by: Stefanie Parsons

Mission week already happened for this semester. “So, why am I writing about it,” I ask myself and also thinking that this is not the way I was taught to begin an article. But I’m doing it anyway!

This article is part information for the reader and also commentary on what I observed while I was attending chapel along with fellow EBC students and staff last week, February 12-16, 2007. 

There was a wide range of mission organizations which had displays up in the chapel, offering more information on their projects and serving opportunities all over the globe. I counted 11 in all including, Wycliffe, Africa Inland Mission, Avant Ministries, Gospel for Asia, Mission Aviation, and Arab World Ministries.  Here are some interesting programs to get involved in that I discovered:

Andy Cook, the short-term coordinator for Operation Mobilization (OM), told me about Toronto Challenge, a program that gets a group hooked up with a local church in the GTA that will direct them in a cross-cultural education within different ethnic groups.  You will get trained in witnessing and open-air ministry as well as visiting a place of worship and learning about Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.  The best part about this is you don’t have to leave the country and the cost is as little as $300, plus they will give you a discount if you apply as a group of five or more people. 

If you want to learn more about what it takes to be a missionary, you also don’t need to leave Canada.  Sacrificing a part of your summer to train with the Northern Canada Evangelical Mission (NCEM) and getting to do ministry on a native reserve or village for one month where you have to plan your own programs, would be a great challenge if you are thinking about missions for your future.  You must be 18 years of age and already have a year of post high school education and be willing to pay your own way to Alberta but it still only costs $725.00!

If you want a little more adventure, I must recommend going to Thailand with OMF International!  This year you can minister in the historic and quaint city of Lopburi, doing team teaching English at the local university for 10 hours per week as well as be involved in an evangelistic English camp for kids.  Just to let you know, I spent some time in Lopburi with OMF and it was a great experience. The city is not nearly as overwhelming as Bangkok and it’s the perfect place to learn about Thai culture and history, with many ruins of the king’s palace and temples.  But beware the monkeys, who have their own temple and also the run of part of the downtown area!

Now, on to the commentary:  is it just me or was there a lack of interest in all these nice mission people and their graphic displays?  Yes, I admit that there is a lot to pack into a chapel service and we all have classes to get to as well as eating and meetings, but I observed that not many EBC students were talking to these mission reps. 

What’s the deal?  Isn’t this why we are all here? Not just to study but also to take what we are learning and tell others, not because we are smart and we know more then them but because their souls depend on us and because the rocks will cry out if we don’t?  I’ve seen the effects of an earthquake, I don’t want to know what would happen if the very earth shouted out God’s praise.

What happened to the adventure of traveling to new places and meeting cool, different people with a totally unique perspective and culture that they want to share with the wide-eyed North American student?  This is an awesome time for us to let God have full control and take us to places where he is working, we might not be as ‘free’ to devote ourselves once family and jobs and money get in the way.

Our own EBC professor, Sean O’Leary was overcome at seeing the graves of people just like us who are now buried in Nigeria who lived with God fully in control. 

“All over were the graves of missionaries who sewed the seeds of the gospel,” said Sean when he spoke in chapel about his experience.  He also told about a friend he met who felt greatly indebted to these missionaries who gave their lives saying, “because of them I know Jesus.”

Sean also prayed that God would make us “world Christians” and be connected to our fellow brothers and sisters in other countries.  I also pray the same and urge you to pray as well not only for our fellow Christians but that you would let God open your heart to how much he is hurting for the world.  Because an old rice farming grandmother in Thailand needs to let go of her burdens, or a young Lebanese refuge in Istanbul needs hope for a safe future, or a child labourer in India is lonely for someone to love them.  Let your heart hurt for God’s people: all people, and then get courage from the Lord and GO!