talk of the year. The economy. It is hard to hear of so many who have fallen on hard times. Loss of hours or job all together. Houses not selling. Foreclosure. Bankruptcy. 

Unfortunately, the missionary is not immune to this season either but is instead greatly effected. When finances get crunched in America, budgets get rearranged and the extra stuff gets pushed out. Giving is seen as extra. But that "giving" could be some one's actual pay when it is a missionary. 

A new friend here in Thailand just heard that her missions agency back in the states has just had to give notice to 30 missionaries that they no longer have funding to stay out on the field. While she was relieved that she wasn't one of them, she was also heartbroken for her cut off colleagues. It's an awkward place to be in. One of these no longer funded families had only been on the foreign field 9 months!!! That hit home to me. I was imagining how I would feel after the whole year of preparation and travel to finally arrive and get settled, start learning the language and culture, make ministry connections and then.......the carpet gets pulled from underneath! wow. sobering. With great compassion, I can pray for these people and these scenarios that are happening too often in this hard season.

Just the other day I received a newsletter from a missionary friend in Africa who had a some desperate requests. Inflation in that country has caused her rent to change from $150 to $600. She has built and is now running a women's center that disciples new believers and gives them occupational training. She is now is wondering if she can continue to remain there. In the midst of all of this, her mother died and she unexpected had to return home to the states. Not the cheapest flight out there. My heart was so moved for her especially since I had just days before learned of the aforementioned situation.

"I say all that to say this..." (that is a little inside joke) missionaries too are feeling the financial strain and it is while they are in a foreign land trying to minister to others with sometimes little encouragement. Please pray that these missionaries would stay encouraged and stand in faith. Pray that God would send faithful supporters to replace those who have had to discontinue for one reason or another. Pray that their ministry that they have labored so diligently for would continue and better yet grow.