Of course, all of the changes in Missions taking place today also require more money! A new mission job at national office means a new director and a furnished office, an administrative assistant and travel expenses - the list goes on and on. Sometimes - to us sitting in our armchairs and contemplating missions - it seems like it costs the GCF more and more money to provide all of these trappings which go along with a new missions position and a new office with all the trimmings. But then, what do we really know??
The Alliance is also requiring their international workers to "pick up the tab" on some of these new ventures. Yesterday I received a letter from an Alliance overseas worker, which was totally devoted to finances! The thing in it that amazed me the most was that, among other personal financial requests for supporters - us! - was one for international workers' contribution towards funding a regional conference. This conference is one planned and led by International Ministries, for which workers are asked to raise money so that they can attend! To me, this was a low point in International Missions of the Alliance. And the plea for money did not motivate me to fund this missionary - even if I had the money, which I do not!
Pleas for money come to us from all sides. But it is not now just independent missions - or "those other missionaries" - who send urgent pleas for money. It is our own beloved Alliance who has fallen to a new low in financial matters. At least from my long term experience in the Alliance, this is how I see it!!
Friday, May 31, 2013
CHANGES.........CHANGES
The old saying goes, that "The old person sees more sitting down than the young person does standing up". And this is certainly true in the area of missions. Having been in missionary work for more than fifty years now, we have lived through an abundance of changes! And those changes seem to be taking place at an increasingly rapid rate....
(We now attend an Alliance church which many international workers call home, so some of my observations come from present contact with present day international workers.)
It used to be that newly appointed West African missionaries were sent to France for a year of language study and than went directly to their fields of service where they remained to work for four (or more) years. Than came a one year furlough, which was partially filled with speaking tours in the U.S. Some workers did come back to the U.S. for family marriages and deaths, but even this was not always possible. Those were not ideal times either!
Now the pendulum has swung the other way. In an Alliance church like ours, we see a constant parade of international workers back here in the States for not only weddings or funerals, but also for vacations, mid-term tours, etc. Money certainly flows more freely now, but we do wonder sometimes, wonder how folks can leave their place of service so frequently?? What does the sending church think when they observe their international workers making trips to their home country so often? And how is the ministry overseas affected by the frequent comings and goings to their home countries? I guess everyone just makes adjustments. One does wonder what the national churches of the world think about this innovation??
The Alliance is also giving birth to new programs on mission fields, and of course all of this involves huge bites of money from the Great Commission giving as these new programs have to be directed and funded... It also causes confusion on some fields, as there are unresolved questions about money and personnel. As international workers adjust to new means of funding (such as "the ask") and also question how some of these new entities (such as Envision) relate to the rest of the staff already working in an area for many years. Finances are involved as well as administrative adjustments. All very interesting changes, which we personally saw on our recent trip to Africa, and which makes us glad for the times in which we lived. The lines were clearer then!
We still are trying to wade through the terms of "team leader", "team developper", and "regional team leader" and just hope that they do not stumble over each other trying to lead!! It looks to us like some team developers do not have many people to develop.....and what is meant by developing someone who has been at the work on the ground for many years?? From our vantage point, in our armchairs, it should be an interesting future for the current crop of workers!!
(We now attend an Alliance church which many international workers call home, so some of my observations come from present contact with present day international workers.)
It used to be that newly appointed West African missionaries were sent to France for a year of language study and than went directly to their fields of service where they remained to work for four (or more) years. Than came a one year furlough, which was partially filled with speaking tours in the U.S. Some workers did come back to the U.S. for family marriages and deaths, but even this was not always possible. Those were not ideal times either!
Now the pendulum has swung the other way. In an Alliance church like ours, we see a constant parade of international workers back here in the States for not only weddings or funerals, but also for vacations, mid-term tours, etc. Money certainly flows more freely now, but we do wonder sometimes, wonder how folks can leave their place of service so frequently?? What does the sending church think when they observe their international workers making trips to their home country so often? And how is the ministry overseas affected by the frequent comings and goings to their home countries? I guess everyone just makes adjustments. One does wonder what the national churches of the world think about this innovation??
The Alliance is also giving birth to new programs on mission fields, and of course all of this involves huge bites of money from the Great Commission giving as these new programs have to be directed and funded... It also causes confusion on some fields, as there are unresolved questions about money and personnel. As international workers adjust to new means of funding (such as "the ask") and also question how some of these new entities (such as Envision) relate to the rest of the staff already working in an area for many years. Finances are involved as well as administrative adjustments. All very interesting changes, which we personally saw on our recent trip to Africa, and which makes us glad for the times in which we lived. The lines were clearer then!
We still are trying to wade through the terms of "team leader", "team developper", and "regional team leader" and just hope that they do not stumble over each other trying to lead!! It looks to us like some team developers do not have many people to develop.....and what is meant by developing someone who has been at the work on the ground for many years?? From our vantage point, in our armchairs, it should be an interesting future for the current crop of workers!!
Friday, May 3, 2013
MEMORIES OF AUNT FRAN
We just received word of the death of your Aunt Fran. The news was not totally unexpected as she had had a severe heart condition and had been in a rehab facility. But death usually does surprise us - hope springs eternal in the human heart, and we had hoped and prayed for her recovery again. But God had other plans for Aunt Fran and she is now whole and well and happy in Heaven, even as we mourn here.
Aunt Fran was a Southern Belle from Alabama. Uncle Luther was in the Army and stationed in Dotham, Alabama, which was Aunt Fran's home. The Dotham Baptist church held a dance for the U.S. servicemen stationed in their town, and thus it was that the Alabama belle and New England soldier met, fell in love and married. You may remember that Aunt Fran maintained her Southern accent all of her life.
Aunt Fran was also mother of four rambunctious boys.Their family had a lovely home next door to Grandma Pierce's home on the hill, the one you al remember from your childhood. Later they moved to Miami and then Hallendale, Florida, and we visited them there. Aunt Fran was the perfect hostess, a great cook also.;
I don't ever remember Aunt Fran looking unkempt or dowdy - she always had every hair in place and was fashionably dressed for every occasion. She was also a great housekeeper and cook. Visiting in their home was always a special pleasure.
She suffered greatly these last years - brain surgery and other illnesses.....and this past week her sweet spirit left that worn body and went to be with her Lord in Heaven. We will all miss her.
Aunt Fran was a Southern Belle from Alabama. Uncle Luther was in the Army and stationed in Dotham, Alabama, which was Aunt Fran's home. The Dotham Baptist church held a dance for the U.S. servicemen stationed in their town, and thus it was that the Alabama belle and New England soldier met, fell in love and married. You may remember that Aunt Fran maintained her Southern accent all of her life.
Aunt Fran was also mother of four rambunctious boys.Their family had a lovely home next door to Grandma Pierce's home on the hill, the one you al remember from your childhood. Later they moved to Miami and then Hallendale, Florida, and we visited them there. Aunt Fran was the perfect hostess, a great cook also.;
I don't ever remember Aunt Fran looking unkempt or dowdy - she always had every hair in place and was fashionably dressed for every occasion. She was also a great housekeeper and cook. Visiting in their home was always a special pleasure.
She suffered greatly these last years - brain surgery and other illnesses.....and this past week her sweet spirit left that worn body and went to be with her Lord in Heaven. We will all miss her.
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