Have you ever considered missionary work? Have you felt a tugging at your heart to be more involved in helping others? As homeschoolers, we have the opportunity to be a part of many projects, both locally and abroad, to meet the needs of those around us. For some homeschoolers, teaching their children at home was a necessity because they were already doing missionary work abroad. Others have decided after finishing high school to go off on missionary trips as a post-secondary option. 

Here are 3 reasons why you should consider missionary work.

• Learn about new people and cultures

Travelling abroad allows us to fully immerse into new cultures and to learn more about the people who live there. It’s a great way to get hands-on experience in the study of geography as well as learning about the specific needs of the people who live there.

• Be a helping hand to those who are in need

This is a great way to practice what Jesus asked us to do: go out into the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20). By being present in the mission field, you can show God’s love to the people in the most practical way. 

Deuteronomy 15:7-8 (KJV) says 

“If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.”

• Strengthen your faith

It’s one thing to read the words in Scripture and say we believe, but the Bible tells us in James 2:14-17 (KJV)

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

When we put our faith in action and see the blessings of God working around us and through us, this strengthens our faith. It encourages us first to have confidence in God’s words to us, and secondly it encourages us to go and do more for the Kingdom.

We sat down with missionary and pastor Bob Fukumoto, who gave us an inside look at the missionary life.

TCS: Thanks for speaking with us. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Bob: I'm 67 years old and have 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren. My wife, Jan, passed away 4 years ago. I've been involved in 4 ministries, each lasting over 8 years each. I've been a pastor (30 years ago) and am recently one today. In between, I've worked at a Christian camp, Christian youth organization, and in missions. I've always loved discipleship and developing leadership, especially with high school, college, and young adult people. I presently oversee discipleship at my church, AND I lead 2 men's groups not related to my church. I love being involved in people's lives and currently mentor/disciple 10 men.

TCS: How did you get involved with missionary work?

Bob: I was working at a Christian camp called Muskoka Woods where I was the director of staff development, and we took 10 college students to work with orphans in Romania in 2001. While in Romania, I saw great need amongst the poor, especially institutionalized orphans. They were so alone, and even though there were 100's of them in various orphanages, they had no real community, friendships, OR family! This led to me leaving Muskoka Woods in 2005 where I co-founded a foundation in Romania with a Romanian colleague there. I was the director from 2005-2013, but then I raised 2 women to be my co-directors until I retired in 2020. I did missions for 15 years full-time.

TCS: What are some of the projects you are currently involved in?

Bob: In Romania, we currently work with about 350 institutionalized orphans from 3 orphanages and 15+ group homes. They come to us from a 2 hour radius around a city called Cluj-Napoca which is located in Transylvania (North-west Romania). They come to "experience God, experience family, experience work." Groups of 10-15 normally come for a day at a time. They learn to garden/farm, bake, prepare meals, clean-up, handle tools for small projects, do crafts, do teamwork, play games, hike, ride bikes, have discussions, and more! We also run a one-to-one mentoring program where adults commit to meeting with an orphan once a week for fun, food, and listening. I am also responsible for raising money to build a brand new "multi-purpose facility" for programming and storage.