Bringing Missions Home

 by Lee Ann Bisulca

The small plane takes off for a test flight from the village in Papua New Guinea. On board it's you, the pilot and the mechanic. As you ascend, the green slopes of the surrounding hills come into view, and you settle back in your seat. Another uneventful flight.

Uneventful, that is, until the plane loses partial power. The pilot tries to remain calm as he circles back in an attempt to land on the airstrip, but you see his jaw tighten and a bead of sweat drip off his forehead. Your heart skips a beat when you hear him say, "We've lost all power."

There's only one chance—a nearby road. You hold your breath as the plane slides down for a bumpy landing. But suddenly a twin-cab pick-up truck pulls into your path. Screeching and the sickening sound of metal tearing fills your ears as the world turns upside down. Everything goes black.

You come to in your living room, and find yourself looking at a picture of a small plane with its wing sheared off. A missionary to Papua New Guinea is showing slides on the wall, and telling an amazing story about how the plane crashed into a pick-up truck. I hear a lot of stories like that—stories interesting, funny, dramatic. My family is on the hospitality roster of Wycliffe Bible Translators. The hospitality roster was organized to facilitate the traveling that Wycliffe missionaries must do on tight pledge-based budgets. The roster lists the names of about 5,000 people in the United States willing to host missionaries. This list is then available to missionaries in search of a place to stay while on the road.

The arrangement is just as advantageous for the hosts as it is for the missionaries. Home schoolers, especially, can benefit from the learning that takes place. Slide shows, photo albums, and first-hand descriptions of life in other countries add up to an enthralling geography lesson. For those unsure of what they would like to do after high school, hosting can be a help in examining the possibility of short or long-term missions work. Hosting is a wonderful opportunity for families who would like to become involved in world missions, but can't pack up and head for the Philippines. It's a way to bring missions home. Besides hosting, families can assist missionaries through prayer and financial support. Joining the hospitality roster also connects families with the other activities going on at Wycliffe.

If you are interested in joining the hospitality roster, you must first become a member of Wycliffe Associates, the support ministry for Wycliffe Bible Translators. Becoming a member of Wycliffe Associates involves a yearly donation of $15 to $25 and enables you to participate in many other services, such as volunteering at various Wycliffe locations and enrolling in the Prayer Watch. When you request to join the roster, you will be sent an application with questions about how many people you are willing to host at one time, what meals you can provide, and so on.

Once you are on the roster, you may receive a call any day from a missionary wanting to stay with you. Sometimes the call is weeks in advance, sometimes only a few days. The length of stay also varies: people have stayed with us anywhere from one night to several. Sometimes only one person is traveling; other times a whole family needs room.

There are only two things to remember about hosting missionaries. One, do all you can to accommodate your guests and make them feel comfortable. Missionaries are constantly adjusting to lifestyle and cultural changes. That can be just as hard for them as it would be for you.

You can also provide practical help. For instance, families who are sightseeing might have questions on how to get to their destinations, and they could need a ride to the subway station. Missionaries on their way to a meeting in another state might just want a good breakfast before continuing their journey.

Two, ask questions. Conversations with missionaries can inform and inspire. Ask about the country in which they serve, the tribe they work with, the language they are learning. If they serve in the United States, ask about the behind-the-scenes jobs which are vital to the work overseas. Ask about the training and education Wycliffe requires of its missionaries. Ask how computers aid in translation and what is hardest about being a missionary.

Through hosting, you can become a part of the difficult, but rewarding, work of missionaries. Don't miss this exciting opportunity.

Lee Ann Bisulca is a home-school student from Alexandria, Virginia.