Before leaving for the World Race, I came across an article titled “Why Missionaries Do More Harm Than Good”. I couldn’t help but click on the link and read. A pit began to form in my stomach; “I’m going to be a missionary for a year…” was all I could think as I began to scroll through the author’s reasons for dismissing what I had thought was a noble calling. Since the decision to go had already been made, I took the article for face-value and vowed to not be one of “those” missionaries.
Fast forward to being present in the mission field…I see the tattered clothes and a lack of books in these beautiful children’s lives. I find myself heartbroken at the weight of their pasts – From abuse to abandonment, some of these young lives have experienced more than I will ever know or understand.
I could easily call home and ask for clothes and books to be shipped overseas in order to fill a tangibly physical need, but that would be pity*. That would be me looking at what I know of the world, seeing a lack of what many of us would claim to be essentials, and giving out of my own “savior” complex**. Instead, I choose to see that this is where compassion comes into play.
It is easy to look and have pity for these children – To take pictures of our experience and spread the lie of pity throughout social media as a case for what they lack, or even worse, stir in your heart your very own “savior” complex! But I don’t want to live in that lie. I don’t want to share the faces and stories of angels for pity. No, when I share stories and pictures, I implore you to see compassion, because compassion is what the Father has for us.
With His overflowing love and compassion He sent His only Son to show us how to love one another, and what sacrificial love looks like. If the Father had chosen pity for His creation, He could have chosen to sit on His throne and watch sin consume the world, maybe throw us a few blessings here and there, but ultimately, He could have left us without hope.
Compassion for our brothers and sisters in Christ is recognizing that we have all been created equal, and we all have the same potential that a relationship with the Holy Spirit plants within us. Our differences are the circumstance in which our earthy life in bound.
In that recognition, hear Jesus’ call to arms! How will you take up your cross and open doors for those who desperately need it? Don’t let a “savior” complex hold you back from following in Jesus’ footsteps – Remember, Jesus didn’t need to take someone from a life of poverty to a life of comfort in order to share the riches of His kingdom. He simply showed compassion and opened eyes to the possibilities that lie within serving and loving one another, and for the children we now work with, hugs, kickball games, tutoring and encouragement fill a far greater need than new clothes could ever provide.
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THANK YOU for sending me to love on these children, to take part in their rich lives filled with joy and community. God’s call for me was to physically be present with His people and to share His love and compassion, but He calls each of us differently. As I move through the year, some organizations ask that we respectfully not share photos for reasons including the message of this blog post, while others will allow for me to share their stories and faces. Regardless of how their stories are shared, I pray that you seek the Father’s wisdom in how you can show compassion to whatever organization stirs something in your heart. If ever you’d like to learn more about what my team is doing or an organization that we are partnered with, please reach out!
Much love to you,
Morgan
“There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see here now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (The Message)
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* If an organization requests things like books and clothes, it is of course not pity! I was simply using a personal example where the needs of the kids I’m working with aren’t necessarily in need of those goods.
** A “savior” complex is when we think that we can solve the world’s problems on simply our own understanding, thus making us the savior.
*** Pepe means “Sorry” in Sesotho (“Se-Soo-To”), the national language of Lesotho (“Le-Soo-To”).
