FAQ 22 What about my parents / children? |
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What about my parents / children?
God may have given you parents or children that you are responsible for. He knows that as well as you do and he expects you to take those responsibilities seriously.
Often, however, we can use children or parents as an excuse for not considering greater mission involvement. In many places overseas it is quite possible for your children to receive a perfectly good education - and a great deal of other valuable experiences too! The educational benefits of growing up in another culture and language should not be underestimated. Of course, there are some problems and challenges too, but there again is education all straightforward in the UK either?
Elderly parents who may become dependent are often another area of concern. Whilst not ignoring that responsibility we can be over-cautious. These days "abroad" need not mean being in a place that news takes weeks by carrier pigeon to reach, and then months to travel back home should an emergency arise. True, it may not be possible to stay abroad for 10 years - but there could be many other reasons why you wouldn't anyway.
We also need to put our actions where we say our faith is - God is God over the whole situation, wherever you and your family are. He doesn't want us to run away from responsibilities, but he does want us to look at situations realistically - with the knowledge that he knows what our needs (and those of our extended family) are, and that he loves us; and that he is all powerful.