How to live wisely
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How to live wisely
One Bridge Leader spoke to me recently about the need for discretion, security and anonymity in her ministry.
I assured her that this is normal for many missionaries around the world. And perhaps now needs to be normative for those of us living in the USA. Bridges follows certain practices and has certain policies that emerge from worldwide experiences.
My missionary friends in Afghanistan had to register their visas and passports with the Taliban, the legitimate government at the time. Many years later, my friends were living in CA and got a call from the FBI. The FBI had a few “questions.”
By definition Bridge Leaders embody at least 2 cultures. These two cultures may be getting along today but later mäy become enemies.
Not everyone has to know everything.
And there are things missionaries around the world do to protect themselves.
Maybe we can name some of these skills, practices and habits. I normally do not dwell on them-its just a way of life
In CA, we call some of these practices as a group “Emergency Preparedness” In Ethiopia, it was just a way of life.
What do you think needs to be normative to protect Bridge Leaders as they serve?
Peace
Jim
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2 Replies
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I’m lost. If those with whom we work don’t know who we really are, that seems to me a built-in lack of trust. It’s beyond sad that we live in a world where technology available through our computers and phones allow and may even encourage harassment, and a world where that technology almost encourages many to have short fuses over anything perceived as a slight, much less a real insult.
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Larry, the security most missionaries and Bridge Leaders require is usually less related to the people they serve and more related to people in positions of power in the locations they serve: governors, regional administrators, politicians, police, secret service, immigration officers, tax officials. People in power often try to use that power to gain benefit for themselves and feel jealousy when a missionary steers resources towards people even more sick and more poor. Showing kindness can be politically risky, even dangerous.
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