their minds. They want to be acquainted with the field and the work, as well as the mission, before they make their final decision. Also, they are get ting their guidance more through circumstances than through Scripture. They attach more impor tance to the advice of the guidance counsellor than to the counsel o f their parents or pastor. (3) Transportation is much cheaper and faster than it was in the 19th century. Hudson Taylor took five months from Liverpool to Shanghai in 1853. Today the short-termer can reach any city in the world in 24 hours, arrive the same night and begin teaching school the next day. (4) The unsettled conditions in the world cause young people to think twice be fore committing themselves to a life of service in Congo or Viet Nam. Since World War II, there have been some fifty wars of one kind or another. In almost every war missionaries have been af fected. In the 19th century, missionaries in Africa and most of Asia operated under the protection o f Western imperialism. They enjoyed a goodly meas ure of power and prestige. Today they have nei ther. Uncle Sam, the most powerful government on earth, is either unable or unwilling to insure the safety of his own citizens overseas. When trouble brews, evacuation becomes the order o f the day. (5) There is no doubt that the Peace .Corps has caught the imagination of youth in all parts o f the world. On the whole, the Peace Corps has been emi nently successful, and has been well received in all but a few countries of the world. I f the Peace Corps Volunteer can do a good job in 21 months overseas, why cannot the short-term missionary? Short-termers consist mostly o f young people just out o f college. Most o f them are single. Girls, as well as fellows, volunteer. A second group con sists of retired persons who still have five or ten good years left, and they want to serve the Lord on the mission field. Many of them have one or two pensions and can afford to pay their own way. These are known as “ second careerists.” Some teachers deliberately retire early in order to give additional years to the mission field. These folks make wonderful hosts and hostesses in mission homes, or house parents in schools for missionaries' children. Short-term misionaries are usually expected to meet the same qualifications as the career mission aries. In addition, they are expected to possess or acquire a special skill. And, hopefully, there should be a niche that they can fill upon their arrival on the field. There is no time to “ look around.” Teach ing claims the largest number o f short-termers. Medical personnel and other kinds o f technicians are in great demand. Financial arrangements dif fer from mission to mission. Some boards, like the United Presbyterians and the United Methodists, underwrite the entire program, including travel both ways. Other missions, such as the Conserva-
by J. Herbert Kane
pie: The missions had no choice; they were not get ting enough missionaries to maintain their exist ing work, much less initiate new work. No mission executive prefers short-termers, but half a loaf is better than none. The same is true o f the leaders of the national churches on the mission field. When Bishop Newbigin visited 15 countries of Africa in 1960, everywhere church leaders said, “ Send us missionaries who will be one with us, live with us, work with us, die with us and lay their bones with ours here in Africa.” Most career missionaries do not begin to make a significant contribution until their second term. If there is no second term, their effectiveness is greatly curtailed. The short term is usually for a period o f three years. Shorter periods of one or two years are not unknown. The short-termer is always free to sign up for a second or third term. About 20 per cent of the short-termers sign up for a second stint. Of those who serve for two terms, almost 50 per cent end up as career missionaries. Several factors contribute to the popularity of STA. Five come readily to mind: (1) American so ciety is increasingly mobile. One family out of five moves every year. Young executives on the way up may work for three or four firms before finding their niche. Few of them want to make a life com mitment even to General Motors! (2) The attitude of modem youth has changed greatly since World War II. They want to look before they leap. They want to canvass all the options before making up
DECEMBER, 1969
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