What is a Real Missionary?

About the Author

Ben spends most of his time working with underprivileged kids in Tijuana, Mexico, encouraging them to continue their education. He's an unofficial member of Iglesia Bautista Monte Horeb, which runs the elementary school, Centro Pedagógico Didaque.

A couple of months back, I was told that I was not a “real” missionary.

As I sat in the offices of a non-profit that I work with, in walked an overly energetic couple, with a list of plans to single-handedly fix and improve Tijuana. Their monologue rattled off future trip dates and truckloads of donations, intermixed w/ name dropping on both sides of the frontera. Without taking a breath, the woman asked, “Who are these two?”, pointing to myself and buddy Aaron. Sara, who works in the office, introduced us. As if we were mute, the lady then asked Sara, “What do they do?”. Sara responded, “They’re missionaries in Tijuana.” Dumbfounded and perplexed, she asked, “What do you mean missionaries?” “Well, they’re regular missionaries in Tijuana”, Sara repeated quite confused. The woman, all the more bewildered, said “Oh!?!, because our church sends out REAL missionaries who go to all parts of the world for two years.” Good judgment kicked in as Sara replied, “Oh, that’s nice”, and changed the subject, which the woman quickly took over and off to who knows where.

Aaron and I sat in complete silence until they left the room. When the door shut, we busted out laughing…what the heck was that!?! I mean in a way, who cares? But what was she getting at? After a bit of discussion, it surfaced that the woman and her husband were members of the Church of Jesus Christ [of Latter Day Saints]. Ok, that solves it. But man!, what are we then? And what is a missionary?

Webster’s Dictionary has got four definitions:

  1. a person sent by a church into an area to carry on religious or humanitarian work
  2. a person who attempts to persuade or convert others
  3. pertaining to religious missions
  4. characteristic of a missionary

Before I hit I-5 South to Mexico, my church did pray for me during the regular Sunday service. So I guess I qualify for number one. All Christians are given the Great Commission, so any believer should lovingly go for number two. And numbers three and four seem to be addendums to the first two definitions.

So, it seems that I fit nicely into the definition, like it or not—by the name-badged “real” missionaries.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 29th, 2006 at 10:19 am and is filed under Missionary Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

4 Responses to “What is a Real Missionary?”

  1. Eileen Shayne Says:
    May 10th, 2006 at 10:23 pm

    Dear Ben,

    I have never doubted for a minute that you are truly a missionary.

    May God continue to richly bless you and those you come into contact with.

  2. John Dilon Says:
    March 23rd, 2007 at 11:20 pm

    Hello my name is John I am a Holy Spirit Missionary and I really wonder sometimes about people that think they are missionaries. I trained for 2 yrs to be a HSM at a HSM training center. from 1992 thru 94. Many People think that they are Missionaries because they went to Mexico for 6 months Weeks or a weekend trip. Do you Know about Spectrum Ministries and Tio Vangh or El POSO. Any how I lived in TJ for 1 yr and i found out that most MG’s don’t know about the other and the labor is done in vain.

    The best thing we as Americans can do for the People in Mexico is to Not give one red cent not a penny a dollar any food and any support, for One Yr. This well make them be responsible for themselves and stop what i call the Toilet Flush.

    Every yr The Stupid Americans Come running to Mexico and other countries and Just do a toilet flush. Money food clothes ETC. It is mostly a shell game Then there is Ministires Like Mexican Medical and others that really make a good go at it. But for the most part it is all a One Trick pony Show.

    Candy for the Kids ETC I have sat in on some True Missions Meetings on TJ and it is disturbing the way every thing is candy coated. But any how let me know who you are.

  3. Ben Says:
    March 24th, 2007 at 9:30 am

    Hi John,

    Thanks for stopping in. Are you the John that passes out prescription glasses?

    What’s an MG (besides the English roadster)?

    Interesting plug for Mexican Medical; although I certainly have seen the other side.

    God bless!

  4. Ben Says:
    March 24th, 2007 at 9:41 am

    And yes, I’m familiar w/ Spectrum, Pastor Von (if that’s who you are talking about), and El Pozo (now called The Purple Palace, I guess).

    Ok, so after you withhold your pennies for one year–then what?

    Check out my profile as to who I am.

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