Happy Missionaries

Back in February I read THIS, and I haven't stopped thinking about it, so I needed to write about it (that's how it works, right?). The Guiltitude article said, "A poor, burned out or suffering missionary is not more godly than a comfortable, healthy and happy missionary." And that really hit me:

Why don't we want comfortable, healthy, and happy missionaries?

It seems like something we should want, right? But never once have I stated (or even thought) that my goal was to be comfortable or happy (healthy, yes, because it is waaaaaaay too expensive to be unhealthy) as a missionary. Especially the "Comfortable" part. Of course we don't want burned out missionaries, but a little poor and suffering does some good, right? Why do I think this? Why do we (in general) think this?

I can't say that all the missionary biographies I read growing up helped. Not that I think they are bad, or we shouldn't read them, but there are many ways to tell the same story. And I think the missionary biographies that we have should make sure to reflect at least a balance of the 90% (or more) of missionary life (which is much like everyone else's' life) rather than just the 10% (or less) of the amazing, spectacular, God-magic moments. That is another discussion.

The main reason why I think it is hard for us to want comfortable, healthy, and happy missionaries is that us missionary supporters (I am one of those too) are not comfortable, healthy, and happy people. And If I am not comfortable, healthy, and happy, why should the person I am giving my hard earned money be comfortable, healthy and happy? Is that fair?

It gets worse.

If I follow this train of thought down to all of it's ugly honesty, we don't want comfortable, healthy, and happy missionaries because we think that to be a comfortable, healthy, and happy person we need MORE money, and MORE free time (and MORE whatever else). So if my missionary is comfortable, healthy, and happy, it must mean they have more money than me. It must mean they have more free time (and less work) than me. It must mean they have more (fill in the blank) than me: and that's not fair. Someone I support should be sacrificing MORE than me.

Ouch. It literally hurt something in me to type that out.

I haven't thought this through enough to figure out the answers yet, but I am working on it. And I want to thank the amazing people in my life who do not have this problem like I do, and do all they can to make sure I am a comfortable, healthy, and happy missionary: because they actually really desire that for me. Maybe because they have learned for themselves how to be comfortable, healthy, and happy people?

In the end, no supporter can make comfortable, healthy, and happy missionaries: that depends on their  personal relationship with God. But money issues do create a whole world of issues that make life much harder, more uncomfortable, and unhealthy. As missionary supporters--no--as human beings, we need to figure out how to be comfortable, healthy, and happy people through Jesus, and desire that for our missionaries--no--all other human beings.