Comments on: What can a Christian Missionary Learn from The Peace Corps?

By: Shelley

Shelley — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:07:56 +0000

This is great advice for anyone trying to make a difference! if we could just stop trying to fix each other and recognize that the true value is in caring and being there.

By: Sylecia Putnam

Sylecia Putnam — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:45:41 +0000

I’m currently a Junior at Texas Tech University… I’ve been going on short term missions trips every summer since I was 12 and I know I’m supposed to travel and …. be a “missionary” without being a missionary…. I’ve been planning on joining the Peace Corps once I graduate, because it just sounds exactly like something I’m interested in, always has interested me! My Christian friends are worried about me and questioning me for wanting to join Peace Corps and not a missions agency. Any suggestions?

By: kathy Gau

kathy Gau — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:10:31 +0000

Interesting to see that this 25 tips are still in circulation and of use to people. Lyle and I wrote them as part of a training for PCVs in Maputo some years back.

However, I’m not sure of the value added by your comments as indicate below:
1) Though the Peace Corps is not known for attracting Christian volunteers (quite the opposite as I understand it) - as far as I can see, you really have no validity for making this rather sweeping judgement, unless of course you are God him/herself.
2) Why the suggestion - to add some “Christianese” to some of them and we could have the beginnings of a new missionary handbook - as in fact are written they speak to a broad range of people within a human rights approach (which can be called many different things by many different people, the point of course being that there is no value added in judging a person’s motivation for acting in a principle centred manner).

P.S. I would appreciate if you could correct the spelling of my surname on the PDF file - the correct spelling is GAU. Aside from that, if you find value in these 25 tips, please carry on passing around.

By: Don

Don — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:43:04 +0000

Good stuff! Point No. 2 is really on target . I spent 8 years in Papua New Guinea and I found it took up to two years for some to come to trust you and accept you. I also found that on the mission I was with at that time that many missionaries had come a gone and often you would find yourself scraching your head, saying What in the world did they do that way for? SO WHAT EVER YOU DO MAKE SURE THAT YOU LEAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THE NEXT TO BUILD ON.

By: Pastor Jack

Pastor Jack — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 00:10:56 +0000

I think anyone who is serious about missions will realize the last point. It is good to hang that list up so we could wake up to it.

Although it is somewhat justified to get frustrated, we must remember we are working for someone and if we are working hard, whatever the results, He is happy. It is not about us, it is about Him. I have to try to remember that each day. It’s difficult.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:39:43 +0000

The last two points struck me: they describe exactly the way I’ve been feeling about the state of Massachusetts, where I attend Seminary. Unfortunately, the changes I wish to make in New England society count more as my culture shock reaction than things that they themselves would recognise as improvements. My wife and I simply don’t have enough of the missionary spirit, which is one of the reasons we’re seriously considering leaving.

By: Lyle Jaffe

Lyle Jaffe — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 19:54:59 +0000

Hi,

I just wanted to correct the second author’s name: Kathy Gau

Lyle Jaffe