Ask a Missionary - Catch The Fire

Q:
How can I minimize financial debt
while in training?
A: Borrow as little as possible.
Scripture does not prohibit borrowing money, but it is discouraged.
“The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).
Christians should not be slaves to anyone. A healthy goal for all
Christians is to live debt free so they can serve the Lord and give
their tithes and offerings with joy and abandon. Therefore, borrowing
should be entered into with great caution, with a plan to borrow
as little as possible and to repay as soon as possible.
Money should be borrowed for needs only, not for wants. The
best way to differentiate between needs and wants is to live on
a budget and to buy only budgeted items. Christians borrowing
money, especially those of us going into missions, should live a
missionary lifestyle from the beginning. We should realize that our
significance is derived from who we are in Christ, not from what
we own or whether we have the trendiest clothing and the most
sought-after designer labels.
Comb through the lists of available scholarships in the financialaid
office and apply for many. Avoid unsubsidized educational loans
unless there is no possible alternative. At the end of each year, the
accumulated interest is capitalized, and this plunges us deeper into
debt.
Seek counsel on financial management from godly counselors.
Answer from David Topazian, DDS, executive director of MedSend. David
served with TEAM in South America for six years.
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