Chapter 15 from “Fully Equipped: Having What It Takes to Give Your All”
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. – II Timothy 3:17
The words “throughly furnished” from this verse simply mean “fully equipped”. As Christian servants, we must constantly make the investment to be useful and profitable unto every good work. As time drew near for our departure to Nepal, I felt the increasing need to be more rounded in the area of preparation. I knew that it is impossible to know everything about every subject, but some things are essential.
Medical Intensive Course
One area I learned that I could get some training in was in medicine. I was able to attend a two-week medical course through Equip International. In the summer of 2013, I flew to Vancouver, Canada and was taught a variety of skills. In the event that there is no doctor, there are some useful medical skills to know. Some areas we were taught included how to suture, set casts, deliver babies, treat burns, diagnose symptoms, and treat diseases. We had forty case studies which helped us implement our knowledge in a practical sense. We had to examine the results of a physical exam, and determine what was the problem and how to treat it. We used two manuals developed by a missionary in Africa giving us simple instructions how to do this anywhere in a third world country! If this knowledge can help take care of my family or give assistance in an emergency, it is worthwhile!
Clown School
Another area that I considered would be helpful in getting fully equipped was on the more humorous side. I got to attend a three-day clown school in Lake Placid, Florida. Some would say I am already a clown, and with my training with Neighborhood Bible Time, I already had a passion for working with kids and enjoy juggling and making balloon animals. At the clown school, we were given further skills to work on, such as how to paint our faces, and do skits. I have even added riding the unicycle to my skill set!
Just like the intensive medical class, I was given a certificate from the clown school. When it comes to gaining favor with the government, certificates can help. I had read an article how the embassy of Israel brought over a clown to Nepal who went in an hospital in Kathmandu and received a warm reception. He taught the doctors and nurses the benefits of cheering up the patients and how it improves their time of recovery. Basically, the principle of Proverbs which states:: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine!” They invited him back because it was so popular.
Balloons to Baptism
You never know what doors God may open to reach others. Making animal balloons has provided us with many opportunities to share the Gospel with others. One time I was at a hospital in Kathmandu with another Christian friend. While he was getting his knee looked at by the doctor, I went to the children’s ward and gave out animal balloons. There I met a young girl named Sristi who was about ten years old along with her father. I invited them to church and she showed up with her brother and cousin.
Over time, we met more of their extended family. One day, I received a call from another family member who is a Christian. Bikash was a young man who attended church and asked if I could visit his uncle who lived near me. His Uncle Pramud was a drunk and had not slept in three days! My missionary friend and I went to visit this family. They came to church a few days later and Pramud’s wife Gita and her mother both trusted Christ as their Saviour! They were baptized soon afterward. Over the years, they have been faithful to church and now their sons are serving the Lord as well!
The preparations for moving internationally are numerous, especially if you have a family and are going long term. Here are some other areas to consider:
Emotionally
Going to a faraway land affects many people that you love, especially your family. It is wise to give ample time for your wife and kids to be prepared emotionally. God has greatly helped us in this area, and we had time to spend with both families before departing for the field. I am glad both sides of our families were 100% supportive with what we were doing. But they too must pay a cost for our decision to serve the Lord. We must be considerate of how this affects them as well as our immediate family. Don’t overlook this area in your haste to get to the field. Even when we were on the field, we would take the opportunity to Skype or FaceTime with family. Both of our parents were able to come visit us while we were on the field!
Culturally
Something else we had to think about when leaving for Nepal was the climate. We knew we would need to learn the language and culture upon arrival. But the weather may be a factor when first getting there. Since there is no insulation in the houses and the heating devices are not quite adequate, we know that December through early February is the coldest time in the region where we would be living. Going mid-February will work well, and I wanted to make sure the first impression wasn’t going to make my wife and kids miserable.
We know culture shock is inevitable. Not being understood and eating different foods, will be just the beginning. I am glad for the training at Baptist Bible Translator’s Institute which prepared us for the reality of the hardships we would face. I have heard that many missionaries who leave the field within a couple years of arriving is a result of the culture shock and depression. The linguistic training was invaluable! Learning how to pronounce different sounds in a new language greatly helped us to be able to speak without a distracting accent.
