Torch, Spring 1980

4 It will change your life J Wesley Baker Lere are carved figurines on the mantel or office shelf. Several trays of slides are tucked away in a closet somewhere. And when you mention missions there's a degree of interest expressed which is unusual for a layman, for this person has been on the field. He has lived with missionaries, worked with them, been one of them. He has served as a short– term missionary-and his life will never be the same. Unlike the student-oriented Missionary Internship Service (MIS) of Cedarville College or the Missionary Apprenticeship Programs (MAP) sponsored by mission boards, the short-term service is not primarily for those who are seeking a chance to explore a vocation into which they feel God may be leading them. Rather, short-term missionaries are professionals who desire to use their expertise in a certain area to help ease the load on missionaries. Since they will not be on the field long enough to warrant extensive training, the mission boards prefer short-term missionaries be able to serve in . "specialized ministries which can be performed without extensive language and cultural orientation," according to the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE). In assessing the value of short-term programs, one aspect to be taken into consideration is the contribution to the ministry. Some of these contributions are obvious. Dr. Allan E. Lewis of Baptist Mid-Missions points out that short-term service by professionally trained people "helps technical personnel have a chance to get home for rest and deputation." Such was the case for Dr. Merlin Ager, a Professor in the Education Department at Cedarville College, who spent six months in the Philippines, serving as acting Elementary Principal at Faith Academy while the regular principal was home on leave. Since the academy is for the children of