Introduction
When I was
a teenager in the late 1960’s and early 70’s, I was exposed to
my fair share of missionaries. It seemed that with repeated
frequency missionaries were taking furloughs and I was being
tortured by the event known as “a missionary slide night.”
While this
may seem to be unkind I do not mean it to be, it is simply a
recollection of how they appeared to us teenagers at the
time. Seemingly
endless, often poorly taken slides, spoken about in great
length in a rather dull monotone voice, or in a voice so
excited that it didn’t bear listening to at all. That’s how I saw it at the time.
I was never
interested in missionary service. Apart from the whole
idea being rather scary to me I already had my calling, or at
least did have when I was 16. The very night that I
gave my life to the Lord my call to serve the church became so
very clear. With
time, testing and affirmation that call, I believe, is to
those who are already Christians. But does that rule out
missionary service?
Now I am in
my late 40’s and for quite a long time I have wanted to make
short-term missions trips overseas, but like many people,
lacked both the financial means and the fortitude to actually
do so. Oh, I’d been a supporter of such ventures and had
helped raise funds for others to make such trips. I had even
been instrumental in getting one young person sponsored to go
on a mission trip, but not me. That kind of thing was always
for other people.
Like most
people I have some fears of the unknown and I like my creature
comforts. Having
suffered a major motorcycle accident and subsequently
lived many years with chronic pain in various parts
of my body I have the lingering concern that I am unable
to cope with physical conditions that prior to my accident
wouldn’t have been a bother to me.
Financially
I have always struggled a bit. What with a wife and
four school aged children I always managed to find an excuse
why I couldn’t participate in such “expensive” adventures.
Consequentially I became very adept at rationalising off any
feelings of wanting to embark on a short-term mission
trip.
Then April 2001 came
around.
During
April 2001 I attended the annual convention of Foursquare
Gospel Churches.
Nothing particular to get excited about really, with
the exception that I became overwhelmingly convicted that God
was calling me to make a missions trip toPapua New
Guinea. I had been dwelling on
this for some time.
About 18 months prior to this my wife and I had hosted
a PNG pastor in our home for a few days and he and I
hit-it-off and have become great friends. So
naturally, after this newfound friendship I thought more often
about going to visit him in PNG.
At one
particular meeting there was an altar call for Pastors, to
which I responded.
I can’t actually remember what it was all about, I
think it is was just a general call to a deeper level of
surrender to God. As I stood there I was pouring out my heart
to God with my desire to make short-term missions trips. A fellow pastor, who
was on the platform at the time, left the keyboard he was
playing and came down to me. He
placed his hands on me and began prophesying that I was to
make many missions trips; that I would be a blessing to many;
that I would visit many, many countries and share the Word of
God; that I would go to many, many places I had never even
dreamed of going.
This divine
event changed my poor attitude. I immediately decided
that before the year was out I would make my first missions
trip to Papua New
Guinea
regardless of the cost.
In fact I had no idea where
the money would come from, I was just determined to be
obedient.
During the
lunch following the morning session I shared with a peer my
frustration at wanting to make such trips but not being able
to afford to do so.
His response was a complete surprise – he asked me if I
used a credit card. To which I somewhat bemused replied
yes. He suggested
that I find out if the bonus points I earned were, in any way,
transferable to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program. He was a well-travelled
pastor and had such experiences where as I had hardly
travelled at all.
The
following day, the necessary phone calls revealed the good
news that upon joining a particular frequent flyer program my
credit card’s bonus points were transferable on a point for
point basis. Not
only that – I already had enough points for a free Sydney-Port
Moresby return economy ticket. I joined the frequent
flyer program and arranged the transfer of points the same
day. I also
contacted my pastor friend in Papua New Guinea and said I was coming
up soon, we arranged the dates and within three days I had
booked the flights.
All I had to pay was the taxes.
What
follows is the diary that I kept on that first ten-day trip.
I had a very clear instinctual feeling that this trip
was the first of two for the
year.
I have chosen to publish it as a means to encourage
others to make such trips whenever possible. If you are invited to
accompany someone on a mission trip to anywhere – go. It will enhance your
Christian life – at least.
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Max Watson