“They started to learn the language 3 weeks ago and have already decided it is too hard, so will now use a translator for their ministry instead.“
“That poor girl has already done 6 months of language learning but now can’t get a visa to stay in the country, she doesn’t know what to do.”
The language school that we attended was open for anyone to attend, but its Christian content meant that most people came with a Christian purpose. Some of the students were with agencies, some weren’t. Generally, we all got along really well and did our best to encourage each other as we battled new sentence structures.
Our teachers were very aware of which students had the support of an organisation behind them and which didn’t. (The quotes above were things my teachers said to me.) They could see that students with a supportive organisation were far less stressed because they had older missionaries to help guide them through the complexities of living overseas. If something went wrong, we had people to turn to. When we needed to open a bank account, we had someone talk us through the requirements and translate the forms. We didn’t know that we needed to register with the police and our community leader when we arrived, but our organisation took us step by step through the process.
Some of my friends seemed to do well as independent missionaries or with organisations that provided less support. These missionaries often had a great group of advisors around them -people with experience who could keep them accountable or on task. They also had a pioneering personality and a willingness to do all the planning and paperwork themselves.
Before making this big decision, I’d encourage you to do some reflection. What are your motivations for wanting to go independently? What are your motivations for wanting to go with an agency? Pray about your reasons for going down a particular path.
Next steps
Check out the list of things on the next page you might need to put in place if you decide to go without the support of an agency.
Questions to ask yourself:
1. Is someone already doing the type of ministry I feel that I am being led towards? If so, why not join them rather than reinvent the wheel?
2. Am I making my decision based on a desire to go my own way and to avoid accountability (or submit to others)?
3. If I want to do ministry long term, do I have a base of resources to help sustain the ministry and my family long term?
