In 2004 when I first came to PNG I blogged about the trip. Blogging was relatively new then, but me being a computer type person, was pretty into it. I was blogging multiple times a day and when I returned many people said " that was the most connected I've ever felt with a mission trip!"
I realized then and there that communication was something I cared a lot about.
We became full time missionaries not long after that, and committed to communicating with those on our team who didn't get to go overseas. We want people to feel 'plugged in' informed. Gone were the days of a quarterly newsletter, you wanted real-time information.
And we wanted to give it to you.
in 2007 that was 'cutting edge'
Today, it's common practice. I've just finished a training session where I've been shown video, blogs, tweets, face books, snapchats, instagrams and more!!! I USED to be cutting edge, and communicate MORE than the average missionary, and now I'm finding out, everyone else has caught up with me, if not even passed me!
I recently showed some videos to some friends who said 'you need to cut this down, that 4 min vid could have been 2 mins'
WOW… things they are a changin!
I used to be almost controversial when I told my fellow missionaries 'keep your videos under 4 minutes' and now, 4 minutes is too long!
To cut your message down, so that people can digest it, takes a LOT of time.
To communicate in all these ways takes a lot of time (although there are tricks to cut down how much time it takes)
To stay up to date with all of YOU as our partners, and read your posts, takes time.
And also during all THAT time, we have to be doing the work that enables us to generate stories that are worth telling!
It can be a bit overwhelming, honestly.
Before a single word is made public, it has to be checked, because legally, we're representatives of our organization (notice I never name our organization? I want to avoid legal issues), and if we ever say anything that can be misconstrued or misinterpreted it could be used against our organization which does a lot in the world to spread God's Word.
So…
I'm asking for patience for the missionaries.
I fully intend to sit down and update all our social media stuff, but I haven't had much time to sit and concentrate on any one thing. I'd much rather be seeing you face to face, and so we're driving and flying all over to accomplish even a fraction of that.
We love you, we want you in the know, we're committed to good communication with you…. we need you to do one simple thing for us….. invent more time. Barring your ability to somehow slow the world a little bit, then use patience with us. You have been so gracious already.
If you want our newsletter please let us know. We try to send a blurb out monthly but don't always get to it.
thank you
