Autumn 2006 - Deputation, Deputation, Deputation!

ChinaJim

You need four clearances before OMF will let you get out to East Asia. The first is the home country clearance, which we recently achieved at the European Candidate’s Course. The second is the field country clearance. The OMFers in our country of destination have granted this to us (probably not fully knowing what they are letting themselves in for!) The third clearance is the medical clearance. With super-toned bodies that are temples of the Holy Spirit, this third hurdle was quickly jumped over.

The fourth clearance is a bit more tricksy. It is a support clearance. We needed to find fifty people (thirty people for a single person) who would commit to receiving our monthly prayer letters and who would pray for us regularly. Finding fifty punters off the street is quite easy (especially if you have as many friends as us) but finding fifty people who will really be committed in prayer for you is not.

Thus began our journey around the holy land of Scotland on deputation. We spoke in a number of churches, ranging from a two minute slot to taking the whole service. We also spoke in lots of OMF prayer groups. OMF have a financial non-solicitation policy so we were just asking for prayer.

The OMF prayer groups were very encouraging to us, although some of the old ladies made us smile. We once spent forty-five minutes explaining that we were going to a country where you were professionals, not missionaries, and where only relational evangelism was possible. An old lady then prayed that God would help us as missionaries to plant a church really quickly!

OMF UK has recently expanded its support clearance to require 50% financial support. This did not apply to us but wouldn’t have concerned me. We’ve been praying for 100% financial support, and have been amazed throughout our deputation how God has continually been meeting our material needs. Our support clearance gained, we prepared for our orientation course in Singapore…

ChinaJane

Deputation is a strange time, particularly when you’ve not yet been to live in your country of service. At first it’s exciting, to give your powerpoint presentation and explain what you hope to do in Asia, but then it becomes a little frustrating and draining, doing the same thing again and again and never feeling like you’re getting any closer to Asia. The ‘creative access’ issue makes it more difficult as well – people seem to want to hear about big crusades for Christ and dynamic church planting, but that’s just not what God’s asking us to do.

As the weeks go by, we’re starting to realise the sacrifice our OMF identity is for our families. It’s hard for them to understand why God wants us to go so far away (it’s hard for us to understand too, sometimes) and why we have to stay away for so long. It’s really hard to be causing pain to people you love.

Probably the hardest part of deputation, however, is keeping up a close relationship with God. We don’t have much routine in our week, and we often feel busy and pressured by our speaking engagements. Regular time set aside to be with our Creator seems to be the first thing to suffer in our higgledy-piggledy lives. It’s ironic, really, for brand new OMFers to be drying out spiritually, especially when God’s strength and inspiration is what we need most to make it through. It’s a good thing our God is so gracious.

Despite all this, it has been amazing and very humbling to see so many friends and churches commit to pray for us, and ask us what they can do to help us, and how they can be praying. Despite our weaknesses, God has been using us to get people excited about serving God in mission. One church is so excited they want to send a short term team to visit us next summer! Maybe a bit soon for us, but we admire their enthusiasm and zeal for God J