My Mission

Let the Games begin.

My sister, an IMB missionary in South America, is on an airplane heading this way for 30 days of vacation. We will spend much of our time trying to annihilate each other in Scrabble.

This is serious business. Once when she was here years ago, we actually quit playing 2 days before she left. We were tied in the number of games we had each won, and neither wanted to risk losing bragging rights for the next several years.

She will be staying with us. And since this is just a vacation, she will have no transportation except for me, myself, and I.

As glad as I am to see her come, I'm generally just as glad to see her go! You know how sisters can be: we alternately adore each other and drive each other nuts.

I hope I didn't just burst any bubbles you had about perfect missionaries.

If so, it's not the first time:

Years ago, she was on furlough (now it's called stateside assignment) and was based in Houston since we hadn't moved my mom up here by me. I think my dad may have still been living. Anyway, a fairly new friend of hers from the church in whose missionary residence she was staying came to dinner at my folks' house. She was pretty impressed with this "real live missionary" (as opposed to a real dead one, I guess! That term always cracks me up) and had her a bit on a pedestal.

During the evening she asked me, "So Linda, what's it like to have a sister who's a missionary?" I laughed and said, "Well, I used to think missionaries were these really special perfect people, but now I know anyone can be a missionary." The friend looked shocked and a bit horrified! She hadn't lived with my sister! LOL

In all fairness, I will say that yes, missionaries ARE special, and my sister has followed God's calling on her life unswervingly. She is 7 years older than I and has been with the Board 25 years; she works tirelessly (actually, she's exhausted!) with juvenile delinquents, prostitutes, and house churches; and she has been accosted by armed men several times.

But perfect she is not. And though I love her dearly, she still makes me crazy.

And I'm gonna beat her boooo-tox off in Scrabble.