Is Missions Life Harmful to Children?
Chuck and Sherry Quinley, a Church of God missionary family, share about their expereinces of raising children on the missions field.
THAILAND — We are happy missionaries and we have discovered that the safest place in the entire world to be is in the center of God’s will for our lives.
Looking for Victims
On December 29, 2002, six masked men armed with automatic weapons entered our campsite on a remote island in the Philippines, looking for potential kidnap victims. They didn’t take Sherry or our kids, but two of our friends were taken and never seen again. One was our dear friend, Tony Lehmann.
This event reopened a question we thought we had answered 20 years before, “Is missions life harmful for our children?” To be honest, while life in developing countries has many blessings and rewards, it does have its added risks from police corruption, less public safety overall and from diseases like hepatitis B, malaria, and TB.
The kidnapping brought us again to a crossroads of decision. Manila is the kidnap/murder capital of Asia by 400 percent. Health is also an issue. Five of our kids had already tested positive for TB exposure over the past three years. Now we knew four families who had been touched by kidnappings. Should we pack it in and find safer ministry in the USA? Concerned friends counseled us to do just that. We had to hear from God and from our own hearts.
The Crossroads of Decision
Seven days later, I needed to make a quick trip to take Andrew to start his life at Lee University in Tennessee. We had never sent any of our kids to the States alone or to college before. There were many details to accomplish. Sherry felt strongly to stay behind with the other kids and be strength for Tony’s wife, Kristine. We sent out emails asking for prayer and I took Andrew to Lee University.
Andrew and I attended church on Sunday, looking like everyone else on the outside, but inside I was so troubled and full of questions. Thank God this was a Pentecostal church and after the singing the pastor felt led to skip the sermon and just call everyone to the altar for an extended time of prayer. I needed that so much!
An Arm Around My Shoulder
As I lay across the altar pouring my heart out to God, I felt a warm brotherly arm around my shoulder and Bob McCall from the Church of God headquarters began to pray for me. Bob was the perfect intercessor that day. He was himself raised in Latin America by missionary parents. I returned home to Manila in a few days, relieved to be reunited with everyone there.
The Power of Active Love
The next 30 days of “cat and mouse” intrigue and ransom negotiations were dramatic for Kristine’s family and for ours, too. We were baptized into a much deeper level of chaos, betrayal and institutional spiritual darkness than we had ever seen before. We felt helpless in many ways, but also felt empowered by the Spirit. We saw the power of active love.
During this intense month we lived in a refining crucible. It clarified our vision, values and theology about God, mission, risk and what we ultimately hoped to accomplish through our own short lives.
Our Decision
We decided to stay. Regarding the kids, we felt strongly that we were called into missions as a family, not just as a couple. We have come to believe that only God ultimately controls the dramatic events of our lives and that whatever He allows is good. We are also convinced that missions life, though it has cost at times, has been incredibly rewarding in our kids lives. They “see” people and tune into their hurts. They love all colors and cultures. They have experienced living for others rather than just for their own comfort. In the end, wherever God sends them, they will do well.
The Safest Place in All the World
We are happy missionaries and we have discovered that the safest place in the entire world to be is in the center of God’s will for our lives. Thanks for helping us stay on the field for so many years already.
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Chuck and Sherry Quinley, missionaries to Thailand
Project Number 0600031
© 2009 Church of God World Missions
