Charity Begins at Home

“Why do you want to go to the other side of the world? There are poor people / people who need ministry right here in Idaho/Oregon/Washington/the United States. Why not stay here and do ministry?” After questions about life and culture and ministry in Thailand, these are the most common questions we get. Why not care for our own people and their needs? Charity begins at home.

When I was doing Youth Ministry and Campus Ministry and people talked to me about Missions, that was usually my response too. I have always thought of Youth Ministry as being like “Domestic Missions”. I haven’t really changed my mind about all that. I think sometimes we make overseas mission work sound more holy than domestic ministry. It isn’t. Just because we’re getting involved in foreign ministry doesn’t mean we think it’s somehow godlier. And ministry to our own is not less important. Jesus was pretty specific about telling us that we need to care for the poor and downtrodden. He wasn’t very specific about which poor and downtrodden. 

We’re trying to be straightforward in asking for support from people in our quest to minister to the people of Thailand. But I feel like I need to make a disclaimer here: if you already have a habit of giving to ministries and outreach here in the States, we don’t want you to stop. We don’t want to take money being given to someone else. If, however, you aren’t involved in supporting a specific ministry, please consider us. Please.

In the Great Commission, Jesus talks about making Disciples of all nations. At the beginning of Acts, he speaks of sending his disciples to Jerusalem; where they live, the people they see every day. He talks about Judea; the people of their culture, but in the wider countryside. He talks about Samaria; people of a somewhat different culture, but who are still close by. Then he throws in the “uttermost parts of the world”; which is pretty much everywhere else. Every one of these groups is supposed to be touched with the Good News. Every one of them is supposed to be given the hands and feet of Christ. He didn’t place any kind of hierarchy of importance or blessedness. He doesn’t like one better than another. But he does want them all to be done. 

For whatever reason, the Holy Spirit has placed it in our hearts to go to an unreached people group eleven times zones away from where we are now. We have been called to share with and care for a people in that “uttermost part of the world”. That same Spirit has placed in some of your hearts to partner with us in this; to be a blessing to a people you might never meet. “Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Luke 10:2).” 

We’re ready to be sent; to the uttermost parts of the world.