Financially
There are so many things to consider when it comes to finances. We figured we needed a certain amount to live in Nepal. Then our mission board suggested even more above that! It’s a wise thing that we didn’t try to cut ourselves short, because some unexpected bills came up. We would be “self-employed”, so we had to pay 15% of our income in taxes! For visa purposes, the government required that we show a minimum balance in our Nepali bank account, usually around $12,000! Our health insurance required $3,000 up front!
You need to be out of debt before leaving for the field!
Then we had to purchase school books for a few years in advance – lots of money to say the least. Of course, we had to buy plane tickets and furnish our house upon arrival. Not only do you need to budget, but you should start saving now. Thankfully, we were able to save over half of our support money while on deputation, and live mostly off of our love offerings. It should go without saying, you need to be out of debt before leaving for the field!
Physically
We had to get some immunization shots before departing for the field, which is normal for most areas of the world. Depending on where you may go, you might have to ship belongings in containers for your house and the ministry. For us, we just took what we could on the airplane. That included mostly clothes, some decorations, utensils, blankets, and books. We were able to purchase furniture and other essentials once we arrived, so we set aside $8,000 for start-up costs.
“Only one out of every 100 Christians has the youth, the health, and the Bible training to be a foreign missionary.” – Dr. Viggo Olsen
This is a good place to mention that it would do you well to be physically in the best shape possible! We had to walk a lot more in a third world country than in America, and it wasn’t flat in Nepal like in Florida! We had to adjust to a different diet and lifestyle altogether. Having a strong and healthy body will only make the transition that much easier. God can certainly use us in spite of our limitations, but He won’t bless laziness and sloppiness! I remember going on my survey trip, I had to travel on little sleep, then hike for long hours, pushing my body to its limits. I am grateful that I was able to keep up. You will be limited in what you can do and where you can go if you are not physically disciplined.
Dr. Viggo Olsen said, in the book Daktar: Diplomat to Bangladesh, “Only one out of every 100 Christians has the youth, the health, and the Bible training to be a foreign missionary.”
Spiritually
This would be the most obvious, but may be the easiest neglected area of preparation. As each day is preoccupied with “spiritual activity” and the work of the Lord, it is easy to overlook your walk with God. Serving God is no substitute for spending time with God. I am realizing more and more how I need to draw near to God, for soon all I will have is God Himself! Along with daily Bible reading, I have enjoyed reading Oswald Chambers’ devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest”. Also, a daily guide to help me continue to learn about the unreached peoples in Asia is a prayer guide for Peoples of the Buddhist World by Paul Hattaway.
Serving God is no substitute for spending time with God
Our home church gave a wonderful send-off service. It was thrilling to have my own dad preach the commissioning message and be sent with the blessing of the church I had previously pastored. We anticipated that reality would set in after the excitement of traveling and settling into our new home wore off. The verse in Psalm 126:5 took on new meaning for me, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” The next verse says, “He that goeth forth and weepeth…”
The point is, we would be going to a barren field to cultivate, plant, and water. We believed God would give the increase as we would obey and sow His Word. Yet, Scripture declares that we must sow in tears. Difficulty and hardship is to be expected. Rejection and oppression is sure to be encountered. But God expects his servants to be faithful. Weeping may endure for a season, but joy cometh in the morning. I simply wanted to remain faithful because of God’s promise of reaping and rejoicing! But to endure hardness requires adequate preparation.
About the author:
Luke graduated from Crown College of the Bible in 2003. He married Jamie in July of 2006. God has blessed them with five children. Together they had the privilege of serving in the pastorate of a Baptist Church in Florida from 2007-2011.
In August of 2011, our family began our journey to serve the Lord as labourers among Unreached People Groups in Asia. We prepared ourselves at Baptist Bible Translator’s Institute in Bowie, Texas. During that time, God directed our path to work among the Tibetan people in the country of Nepal.
In February of 2014, we moved to Kathmandu, Nepal and experienced God’s work of grace and protection upon our family. We had the privilege to serve at the Crown Nepal Bible College. Teaching classes and preaching at youth conferences was a great opportunity for our family. We also were able to assist in outreaches to villages of the Tamang and Gurung people.
In 2021, we moved to Tampa, Florida. We currently are serving in our home church Southside Baptist Church and teach in the Christian Academy. Luke continues his writing ministry (www.pilgrimoftruth.com) and video messages on his YouTube channel (Pilgrim of Truth). His goal is to aid believers in making Christ known to the world. He continues to seek to assist churches in America. His heart’s desire is to help meet the needs of the unreached people groups in the world.
