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operation: missionary tria l
by Phill Butler
S om e 180 miles south of the inter national Mexico-Califomia bor der, an experiment has been under way for the past year and a half that may have real lasting significance on America’s over-all missions effort. One of the critical problems facing mission boards today is that mission aries, after one term on the field, never return or are forced, in some cases, to go back to the homeland dur ing the first term. Many reasons are cited: personality conflicts with other staff members, health, etc. But above all other reasons given seems to be the underlying fact that the individ uals simply were not prepared for the job they were going to do. The fledg ling missionary was not prepared for the social, economic, health, and cus toms differences between his environ ment in the U.S. and that of the peo ple he had hoped to serve. A number of denominations and individual churches sponsor young people each year so that on vacations they may visit mission fields and see the work in action. This effort in itself is commendable. However, some time ago, two men in Southern California, one a youth pastor, Rev. Donald Pugh; another a pioneer missionary, Rev. Loran Long, felt that young peo ple must get involved if their mis sion field experience was to really count as an exposure to what the mis sionary actually faces. The site chosen for this experiment was the agricultural valley of Baja, California which contains two small towns; La Colonia Guerrero and San Quintin. It was in these villages that that Rev. Mr. Long began a pioneer work approximately two years ago. It was a “ natural” for the young peo ple’s participation. If you talk with the young people, they will tell you that their experience was no experi ment. Most of those who have par ticipated in regular “ caravan” to this primitive area say it is the most chal lenging thing, both spiritually and
The Bay of San Quintin originally settled by the English in the 1860’s. It is now the center of fishing and agriculture for the valley.
Confidence is gained as workers start simple children’s games.
Students participating in trip below the border .m eet for training sessions.
Young people are brought to the service.
Campsite for work at San Quintin.
M eetings are held in this crude chapel. It is the home of one of the native believers.
Below, hungry workers form “chow line.” Young people seem to have voracious appetites.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
18
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