During the Tabora travels I was surrounded by four missionary dudes. Aside from potty humor and punny jokes, I took away something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. This certain circumstance provoked some thought about the male population in ministry, and so, I now present you with my five requirements for the male missionary! While this list is not complete, it is a brief collection of important traits to have on the mission field.
The Missional Man makes yummy breakfasts
Brett makes killer pancakes. Uncle David is famous for delicious coffee. My dad and Jason have signature French-toasts, and every missionary dude some how has a break fast specialty. For some reason, the duty of breakfasts falls on the shoulders of men. Therefore, the ability to cook breakfast in bulk (for that mission trip team, intern meeting, or visitors) seems vital to being successful on the mission field.
The Missional Man can listen to Tom Waits
Tom Waits has the ugliest, raspiest, dirtiest voice you’ve ever heard, and yet his song remains on my Top 25 Most Played list. He is a brilliant musician in disguise, because you can’t be so turned off by his voice that you miss his instrumental genius. Like most ugly moments on the missionfield, joy can be found if the listener is tuned into finding the beauty in the unlikely. I guess it’s a combination of being easy going, not quick to judge, and open minded with a good sense of humor. Clueless driving on streets in a middle-of-no-where-towns could get ugly unless you can laugh at your GPS that reads “Driving on NOT RECOMMENDED.” I think it’s those types of giggles that get missionaries through tough spots. Finding the entertainment in doubtful situations is important in staying fresh on the mission field.
The Missional Man has buns of steel
Patience and endurance are mandatory for long sittings on wobbly, wooden benches because missionary men must value relationship more than their own comfort. They must value people over schedules. Whether these guys are stopping for roadside coffee conversations with old men or randomly befriending the police, I am constantly reminded that every African moment is centered in relationship. I am encouraged to live my life at an African paced so that I don’t miss out on seeing people for who they are, not what their profession is in relation to me.
The Missional Man can laugh at a sphincter
“What are we eating? Is that a sphincter?” Oh the stories you hear around a dinner table full of missionaries! Did you know that Sonny Guild has accidently shot a cow on a Safari trip? He has also sipped cow-urine tea during a drought. Jason has run over a donkey. Eric has hit chickens and goats. Fried tarantulas and lizards/jingjoks that fall on you while you’re sleeping make for the best table talk. The guys on the mission field are filled with stories. Also (sidenote) do American churches not send out missionaries who can’t make puns?
The Missional Man sees adventure in toilet rolls
I was standing by the sink when Jason caught himself throwing away a perfectly functional paper towel roll. He held it up and said, “This could be a toy.” He walked away spotting distant lands through the new household spyglass. The Missional Man is creative and family oriented. My best friend’s dad in Brazil, Kevin Blume, keeps the most entertaining blog on hysterical kid conversations and Blume activities. I don’t think that moments slip by undocumented in the Blume household because that man is set on family. Toilet rolls turn into toys and lost teeth turn into major achievements. Family is where its at.
i'm just glad my name showed up in the cooking breakfast section of the post -- and not in one of the paragraphs about rear ends. or even worse... in the tom waits category.
ReplyDelete