New Trends in Missions

Rather than spending their entire missionary service in one place, missionaries' careers may now include multiple ministries in various countries. Take Ann Den Uyl, for example. In 1980, Ann was appointed to Togo. She learned French and Ewe, a local dialect. At the end of 2000, she transferred to Mongolia to be part of the start-up team for ABWE in that land.

Ann states, "The main event in my life continues to be language learning. Learning Mongolian is not the relatively quick process French—and even Eve—now seems to have been. I am glad to be able to laugh at myself, Who can help but laugh when you eat a restaurant and are smelled by a flower?

"Wednesday afternoon I hopped on a bus (squeezed on, was pushed on, may describe the event more accurately) with my bag of supplies to meet some people in their ger for language practice. I'd put my glasses on to easily read the bus numbers, but once inside they fogged up, and I couldn't see anything. Pickpockets are notorious on the buses so I was on the lookout. In addition, one woman said something to me in English and looked at a couple of scruffy teen boys. I was warned. To get where I was going, I had to count the stops. I couldn't see, needed to pay the fare, hang on to my bag, hang on tightly to the overhead bar so I wouldn't land in someone's lap, and watch out for pickpockets. At one point I felt my jacket hike up in the back a little more than just due to the press of people. Sure enough, I grabbed a hand that was half way into my pocket (empty anyway)! I yelled, "Thief!" People did look my way, but the word came out in Eve. Five minutes later, I remembered the word in Mongolian. English would certainly have been more effective, but it didn't come to mind. By that time I wasn't sure how many stops had passed. I didn't know the names of the stops, only the numbers. I prayed and remembered a landmark near where I needed to get off. My glasses cleared, the number of people thinned out, and I saw the landmark. Thank you, Father! Hours later as I waited for transportation home, it hit me that I'd never paid for that bus ride!

"How can you pray for me in this language learning process? Foremost for my own fellowship with the Lord and having HIS perspective as I learn. My heart must be fixed on the objective: speaking Mongolian so I can clearly communicate Christ to people who are generally eager to hear."

Unified as a nation in 1203 under Genghis Khan, Mongolia became the greatest land empire ever known. According to Marco Polo, Kublai Khan invited 100 Christian missionaries from the West to introduce their religion to his people. He promised that when the teachers arrived, he and his officials would accept baptism, and 'the number of Christians in these parts will exceed in number those who inhabit your own country.' No missionaries ever took up his offer. The chance to influence a continent for Christ was lost. It remains to be seen what believers today will do with a new open door in the 21st. century.

World Pulse, August 2000, page 5

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