Our roles in administration are to encourage, enable, and equip the body of Christ to serve God’s purposes among the unreached peoples of East Asia. We’ve frequently discussed how Eunice would serve in Training & Development as Virtual Classroom Manager and how Au would serve in Mission Research as Librarian. I don’t think we’ve talked much about how we can be part of the community for missionaries “passing through” OMF’s International Centre.
Four times a year, OMF hosts new missionaries and trains them in a four-week Orientation Course. This means that new missionaries spend a month learning and living in Singapore before they head to their fields of service. Some have never lived in Asia before and they are surprised by new foods, new smells, and new ways of transport in addition to learning the culture of their new organization.
Other missionaries are medevac-ed to Singapore for unexpected medical needs or sophisticated medical procedures not available in their field country. Others come to International Centre to update or renew visas, before older ones have expired. Finally, some come for regional conferences or directors’ meetings.
In each case, having a small core of support staff at the OMF office provides much-needed and greatly appreciated stability, camaraderie and fellowship for our ever-coming and going community of missionaries. We get to be part of that supportive environment in addition to serving in our administrative roles.
Lord, protect us from Satan’s attempts to discourage or distract. Remind us of truth through your Word.
I just love this. Of course, missionaries need belonging and community too.