Tena tātou katoa e te iwi mīhana… (Greetings to all the people in mission)

This month’s whakatauki (proverb) is: “Aroha mai, aroha atu” (The love I receive, I reciprocate).

Before my mother married my stepfather I was raised by my Nan (my mother’s mother). Since I was only 5 years younger than her youngest daughter (my aunt), my appearance on the scene was taken in full stride. I love my mum, but I shared a unique bond with my nan. In my mind I never satisfactorily reciprocated the loving kindness (aroha) I received from her, but as I grew I never ceased to see her face light up when I returned to visit or stay. No words needed to be said to know what being in each other’s presence meant.

In a recent article on the Desiring God blog, Nik Ripkin remarked on his research among persecuted believers asking, “What makes a good missionary?” He consistently got replies like, “We don’t know what makes a good missionary, but we can tell you the man we love.” When pressed, they eventually confessed that “the man we love” was an expat who had come to them (the hosts) seeking help in a time of need.

“We didn’t have much, but we gathered an offering of love.”

One respondent elaborated, “When this missionary’s father died, he came to us and asked for our help. We didn’t have much, but we gathered an offering of love. We bought him a plane ticket so that he could go home to America and bury his father. This man and his family give everything they have to the poor. They struggle to pay rent and school fees, and put meat on the table. And when he has a great need, what does he do? He doesn’t go to the other Westerners for money. He comes to us. He comes to the scattered and the poor, he comes to local believers, and he asks for, and gets, our help.”

My Nan lived in a small 3 bedroom brick and tile State House in Porirua where she cared for my alcoholic grandfather and anyone else who needed it. I returned to live there from ages 18 – 23 and shared a room at different times with a variety of my 19 cousins or even an uncle or aunty.

Was I taking advantage of my Nan? Possibly. But at her funeral we all agreed, she needed us to need her. In our own ways we each depended on her, and she on us. It was mutual and reciprocal. Whenever I stay with an indigenous Christian host family I intuitively feel the same. The token gifts I prepare in advance to thank them pale in comparison to their sacrificial hospitality. I receive so much, but I also honour them by staying.

People need opportunities to bless, to show their love and have their generosity honoured and reciprocated. May we be known as a people who understand reciprocity as we #stayonmission. 👊🏼

Ma te Atua e manaaki koutou (may you all experience the very best things from God),

Jay