January 12, 1998
Dear Br. Timothy:
Someone told me recently that you are going to Venezuela on a Maranatha project sometime in the spring to build churches or schools.
I think this is a wonderful opportunity for you. It would be well
for every young person to have such an experience. When you have
the privilege of traveling to a foreign country or culture or
society, it gives you a different perspective on your own country.
Our daughter, who lives in Michigan, was trying to explain to
Sevilla where to find the instant potatoes in the grocery store.
She was certain it was located on the third shelf, next to the
packaged rice, just across the aisle from the spaghetti sauce,
in the aisle near the delicatessen. When Sevilla informed her
that our grocery store was deferent, Berniece thought our store
must be weird or odd for placing the instant potatoes in such
an unusual place. She had never traveled very much and naturally
assumed that every grocery store was like hers. Try as she might,
Sevilla could not convince her that things were done differently
in different areas of the country.
When you travel to Venezuela, and see how people live in that
area of the world, you will gain an appreciation for the differences
between people and learn to respect what may appear to you as
strange customs.
I hope you will take every opportunity granted to you to meet
as many of the people as possible, to visit in their homes, eat
their food, even learn a little Spanish. If you have time from
your building and it is safe, take several friends with you and
investigate the sights and sounds of the cities or country life.
Perhaps, before you leave, unless you are already doing it as
a class project, you should study the history, geography, and
culture of Venezuela. The more you know, about the country and
people, the more you will understand and appreciate their customs
and life-style.
When I was in high school, I wanted to visit Germany, so I took
two years of German, almost flunking the first semester because
I made a real bad mistake, I didn’t learn enough of the vocabulary
to pass the tests. This is like taking math without learning how
to count.
Between high school and collage, I spent a month touring Germany,
saw a castle, took a Rhein river boat down the river, boarded
with two families for one night each, and thoroughly enjoyed the
experience.
However, I am a meat and potatoes man. By this I don’t mean
that I eat meat and potatoes, but rather I prefer my own culture
to that of another country. It is for this reason that I could
never become a missionary for I don’t adopt that easily to
strange or deferent ways of doing things.
Perhaps you can get a camera and take pictures while in Venezuela.
These will be invaluable later on. While in Germany and Europe,
I took several dozens of pictures and had them made into slides
which I showed to several church groups when I returned.
By the way, I did know enough German to order lunch and find a
youth hustle, which is a type of motel for young people traveling
through Europe.
When you go to Venezuela, don’t make the mistake I have seen
others make who have worked on Maranatha projects. Don’t
expect to be thanked or praised for your work. Why do I say this?
Because it is better to receive God’s commendation then that
of our brothers and sisters. Many adults take on this type of
project for the prase they receive, thus making the trip into
a self-righteous experience. The attitude we have, when working
for the Lord, is vitally important. We may become missionaries,
devote our lives to serving God by doing good things, but if we
do them to receive praise of others, it were better we never became
missionaries for God cannot bless work done in this spirit.
So, why are you going to Venezuela? What is your reason, is it
just a joy ride, a nice vacation from school, or is it because
you love the Lord and desire to help his children in that part
of the America’s? My dear brother, it would be well for you
to search your heart to determine your real motives. While this
project is worth while, doing it in the right spirit enables Christ
to bless you and through you, to bless others, which, after all,
is the real purpose for missionary work.
By getting to know the people who will worship in the churches
that you build, you receive a blessing as well as giving a blessing.
To give to others a happiness is one of the greatest experiences
a Christian can have. Do unto others as you would them do unto
you.
Another problem many student missionaries have is egotism or a
feeling that I am better then you because I live in a better country
and have come here to help you.
You may find that Venezuela is not as affluent as the United States.
While I don’t know what part of the country you will be working
in nor the economic circumstances of the area, it is quite possible
they are poorer then many of your classmates. If this is the case,
watch the other students attitudes, do they feel self-satisfied,
smug, or condescending? This is a pernicious attitude for, in
the sight of God, we are all equal, all deserving of condemnation
because of our sinful, rebellious ways. Because God loves us and
has showered us with material possessions, some people think this
makes us better then poorer people and they act condescendingly
toward them.
When we do this, both at home and abroad, it means we aren’t
Christians or have failed to learn the first principals of Christianity.
I pray that the Lord will bless you and that you may be a blessing
to others, your brother in Christ.
Allen A. Benson