FAQs about being an MD (Part 1)

There are questions that I have been asked about my new journey as a Missionary Disciple (MD), and they are often the same questions from person to person.  Because of this I thought I write a post answering a few of these questions:

What mission are you going with?

I am going with World Gospel Mission (WGM).  They are the same organization I was with during my previous time in Honduras.  Here is a link to a section on their website that will tell you more: http://www.wgm.org/whoweare

What is a Missionary Disciple?

Being a Missionary Disciple is a three year commitment, and it is the first step towards becoming a career missionary.  The first year (where I am now in the process) is Homeland Missionary Assignment.   During this year I will be sharing with churches, groups, and individuals about my call to missions and acquiring the prayer support and funds necessary to get to the field.  I will also be getting the training needed for effective cross cultural ministry. The next two years I will be in Honduras serving in ministry, going to language school, and being mentored and discipled by an experienced missionary.  

Where will you be living?  What will you be eating?

I will probably live in a apartment owned by the mission.  I'll have electricity and most appliances that I would have in the US.  I won't have air conditioning, but the windows are glass slats that open like mini blinds and let in a nice breeze. 

As for food I can make almost all of the food we eat in the US, but I love Honduran food so I will often make it instead.  Beans, rice, tortillas, plantains, beef, chicken and cheese are some of the most common foods.  It is less spicy than most Mexican food and has a different flavor.  I have continued to cook Honduran food since returning to the States, although I have had to make some substitutions. Someday I'll have to post a recipe or two!

I'll be adding more questions in my next post, but I'll leave it at this for now.  Let me know what questions you have.  Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter (it's in one of the boxes to the right)!

Accepted!

May 17-18 I was in Marion, Indiana where I met with World Gospel Mission for Candidate Review Weekend.  It was a wonderful weekend of learning more about WGM and meeting the people of WGM.  There were eight other candidates there and we had a great time getting to know each other and share our passion for missions.

The next day I received word that I had been accepted.   I can't begin to tell you how excited I am for this news!  I have been praying for years to know God's will.

I have been appointed to the role of Missionary Disciple.  Rather than explain it myself, here is a link to the official description given by WGM (don't worry, it's a short one): http://www.wgm.org/page.aspx?pid=2659

I am exited to go to return to the WGM headquarters in Marion, Indiana in Mid July for CMS (Champion Migration Strategy) training.  It should be a great time of meeting other missionaries and staff and getting to see those I have met before.

I would love to put you on my prayer team.  If you would like to be on it please contact me.  You can contact me via facebook or email (SarahMayLarson@gmail.com).  Please send me your email address in the note so that  I can send you prayer letters.  I will be getting a WGM email account soon, but for now my gmail account is a great way to get a hold of me.  I also would love to be praying for you, so please let me know if you have prayer requests.

If you have any questions about missions or would like to learn more about going, giving, and praying.  I don't know that I would know all the answers to your questions, but I can help direct you to resources and people who can tell you more.

La Vida Hondureña

I've felt called to missions for a few years now.  I've spent a year in Honduras working with WGM.  I came back and tried to "live a normal life" (i.e. have a decent job, be involved in church, but not focus on the mission field.  It didn't last long as God gave me a couple of strong nudges.  I headed off to Seminary at Columbia International University in South Carolina.  I spent a wonderful year there of growth and learning and fellowship.  And now I am back in the Midwest and ready to see what God has in store for me.

 I have been checking out mission boards, talking to them, reviewing their web pages, praying, etc. and I feel I am getting close to making a decision.  Hopefully.  Because I don't have a mission yet I can't say where I'll be.  I love the country of Honduras and that's where I hope to return.  I feel called to somewhere in Latin America, probably in Central America.  If you are like I was before I went to Honduras I had a bit of trouble finding it, so here's a map to help:

It's the darker purple country under Mexico.

Why Honduras?  Why Latin America?  Well, I think God knows the answer to that question better than I do.  He's the One who has put it on my heart to go.  Many experts in missions are heralding the call to go to unreached people groups.  These groups are primarily in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.  I agree with the experts that it is hugely important to focus on those groups!  However, I don't think that this means abandoning all parts of the world that have a certain percentage of evangelicals (And I don't think the experts would say this either).  It's been noted that once the people group has been "reached" there is no longer "missions" there, rather "ministry".  Perhaps "ministry" would be a more correct way of saying what I feel God is calling me to, but for this post at least I'll stick to "missions" as it is perhaps more commonly used to describe this kind of work.

The missionaries who came before have done excellent work in evangelizing and discipling.  The success of the Gospel in Latin America has been overwhelming. There are churches everywhere.  Many businesses have Bible verses printed somewhere in their stores.  And in Honduras (at least) there is a national "Day of the Bible".  So why do missions there?  Because there still is need.  The presence of churches and Bible verse signs can be deceiving.  Many people are professing Catholics who have mixed Catholicism with animism and superstition.  Much like the US, there are people whose lives have been so hard it's difficult for them to imagine a loving God and I believe that God desires His people to be the hands and feet of Jesus in order to love and care for them in order that they may understand God's love.  Of course there are Hondurans who have the heart to do these things for them, but not all of them have the resources or training.  Resources are much harder to come by there, and taking time away from work to get more education might seem impossible.  Latin Americans are being called to become missionaries to other people groups both in their own countries and on the other side of the globe.  If you would like a better explanation I would be happy to talk to you one on one or in a small group.  It's a lot easier to talk about in person -or even in a phone call or personal email or Facebook chat!

I am not sure of God's exact purpose in calling me to Latin America.  I just know that I should not argue.  I've spent a lot of time in prayer about it.  I've asked God if I should go minister to unreached people groups in India or Southeast Asia, but the answer was that God wants me in Latin America.   I think that God has been, is, and will continue to do exciting things in Latin America.

Currently, I'm taking "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement" and it's excellent. I highly recommend it.  The first week we talked about how we are blessed to be a blessing (that is we are saved so that we can glorify God and bring others to Him so that they can also glorify Him).  We are currently studying the Bible so that we can see God's mission purpose in every part--and let me tell you it's mind-blowing.  The Old Testament is full of missionary purpose that I never really noticed before.  God has been working in the world to make His name know to all peoples from the very beginning.

As Christians none of us are exempt from God's plan to bring the Glory of his name to the peoples of the earth.  Some are called to unreached people groups.  Some, like myself, to continue a work started by others.  And many are called to be lights in their own communities and partners with those who are in foreign countries.  

Partners are hugely important to the success of missions and ministry both foreign and domestic.  There is the obvious need for funds, but even more important is the need for prayer and encouragement.  The word "supporters" is often used for those who give to missions and ministry, but the word "partners" is more fully descriptive of the relationship.  

I won't be able to go without financial support, but I won't be able to continue without prayer and encouragement.  When you pray for a missionary you are a vital part of that ministry.  There is a lot of spiritual warfare and difficult situations and loneliness and homesickness, not to mention the need for prayer for the people missionaries come in contact with.  I can't tell you how much it means when you send letters and emails or maybe even come to visit.  And partnerships are two way streets. I would love to pray for you and keep in contact!  Please let me know if you have any prayer requests.

I hope that you will consider partnering with me as I follow God. It's going to be an adventure. Good thing God gave me a love for adventure!