It is a little after 10 pm.
We are sharing the MAC (Missionary Assessment Center) event with four other couples. Each couple was asked to name five adjectives for their spouse. In each case the wives used the word passionate as one of the adjectives for their husbands. I'm certainly guilty of that. The first day started at noon and concluded after dinner together at about 6:30pm.
It was mostly a get acquainted in the sense that each couple took 30 min. to describe their testimony, their call to missions, and to answer questions. It was a powerful and touching time. We also got to know the assessors. They all seem knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to provide us with useful information.
A touching moment was when one of the individuals described having to hide under the bed to pray and secretly read the Bible so that the mom and dad would not know. This person had an unquenchable desire for God, and as a child risked punishment to seek Him.
Tonight we filled out another personality profile that we will review as a groutomorrowow. The other test instruments will be reviewed and discussed with each couples privately with an assessor. One of the psychologists discussed why she believes the psychological testing is of God and an important part of the path to missions. She quoted the scripture about how a man building a tower counts the cost before he lays the foundation in order that he be able to complete the project. She said, a full awareness may help rule out some area of missions, but more importantly point to where the mission candidate will be able to best serve. She also noted that there is ainordinatelyly high number of missionaries that leave the field due to a variety of stressors.
I remember a couple weeks ago when Marge and I had dinner with Don Trott from ABWE, he said that their work (the mission staff) is to help us determine the placement that will allow us to best and most fully achieve God's glory and purpose. I think that is what is happening here. I look forward to continued assessment and discovery.The conversations during break and dinner have been just as rewarding as the sessions. Had dinner with some veteran missionaries who know work with churches on their missions programs. Also enjoyed conversation with the other candidates. Three of the couples brought their babies with them. The babies are a pleasant distraction. Some of the candidates had already been in the field. Several were born and raised on the mission field. One candidate was a poor child growing up in a Latin American country and is now working to spread the Gospel and alleviate poverty. Over and over the point was made that poorly trained missionaries who don't understand the culture can do more harm than good. They stressed the importance of listening and discovering the context and discovering what the local believers or culture wants. Missionaries need to live out the question, "How can I help?" If the indigenous church exists in an area we need to support and equip them in the work of reaching their own people.
After the session Marge and I went back to our room and read a little bit. Marge leaned back against the head board of the bed as she was reading and it fell off of the wall. The hotel manager kindly moved us to a better room. We watched a DVD on my laptop and now we are settling in for a restful night's sleep.
When we first started getting prepared for this event, we thought that through it we were going to make a final go or no-go decision on missions. That is not the case. We have already made the go decision. Now we are hoping that God will give us a little more clarity on a people group and the work that he would have us do.
More tomorow.
Adam
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