Ask a Missionary - Catch The Fire

A: Fast can end up being slow.
A degree may or may not be what you need. It really depends
on what your passions are and what contribution you hope to make
in the long term. For example, if you want to be an advocate for the
poor, you need to learn the laws that govern the poor, and you need
to gain a position from which your voice can be heard.
There are many types of good and relevant training in our world
today, and a formal degree may be very beneficial—or it may not
be—depending on where you want to go and what type of service
you want to be to the people among whom you will live. The bottom
line is that we need to be trained, mentored, discipled, and
developed. We first need to develop the spiritual disciplines so
that we can truly know and follow Christ ourselves—showing by
example how others can know and follow Christ. Second, we will be
of greater assistance to communities and people if we improve our
God-given talents.
Remember: fast can be slow. Taking shortcuts may hinder you
from realizing your greatest vision. On our journey with God, we
gain the wisdom, faith, strength, skills, character, and courage to
reach the goal. Those who take shortcuts often fall out of the race
because they did not have what they needed to finish.
Answer from Lisa, who has served for fifteen years in Austria, Romania, and
Canada with International Teams.
A: Prepare as much as possible; then go.
We all have much to learn in this life, and much of what God
has to teach we learn only by going where he leads. So do some
thorough preparation, and then GO. Don’t ever think you have to be
totally prepared before you go—or you will never go.
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