Short-term missions: The dirt wall
By a short-term missionary —
I had let the dirt build a wall between us. These wonderful people had opened up their home for us to stay in, but I had kept myself cold and distant.
Sure, I had been to dirtier places before—homes in garbage dumps where the smell is overpowering. But in those places, I stood outside the dilapidated houses, safe in the yard. I rarely went inside and even then, never sat down.
But here I was, staying in this home for the week. It was a two-bedroom plywood structure. It had a bathroom but no shower. The hole in the bathroom wall near the ceiling allowed for ventilation but also allowed for the escape of sounds and smells. The tiny kitchen was crammed into a corner of the main room. There was no hot water. The floor was gritty with dirt and crunched when you walked. The seating consisted of the backseat of a minivan, a few metal folding chairs, and an overturned paint bucket with dried blood on the side.
When we first entered, I was reluctant to even sit down. Even after walking around the village all day, when my feet were tired and sore, I perched uncomfortably on the edge of a metal folding chair. That night I laid stiff and straight on the stained foam mattress, praying I wouldn’t pick up some kind of infestation or disease. I kept thinking I could feel something crawling in my hair.
During the day, there was a constant stream of people through the house. I had thought that we would have the place to ourselves, just the four of us, while we were in the village. Instead, the house was packed with people. I shared a bedroom with two other people I had just met. Relatives were around all day long and even after midnight. The door stayed open all day as people from the village, and sometimes even a dog or two, wandered in and out.
My gracious hosts could tell I wasn’t at ease. Eventually, looking for some excuse for my cold behavior, they asked if I don’t sit down much at home. I made some excuse about concentrating on something else but I knew in my heart that it was the dirt that kept me away.
Their simple question got to me. It was a mirror that reflected back my shabby behavior that week. I was like a moody teenager, refusing to engage. I sat there with my arms crossed and my laptop screen cutting off any possible eye contact. When they invited me to join them at the community steam bath, I said no, missing out on a great cultural opportunity. And even though we had lived together in tight quarters for several days, I had made no effort to get to know my hosts. I even missed the fact that the grandma had been sleeping on a foam mattress in the living room in order to make room for us.
My unwillingness to get comfortable on the furniture reflected my unwillingness to get comfortable with the people. I resented the way they lived and allowed that to shape my attitude toward the people themselves. I looked at the dirt instead of appreciating their sacrifice in letting us stay there, instead of recognizing the cleaning they had done to prepare for our arrival, instead of marveling at their ingenuity in making the most of meager resources.
I made excuses to myself, saying I was only there to observe their culture. In reality, I was just trying to justify my feelings of superiority. How foolish I was. My hosts didn’t want an observer, they wanted a participant.
So in that moment, with that small comment about how little I sat down, God graciously slapped me in the face. I was one of the very few Jesus followers these people had ever met and I was blowing it.
So what now? I still had a full day and a half left—there was still time. I made a conscious effort to let my guard down and get comfortable with the people. I plopped myself down on the dirty seats next to them. I stopped worrying about how and when I could get a shower. I sat down on the dirty floor to eat with them. I identified with them as I walked around with dirty clothes and unwashed hair but a smile on my face. I embraced the dirt, which allowed me to embrace the people.
Yes, I was only there for a week, a short blip of time in the grand scheme of things. But by the end of my time there, those strangers had become friends. We shared jokes and food and memories. They even gave me some beautiful, handmade traditional shirts. Those shirts are hanging in my closet, unwashed, as a reminder to not let minor differences hinder my engagement with the people God loves.
After all, the gospel is worth getting dirty for.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
