One day as I was building our house, my generator gave out. Being reliant on power tools like so many do-it-yourselfers in Western culture, I thought my world had come to an end. In my distress, I glanced at my friend Nasa. He was smiling! Trying hard to contain his laugher, he said, “No problem! Just mark where you want your cuts, and we will cut it for you with the hand saw.” And that’s just what we did. I marked, my Gogodala helpers cut, and we both loved it. It was a win-win situation. I greatly appreciated their help, and they felt valued for their skills.
Another time, Danny came to my rescue as I struggled to find my way out of the Kotale lagoon on a cloudy, moonless night. I’ll never forget the relief I felt seeing Danny’s flashlight in the distance and hearing him calling through the inky darkness. From his house, he had heard my motor starting and stopping out in the lagoon and knew I was having problems. He and his sister paddled their dugout canoe to where I was and guided me to the river, where I could navigate my own way home.
In our individualistic Western culture, we often avoid asking others for help, feeling it is a sign of weakness. I speak for a lot of men when I say that when traveling we would rather navigate on our own than stop and ask directions. But even I have to admit that there are times when asking for help is a good thing. In fact, having built a house in a foreign culture, I’ve found that relying on others is not just a way of getting the job done, it also builds relationships. Jesus built a cultural/relational bridge by asking the woman at the well for a drink of water (John 4). Similarly, by seeking the aid of our Gogodala friends and neighbors when they are in a position to help us, we win their trust.
There is more to being a missionary than merely doing things for the people we are called to serve. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, permitted a sinner to pour expensive perfume on Him, and He defended her actions before a critical audience. Praise the Lord, He did not stop her and say, “No, don’t do this! Save your money! I’m supposed to be serving you!” He affirmed her offering to the crowd of witnesses, “She hath wrought a good work upon Me” (Matt. 26:10). He even said her gift would become a memorial of her to the whole world. God loves it when we respond with loving hearts to His benevolence. We, as missionaries, should treasure the deeds of kindness, however humble they may be, which our people do for us because this may be their way of responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
