1996-1999 Top Dog Missionaries

Mr. Top Dog is by far the most resourceful and most blessed missionary that I have ever met. He is second generation in the same mission field and therefore the family contacts and church relations are deep. However, he is charismatic and passionate about succeeding at the work and constantly attracts new support just like his father did. His basic support is met by the International Mission Board – by far the most well supplied and trained in the world – but the extras just seem to come.

He has built training facilities and churches all throughout his country. No matter where he goes the work is golden, well supplied and full of volunteer and professional support. He is not a slave driver but you need much energy just to keep up. He works hard, constantly and efficiently. He knows when to stop to have the important lunch or meeting. He knows how to balance networking with all of the rest of the demands.

He has overcome illness like most foreign missionaries. He has overcome great personal trials. He loves the people he serves. He is driven and admired by all.

Mrs. Top Dog has always been a great support. She has worked, taught and done her best to keep up with Mr. Top Dog. There are times, though, when she has gotten lost in the pace and work. She has suffered times of great emotional distress and exhaustion. It was hard to watch and be involved in one of those. Somehow the work went on, the volunteer teams kept coming and the indigenous work progressed.

I don’t know how she is now. I don’t know if Mr. Top Dog slowed down. I hope that it all worked out well. Then, she wasn’t pleasant to be with and she was tough on some people. But I was too judgmental in my heart in those earlier days. Years later, having found the same results in times of exhaustion and emotional trial, I wish I could have found a way to minister to her.

I wonder how they worked through the emotional exhaustion. I wonder if it could have been prevented. I wonder if it like what our family faces in the field.

Being a leader is hard. Being a spiritual leader is really tough. Being a Christian leader will get you persecuted physically and spiritually. Being a Christian leader in the field of non-believers will demand more than you have at times. It is good that Christian leaders are driven. It is good that we have passion, depth and the desire to get it done. But what good is it if we save the whole world and lose our families? This is what I learned the moment that I realized I had judged her too quickly while not even looking at him.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

Eph 5:25-33 NASU