1 billion humans, who for reasons of language or geography have never heard about the Christ of Christmas. And reaching them, missionaries say, involves crossing physical, political, and linguistic barriers." Those barriers will not always be gracious, not always be welcoming, but it goes without saying that devoted Christians do, and will continue, to overcome those barriers to touch the lives of other who have yet to experience the inspiration of the Word of God.
Not a Competition
There is not a competition for souls in Christian missionary work. Missionary work does not use people as human pawns on the chessboard of world politics.
Sometimes, it may be difficult for people, and missionaries alike, to understand that. Christians missionaries serve vital roles in places around the world where each day people lose the battle against the natural forces of nature, the evil of political corruption, the ruin of war, and to the hatred and racism of genocide. "Modern tyrants understand how to control the media," When they're in control of the government and the media, the sphere of their control and power must be understood and responded to in a way that minimizes the impact on efforts to bring relief those humans whose suffering under those conditions must be relieved. That is the time when it is appropriate to let the deeds speak for themselves.
The Darfur region of the Sudan has come into the spotlight of light because of t he heightened attention brought to conditions there through the celebrity of people like American actor George Clooney. As a result, the issues of genocide have indeed received a great deal attention, as have the refugees with whom Clooney spent time; they were subsequently targeted...
It's easy to say that the refugees with whom Clooney met, and whom he secretly videotaped for his "secret" documentary were at risk; indeed, they were just that. However, once a celebrity breaks all the rules, bolding challenging the modern tyrants, and especially secreting videotapes out of a country; the risks to the refugee group are significantly increased.
This does not mean that the goodwill of people like George Clooney is not appreciated; it means only that there are rules - and we do not always like those rules, but abide by them in order to relieve, not create, human suffering. The Darfur region of the Sudan is a place that desperately needs solutions, but in a way that not challenge the power and authority of despot; it requires the more subtle approach of trained missionaries, who are not just teachers, but are also doctors, scientists, sociologists and, yes, political figures too.
The Sphere Project represents a far more recent attempt at codification. It was established on July 1, 1997 by the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR) and Interaction, with the aim of examining and setting the minimum standards of behavior for those involved in humanitarian responses. The project has involved front line NGOs and the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement, interested donor governments, and UN agencies cooperating to develop a set of standards in core areas of human relief."
More Quiet Missionary
There are those who have alleged that the Anglican Church has forgotten its missionary responsibility In fact,
