05/15/2026
In the U.S., we make a lot of decisions based on the 10%.
We buy a big SUV for the few times we need extra seats.
We keep a guest room for one week a year for family visits.
We buy tools we’ll use once, because it saves time.
It’s not wrong; it’s just how we live when we have more money than time.
But on the mission field, it’s often the opposite: more time than money.
So things get done differently. And for visiting teams, that can be tough.
I’ve heard it plenty:
“Why are they doing it that way?”
I used to ask the same—until something broke, and I offered my fix.
The local staff member smiled and said, “You can do it that way.”
I finally asked, “How would you do it?”
His method took longer… but saved money and made more sense for the context.
Here’s the whole truth:
Different isn’t wrong.
Efficiency isn’t always the goal.
And being teachable might be the most important thing we bring with us.
That’s the whole truth.
