What to accomplish in the first two years 10

Do not overcompensate with your family due to the fears that you have living in a new country. In other words, you should spend time with your family, and you should love them, but they should not be an excuse not to spend time with the people, the church, the language, etc.

Do not hire a national to do your work and then take the credit for what he does. He soon figures it out, and it will really hurt your relationship with the people. National pastors have complained many times about the rich missionaries that can hire workers and then get all the credit through their presentations.

Make friends of the people. Your best friends will now be those that you live and work with.

Do not live in the USA and just work four-year terms on the field.

You should determine to live in your country and visit the US.

Home is your new country. If you moved to another area to pastor, you wouldn’t still live in Atlanta, even in your heart. Your new town becomes your home.

Be ready to preach no matter what it cost you. Do not make excuses; just preach. Practice will make you much better. Even if you are a helps missionary, the folks will not understand why you do not want to preach, witness, etc. You may be afraid that it won’t be good enough, but I promise you that they will want you to try.

Do not hide out in your home and build your own little world or island in your new country. Get out with the folks. Have them in.

Allow your children to play with the national kids. Do not be paranoid about your new country. Your children will not be happy if they cannot have good friends. Let them have them over for the night and vice a versa.

Do not take pictures of the other guy’s work as though it were yours.

Even in language school, you need to mix with nationals and develop friendships with them.

Do not wait until you are perfect in the language to preach or teach. Just be willing to allow them to correct you. Be sure to ask them to correct you and thank them every time, telling them how much you need their help.

Teach them to do all that any good Christian should do in the States. Do not think of them like children who can’t. Do not think of them as less than you are. Teach them to tithe, give to missions, be separated, win souls, walk with God, and do all that any good Christian would do. Reproduce yourself.