Problem with World Missions

7 April 2011,

Dear Phyllis,

I am sorry that I must say gomen nasai twice in one week. I told you that I could write a book of all the things that burn in my heart. Maybe that is what is happening. This letter will not be very edifying, but it is a subject, that I believe, graphically depicts one of the major problems that we face in world missions today.

Along with the historic Righter 9 earthquake, and the subsequent tsunami, Japan also was plagued with the most serious nuclear disaster she has ever faced. Indeed the entire world seemed more fixated on the Fukushima nuclear plant than they were on the tsunami damage. If things got totally out of control, and they had a worst case scenario nuclear melt-down, that could affect the entire planet. The news media loves sensationalism. Unfortunately that is where we get most of our information. In most cases, if you read to the bottom of sensational headlines – “Tokyo water contaminated with nuclear radiation” – you might read, “trace elements of very slight radiation has been found in some of Tokyo’s drinking water; that has been deemed unsafe for infants”. But the reaction to this is what has been tragic.

For some inexplicable reason, western nations have become neurotic over “Safety First” for many years. In the pervert American judicial system, the name-of-the-game for years has been frivolous law suits to make a fortune over ridicules things. Tens of thousands of dollars over MacDonald’s coffee being too hot. If you buy anything in America, there is always a thick instruction manual with the warning, “Please read first”. For a sheet of sand paper you might read, “Please always wear protective clothing and protective eye covering as improper use of this sand paper might cause serious bodily injure or death.” (I know that is extreme but it illustrates the point,) This neurosis has affected everything in western thinking.

I was utterly stunned, and mortified, at the disgraceful behavior of the US military and government in response to the Fukushima radiation problem. Immediately after the tsunami disaster, the US sent the world’s finest aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, to Sendai to help out. That was the finest ship in the world to give assistance and deal with nuclear radiation; but when there was the slightest trace of radiation outside the plant at Fukushima, that carrier weighed anchor and went out to sea to avoid any contamination. To my utter amazement, the US embassy evacuated the America staff and recommended that all Americans leave Tokyo, Sendai, or any place in that area. And, bless their heart, the US Navy sent two of their major war ships out of Yokosuka so they could “better protect Japan” (I have no idea what that means.)

This whole-sale panic over the slightest suggestion of danger was astounding. A good friend of mine just happened to be going home for a few weeks and had to get a re-entry visa from Immigration. He got to the Immigration Office at noon and was given #1,200. There were than many in front of him. He got his re-entry visa at midnight.

I am delighted that so many Americans found it prudent to flee from Japan, but it is tragic that they got re-entry visas. It is to be hoped that they never come back again. If the unsaved community feels that way of facing danger, I can excuse them. Although their disgraceful behavior makes me ashamed that I am an American.

But the attitude of a significant proportion of the missionary community has also demonstrated that they too are cut out of the same piece of cowardly fabric. I read the letter of a missionary leaving Sendai. I have heard that most Scandinavian missionaries have been sent home. Roald Lidal told me that all Norwegian missions have pulled their missionaries out of Japan. Two German missionaries associate with NLL have gone home. What in the world is going on?!!!

Where I was in Sendai, we were three times nearer to Fukushima than Tokyo. And Sendai is right in the path of any radiation that might leak out of there. The wind does not blow towards Tokyo but does go straight towards Sendai. While thousands of gaijins (foreigners) were fleeing from Tokyo – like they were the bulls-eye for an even more destructive tsunami – the ordinary Japanese in Sendai were going about their daily lives with little more concern than if a heavy snow storm might be headed their way. People watched their TV news with interest, but Fukushima was not a major topic of conversation among the people in Sendai. What they thought of the American’s departure must have been bewildering. I saw on Fox News how their reporters, on the scene in Tokyo, were amazed at the quietness of the average Japanese citizen. And I was even more amazed that they were so surprised. The Japanese are fine. The Americans are sick.

I say that this is a graphic illustration of a major problem in world missions today. These people have irrefutably demonstrated to us what type of material they are made of. The missionaries today are a totally different breed than they ones who laid their lives on the line to go to the ends of the world to carry the Gospel to dangerous areas 150 years ago.

To start with, I fully believe the situation in Fukushima does not justify that degree of precaution. But if it did, what are the missionaries saying to their neighbors and friends when they flee, leaving the Japanese behind to suffer. It might be argued that it is prudent to get out of harms way where that is possible. But that also tells us about their identification with the people they came to help.

Let’s take a black and white, life and death, situation. Suppose this was the Titanic. The ship is sinking. But mission societies, prudently, had special life boats for their people. I can see tearful missionaries hugging their neighbors, saying they will pray for them, as they get in their special mission life boat leaving the unsaved friends behind for certain death. Would it not be more Christian to give their life jackets and seats on that boat to others than to think only about personal safety? It could be argued that Fukushima is different. Missions can’t get everyone in Sendai and Tokyo out of there. They can only evacuate their own missionaries. But I wonder if the ones left behind in Tokyo might not think the same thing of missionaries that get on plans to flee, as someone left behind on the Titanic.

For missionaries who found it the will of God for them to show their commitment to saving the lost by fleeing, I think it is commendable that they have gone home. The only comment that I have about them is, that I certainly hope they never come back to Japan again. I would be embarrassed to show my face again in the neighborhood if I exhibited such cowardice. And if this is the kind of metal they are made of, it is a shame that they ever came here the first time to disgrace the Name of Christ.

To give them a little slack, I am sure there are many very fine missionaries who have found their mission board policies as repugnant as they look to the Japanese. Hopefully, there are many who leave with the greatest regret; who would much rather stay behind than obey the instruction from home boards to come home.

The problem is, this is the mentality of world missions in western countries. First of all, they don’t want to get sued; so they take the cautious approach. Secondly, western thinking has become so clouded that many mission leaders would consider it highly irresponsible if they didn’t pull their missionaries out of a potentially dangerous situation. And if they listen to CNN, it looks really bad.

When I was in China the last time, a sister, who has a book store, gave me a chart of the missionaries who were killed in the Boxer Rebellion in 1902. I was stunned. I knew that a number of missionaries were martyred, but this chart has pages. The CIM might have pulled some of them out at that time if they had airplanes. But those missionaries who got stuck in central and west China knew before they left home what they were getting into. Hudson Taylor, and his successors, knew what they were doing when they sent missionaries into China, knowing that a number of them would not be coming back. That was a different day for world missions. The price to serve Christ was high. The money they used was genuine – not the monopoly money that is used to give a sacrifice today.

I fear we are just playing computer games in the name of world missions, and the stakes we lay on the table is play money. And I believe this astounding departure of missionaries has graphically demonstrated that point. Maybe that is why we are having such little success.

                                                     bill