The Lord calls ALL to be Missionary!

"Our goal as missionaries is to work ourselves out of a job!"
(Joseph Summers)

          This is something our director says pretty often. This may seem strange, but when you think about the real goal as an FMC missionary, which is to "Proclaim the Gospel and Serve the Poor" it makes perfect since. Our goal is for people to come to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ and their fellow neighbor, so that their community does not have to rely on missionaries or priests/religious in order to have a relationship with Christ. We GREATLY encourage at FMC that the people we are serving also come and serve with us.

Pope John Paul II said :

"Missions is the greatest and holiest duty of the Church"

(Mission of the Redeemer)

          But just because we are missionaries does not mean we are the greatest and holiest people! We strive for holiest of course every single day and strive for greatness, but everyone can do this! Everyone should do this! Everyone should be striving for holiness and greatness. Everyone should be missionary. The Lord calls ALL to be missionary!

"All authority has been given to me in Heaven and on Earth.

GO therefore and make disciples of all nations, 

baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded of you."

(Matthew 28:17-20)

One of the greatest blessings and witnesses I got to see while in Mexico was a story about a Mexican man named Alfredo.

Yes it is weird if you think about it, Alfredo is an Italian dish STAY with me here people. One night we were far out in one of the isolated desert villages(ranchos) having a prayer meeting with the community and shockingly a man walked in. It was Alfredo. (Side note: in Mexico most men don't come to the chapels because they think religion is for women, unless they have had a strong male influence from a missionary or priest.) Turns out Alfredo is an alcoholic, and Praise the Lord, one of our missionaries gave a testimony on how addictions are a negative influence on our lives and are not a way God wants us to live.

 The next night we were driving through that rancho and we saw Alfredo out herding his goats and we waved to him. When he saw us, he dropped his walking stick and left his goats where they were and began running to our car! When we told him we were driving to the further rancho, he asked if he could come with us! Of course we said YES! So he jumped in the car and off we went.

"As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee He watched two brothers, 

Simon now known as Peter, and Andrew, casting a net in the sea.

They were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men."

They immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers"

(Matthew 4:18-20)

When we get to ranchos we walk around ringing a bell and go door to door inviting people to come pray with us in the chapel. Alfredo was such a blessing since most of us couldn't really speak Spanish. When we were wrapping up our prayer meeting, we asked if anyone wanted us to pray over them.

Alfredo came up with us and laid hands on his fellow neighbors and prayed over them with us! HOW POWERFUL! He was recognizing that "I too can be a missionary! I too AM a missionary. I too am called!" He answered his call. He left his work. He left his comforts and he followed the Lord's desire for him to come with us that night in the rancho. To be a witness to them but also, he was such a huge witness to us.

We are all called to be missionary!