An Awkward Missionary

Author: Rachel Kleppen

“So why are you living in Taiwan?”

I get this question a lot. It’s usually one of the first questions Taiwanese ask when they meet me, and a question I’ve had to answer a hundred times to family and friends back home. It’s a fair question, one I should have a simple answer to by now – but I can’t help but tense up anytime someone asks.

If an American asks me, I instantly feel inadequate – as if I should be doing something more adult-like and career-driven. If a Taiwanese asks me I suddenly feel like a salesman they should run away from. (You’re living in my country simply to try convert me to your religion?) Now, to be fair, these thoughts are probably a lot more prevalent in my mind than the person who asked, but sometimes I feel like it cripples me from just being myself.

I remember a few years ago writing my first support letter to do my DTS in Taiwan. I felt so awkward asking people to fund my trip to Taiwan, when I didn’t even know what sort of things I’d be doing over there. I knew Taiwan was 4% Christian, but I wished I had a more tangible mission. In some ways I was mad at Travis (my husband) for not picking a more “philanthropic” location. Why can’t we go to Africa so we can say we’re working with poverty or with orphans? How about a refugee camp? Who’s going to judge us for that?

I knew Taiwan was 4% Christian, but I wished I had a more tangible mission.

Not too long after that I read a story about a missionary and his family who had been killed in a car accident. This young Minnesota family had been preparing to go to Japan for the last several years and on their way to their final training in the U.S. their vehicle collided with a semi. All five of them instantly went to be with Jesus.

I found the link to the blog he had kept during this season of preparation. This man had such a passion for Japan and the people there and had committed the rest of his life to sharing the gospel with this unreached nation. And in his latest blog post he did exactly the opposite of what I was trying to do. He clarified that no matter what kind of work they would be doing in Japan, kids camps, orphanages, etc – the most important thing would be to share the gospel with them. He didn’t mince words, he didn’t hide his true mission behind good deeds – he made it clear that above all else the gospel needed to make it to Japan.

He clarified that… the most important thing would be to share the gospel with them.

Taiwan is a first world nation. They certainly don’t have the incomes that most people do in the States, but we don’t see a lot of poverty here. Familial commitment is one of the highest values in Chinese culture (for better or for worse) so we don’t see a lot of orphans either (at least compared to other Asian countries). Most young people will go to university – perhaps an even higher percentage than the West.

Truly what we’re dealing with is spiritual poverty. A nation of people who have a long list of gods they pray to for blessings. Broken family relationships that can often be a source of pain rather than safety. Young people who don’t have a plan or hope for their future because they’re not sure why they were placed on Earth. All symptoms of a nation that hasn’t yet known Jesus.

Truly what we’re dealing with is spiritual poverty.

We are here to share the gospel with them – the Good News that Jesus already came and He is waiting for them to surrender and join His kingdom family.

Last week I was struggling to understand why God called me to be a missionary. There are a thousand other things I could be doing with my life, that would be much easier to explain to others. Sometimes I don’t even know why I’m doing this.

But then it occurred to me – God understands exactly why I’m a missionary, he’s not confused at all.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

God understands exactly why I’m a missionary, he’s not confused at all.

And some day when I stand before Him and give an account of what I did with my life, I won’t need to feel awkward at all. And with joy I realized how much I would rather have an awkward time explaining how I’m spending my life with other people than be fumbling over my words and giving excuses in the presence of the Almighty God.

I don’t say this to mean that being a full-time missionary is the only acceptable vocation to God (that couldn’t possibly be true), but I think the bigger question is – are you ready to explain your life to God? Is the way that you spent your days something that will make perfect sense to Him? Was it dripping with Kingdom goodness and vision?