When are you Going to get a Real Job?

I am a missionary.

woah.  Those words are weird for me to say.
I never thought I would be.  I never desired to be a missionary but here I am.

My college takes the missions program to South East Asia every year.  Throughout the year, there's a lot of emphasis on this area of the world.  There's classes that talk about it, and events surrounding it, as well as a million chapel speakers/themes about SEA.  Which is great.  SEA needs Jesus. But so does South America and Africa, and North America. I could have sworn that to be a missionary meant you have to go to South East Asia...   then I thought, you had to leave the country in order to be a missionary, so I honestly had no desire to 'be a missionary' and that's the honest truth.
6 months ago I was sitting in an Earls with a new friend of mine and part way through our chats she said 'so, did you ever think you were going to be a missionary?' to which I replied "PFFT!  I'm not a missionary!! Never desired that, I'm not cut out for missions".  Then realized, I am a missionary.
Yes a local missionary. Crazy. Just like over-seas missionaries, long term or short, have to fundraise for their ministry/wage, I too must complete the task. And what I've been learning is that it's not about asking for money, it's about inviting others to join into what God is already doing.  That comes in many different avenues and obviously financial needs are in there but it's not just about that.

The mind-set I've been encountering lately has been annoying and quite offensive actually.  Whether it's said straight out or not, the question 'when are you going to get a real job' has been coming up when I tell Christian adults who are in ministry, what I do.
"What have you been up to?"
"Oh I work for Youth Unlimited in Millbourne"
"So, are you going to apply at any churches soon?  What's next on your agenda for your career?" 
What?  What is next for me?  I just got here!  Who thinks of quitting their job when they just got there?   Would you ask a missionary that after they've been overseas for two years?
"Hey, cool things seem to be happening over there, when are you going to get a real job?"  or to a young youth pastor,"Wow, your mega church youth group has really been growing! I heard 6 people got baptized last month. Are you going to start looking for a real job soon?"

How does this attitude towards my job helping to build the Kingdom?  There's a million other things you could be saying to me when I tell you about my job.  One of them is "Wow, I hear there's a lot of hurt in that area, how can I be praying for you as you serve there each day?"  That would help build the Kingdom, instead of trying to point out that my job is somehow invalid and to start looking elsewhere now that i've been graduated over a year; whether or not that's what you consciously think, I can hear it.
If you could walk in my shoes for just a day you'd understand why I stay, why this isn't just a substitute job until I 'find something better'.
I love my kids, the ones who are easy to love, the ones who drive me mad, the ones who make me crazy and question everything. The ones with two parents, one parent, no parents.  The ones who are poor, or have been abused; sexually, verbally, emotionally, and spiritually.  The ones who yell at me and sometimes make me feel worthless for the night.  The ones who call me for rides and for advice, hence making me feel like the most important person on the earth.
They all remind me that eternity is coming for us all and the need for Jesus is urgent.  This job isn't for the weak, but in my weakness Jesus is stronger; so I do not fear because He is with me.

So, ask me when I'm going to get a real job and I will tell you, I already have one.  

Blessings
Aliagirl
if you want information on how to support me in my ministry please don't hesitate to email me!
alia@yfced.com