MK forum

I don't understand how that could possibly make any difference. Most missionaries are guests in the countries in which they serve, and as such should respect their laws and authority. (Sounds kind of like American "imperial" arrogance to me.)

Yes, it's imperial arrogance. I agree.

I don't know about the other people who post here, but I see that in spades in my in-laws experiences. For starters, after all those years with the tribe, I have never heard my in-laws speak of even one personal name or friend amongst the tribe. If they speak about a member of the tribe, it is ALWAYS "an Indian". I am sure my Wheaton grad m-i-l and my Dallas Theological Seminary grad f-i-l share Elizabeth Elliots sentiments- indigenous peoples are "savages" (The Savage, My Kinsman); in contrast to my in-laws who are educated, cultured "real" human people. They get names, their co-workers all had names. I have never heard of any indigenous person's name from their lips. Ever.

Their other time of ministry in South America was in Guyana; British Guyana at the time. That went pretty well there. Their children were with them then, and they were teaching Bible doctrine to educated people in English. Even after the country kicked out foreigners and nationalized all foreign interests and investments, the "seminary" they helped to start carried on. They went back in the late '90s/early 2000s to visit. Too bad they didn't limit their ministry to what they were good at, but then it was the mission council that decided assignments, right? You don't get to choose where you go, do you? (Not NTM but cut from the same cloth, so I assume what is true for NTM was true for UFM.)

That is really sad, Shadowspring2, about not knowing names, I still know the names of the people that were in our area and my parents talk about them all the time.

Hugo, Irenia, Bolivian, Ilda, Julia, Ascenicio, Asunta, Beti, Eremelinda. They were such friends that I went back 20 years later with my girls so they could meet them. They will always be my friends.

Yay for you, dbarney. We know some of those you mentioned!
And we had many friends too. And have many more in our current country.
What else is it about???????

Well that's what I *thought* missions was all about- loving people and sharing life and faith with them. I am so happy to hear that is your experience, dbarney and mosquitobite.

Unfortunately it's not that way for everyone. I am quite sure the sense of superiority to the indigenous people is why the work never really took off. The tribe moved away; the translation work was all lost. In my opinion, it was a huge work of the flesh that cost way too much in every way- time, money, the childhood of three little MK boys...

Though like I said, they (my in-laws) had a lasting impact in Guyana, so good for them. I'm glad that worked out.

Silvia, Edwin, Santiago, Mateo and the names keep coming. I loved those people so much that when I became widowed and the pain was so deep that I couldn't bear it, I returned to the tribe, my friends, for healing. It was truely the best decision as Irenia embraced me and cried with me. I've gone back twice now. I love the wonderful people of my childhood and as I went back later as an adult. It was wonderful, marvelous and healing. I have their pictures in my home. I have a picture of Silvia and I, I was 14 holding and Silvia was considered "my baby" by her mom. While on furlough, measles went around and she was one of the casualties. I still carry that framed picture today. The love my friends showed me, in a time of great need, was beyond belief. We talked of many memories of my parents and brothers and they showed me things that they still had from when we were there 20 years earlier. That is true love that looks beyond skin and culture and doesn't even see them. God is Good and I love the Yura people. I need to stop, too emotional

WOW, Deb!
That is encouraging to hear.
We went 2x to the Yuras.
Some of them were out in the city from time to time.
In the Yura, mosquitoes even bite you in the shower.

LOL, yes they did bite, in mosquito nets, showers, bug proof rooms, etc

I didn't want to mention the mosquito nets! Sounds too discouraging.
But coming back in the boat--with all that wind---covered in a net because I had our baby in my arms----I STILL got bitten!
And you love that place!
I understand. It was home.

Mosquito bite, are you a parent or an MK?