Wellingtonian late-bloomer in cross-cultural mission

God led Pat, in her fifties, to Eastwest College to prepare for cross-cultural ministry.  As she waited for the next step, he opened her eyes to a long-time need in an extremely restrictive Asian region.  Several months ago Pat joined the WEC team there.

She explains the essence of her two year commitment, “I look on my role as a support role to the long-term missionaries, who are focused on a local least-reached people group.  Together with one other woman I help supervise the correspondence school studies of two family’s children.  I join them prayerfully too, bringing this God-given burden before his throne.  I don’t know what will unfold, but I see how my availability has released the parents during ‘school hours’ to focus more on their varied ministries.  Just today one mother commented yet again how much she values and appreciates my help with their schooling.”

Looking to the future, Pat has a heart to be involved with member-care, that is, helping with the pastoral needs of long-term missionaries.  In her short time overseas she has already had amazing opportunities to see member-care issues up close.  Things like; the practice of working in multi-cultural teams; the process of obtaining a visa and learning language; life issues for families and singles overseas; and how different people cope or are debriefed in times of crisis.   With the region having just experienced a devastating natural disaster, Pat says, “I am often looking at what I am doing and learning and thinking of how it is all contributing to my understanding of missionary life. I can see the value of member-care right before my eyes.”