Why aren't they coming?

By Jesse Lyautey

WEST AFRICA--Small trees and shrubs poke through the sand of the rocky Nigerian mountain ranges leading into the Sahara desert.

International Mission Board (IMB) missionary Clint Bowman drives his truck along the dirt road that lines the fog-laden mountains, searching for unknown people groups.

"We need a couple of guys to spend a couple weeks backpacking up there and witness to those people," he says. "We want them to take some Nigerians with them to model evangelism. We've had that job request out there for a long time, but no guys want to come. I guess the work is too rough for them, but those people need Jesus."

This same statement could be said by many West Africa missionaries working throughout the region.

Currently, only four single men are working to tell the story of Jesus throughout West Africa, a region the size of the continental United States.

Doug Floyd, team leader for the International Service Corps (ISC) and Journeyman mobilization team for the IMB, says they see about three female applicants to every one male applicant for a two year assignment.

"Females have been responding to God's call to serve in international missions in much greater numbers than their male counterparts for several years," Floyd says. "I believe God is calling the guys, but for various reasons they are not responding."

West Africa currently has 13 jobs designated just for single males compared to only one job available for single females. About 37 jobs could be for either gender.

Around 50 single females currently work as missionaries among the people groups of West Africa. That is one single male missionary to more than 10 single women missionaries in West Africa – a difficult proportion for reaching this patriarchal society.

But in most cases it's not culturally appropriate for a young, single woman to sit and talk religion with a group of men.

"In West Africa – a male dominated society – we might even like to have a larger number of men than women because men are given more respect and have more of a voice," said Kerry Spencer, a two year ISC worker. "But if we look at how God works in the Bible we see that He likes to use what we see as illogical means to do His work."

God is honoring the work of these women missionaries, granting them audience with the chiefs and kings of West African villages. But the challenge remains: it's difficult for a female missionary to appropriately disciple a male believer in a culture where unmarried members of the opposite sex shouldn't spend one-on-one time together.

Why aren't young men responding to job requests on the mission field? One reason Floyd gives is that they may feel a need to meet parental expectations for a career. It could be they seek a wife. Another reason is they feel uncertainty about what God has called them to do. "Committing to a two year assignment is huge," Floyd explains.

But Erik Pieniazek, 22, just started his work in West Africa. He didn't let his personal worries of inadequacy or a need to work in a secular career keep him from following God's call.

"I do not feel I'm giving up much; I feel that the International Mission Board is providing for my needs greatly," says Pieniazek, a two year journeyman working with the Fulakunda people group.

Pieniazek sought a marketing degree in college, dreaming of working his way up in a huge corporation. But during college his heart changed…he lost the desire to be a part of the business world, and now desires to work overseas.

"I think that just the personal strength that's gained from being in another culture is worth the time spent in West Africa," Pieniazek says. "Then, add the life lessons and also the lifelong friends that I will make on this journey. I have no doubt that I can use the experience that I will get from being in West Africa to help me strive at whatever will be the next step in my life after West Africa."

 

Check out the West Africa job requests only for single males or couples: Long-Term; Short-Term