On a mission...

Today at church was Missions Sunday. I always like Missions Sunday - the missionaries that come to speak are so interesting, and without fail I am amazed at how brave some of them are. I personally wouldn't have the guts to live in a Muslim country and risk being shot for teaching about the Gospel.

But I always agree with them when they say that we are called to teach others about Christianity, and I feel that we should do something to help. Of course, most people can't (or don't want to) jet off to a foreign place to live and work with strange people who don't look like you, talk like you, or even eat the same things as you.

I'm one of these people. I wouldn't want to live in a third world country or an Islamic country. I'm afraid I just don't have the fearless nature to do things like this...

But today, the speaker brought up something that really interested me. He works for OM, a worldwide organisation that sends missionaries to other places. He has a passion for working with Muslim people, but he briefly mentioned that OM do short-term programs in July in the Mediterranean area.

THIS I was interested in...next year I am going to Stellenbosch University, where Im going to do a degree in languages. In first year you do four modules, and I'm going to do four languages (this is either a very good or very stupid idea) - French, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and one undecided language (maybe Italian). Given that I already know some French, and will know some Spanish by next year July, I thought, wow, maybe I could do that!

Then when I got home, I went onto their site and looked at their current short-term missions. Obviously, the one that goes to the Mediterranean isn't listed because July isn't coming around again any time soon, but the ones that were there were also promising! There are upcoming missions to France and Belgium, both of which I would LOVE to do.

So now, hopefully, next year I can organise to go on the July mission, or maybe even to France or Belgium in between going to University. Why not put my languages to good use right?

I also hope that once I've finished my degree and can speak some Mandarin, I can get involved with some Chinese missions...

Why am I putting this on my blog, you ask? Really, it's because I'm excited. It always seems like you can only do work for God if you are a pastor or a full-time missionary. Actually, you can get involved as just any old normal person. I'm so glad that I will be able to do something so exciting in the future!

Also, I'm putting it on here as a reminder to myself. Future me can look back at this post and remember what it was that I wanted to do...

Although hopefully I will have done it and won't have to look back!