5 Reasons to Be a Missionary in Lesser-Known Lesotho

Wesley Mills • Jan 17, 2017

When we consider overseas missions, we are often captivated by impact. We consider locations, gifts and desires to “maximize” kingdom effectiveness. Many of us look at cities like London, Tokyo or Dubai where we pray that the ripple effect of our efforts will carry on for generations. The longing is God-given, and if the Lord leads us there, we should joyfully accept the privilege.

But it’s good to remember Jesus isn’t confined to big cities and major outposts of industry and commerce.

He cares about the less dense populations, the marginalized and the forgotten but equally wanted. He cares about the ones who aren’t in the news but are in his heart. The ones he made from the beginning of time and who will rejoice with him at the end. ( Acts 17:26 , Rev. 7:9 )

Shouldn’t we consider those options for global impact just as heavily? If we are looking for the ideal size of a crowd, we merely have to look to Jesus, who surrounded himself with 12 and deeply invested in three (Peter, James, John). He often ran away from the mobs of people and ministered in the outskirts and fringes of society.

Lesotho (pronounced Le-sue-too) is probably one of those fringes on your map. Landlocked by the southeastern part of South Africa, this country declared its independence from Great Britain in 1966. With around 2 million people, it’s not overly large in population or size, and it’s not recognized for much. Its most well-known feature is being the only country in the world to sit entirely above 1,000 meters in elevation.

Missionaries have worked in Lesotho for over 190 years, but the need is still great. Jurg Van Dyk works in conjunction with TEAM in South Africa and has seen more religious systems than gospel ministry. Jurg says, “Lesotho does not need more schools, hospitals, farming methods or any other programs. They need disciples of Christ to come make disciples of Christ.”

So out of all the countries, why consider Lesotho as an option? Recognizing obedience to the Holy Spirit and his call to go is first , b ut below are five reasons to carefully think about becoming a missionary in Lesotho.

The people

Jurg says the Lesotho people (also known as Basotho) are friendly and welcoming, especially when outsiders come in. They have a desire to please those they work with, even when they disagree with their tactics.

With one of the highest literacy rates on the African continent (80%), they are eager and willing to learn. However, many Basotho lack access to major cities and live in underdeveloped areas, which creates a prevailing sense of desperation and hopelessness.

The need

Lesotho has the second highest rate of HIV in the world. 310,000 of their people infected with the virus, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The life expectancy is 48 years old (some estimates now say mid-30s), and with poverty slowing down economic growth, the response to this crisis is slow and cumbersome.

Actions have been taken to increase awareness and knowledge to combat this, but the church (or lack thereof) has been a noticeably absent voice to speak into this issue.

The opportunity

Christianity is the official religion of Lesotho. But while 90 percent of the country would claim to be Christians, true disciples are difficult to find.

Jurg says many Basotho “Christians” believe Modimo (God) cannot be approached by humans and ancestors act as intercessors between Modimo and the living. This form of religious syncretism is rampant and has caused great confusion among the people about what is true.

Going to Lesotho means you are stepping into a highly religious country, one that is transparent about what they believe. There is opportunity for gospel conversations and a heightened sensitivity to spiritual renewal.

Their fate

The Basotho people practice religious systems but have not been gripped by their need for Jesus.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that “children in Lesotho continue to engage in the worst forms of child labor, including herding cattle and commercial sexual exploitation sometimes as a result of human trafficking. The gap between the compulsory education age and the minimum age for employment leaves children vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor.”

If the gospel is never shared and shown, both victims and perpetrators will never know of God’s unending grace and looming judgment.

Their God

The Lord of the universe created Lesotho and loves Lesotho and desires the Lesotho people to worship him in spirit and truth.

God cares about the plight of the Lesotho people and has not forgotten them. He cares about their earthly suffering and their eternal suffering, and so should we.

By Suzanne Pearson 19 Mar, 2024
Previously on the TEAM blog, we sat down with Justin Burkholder (pictured above at left, with TEAM's Executive Director of Communications, Aaron Catlin). Justin will become TEAM’s next International Director on July 1, 2024. Justin shared about his background, family, and the journey that led him to TEAM. Check out that interview here . Today, we pick up the conversation as Justin shares how God called him to the role of International Director, and what he sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church. Q: How and when did you first consider applying for the position of International Director? How did the Lord reveal Himself to you as this opportunity presented itself? A: For some time, I have been evaluating how God wants me to use the gifts He has given me. Jenny and I have had a fruitful ministry in church planting in Guatemala and would happily continue doing so as God leads. However, as God blessed my efforts in TEAM leadership, there were friends and family who expressed that I should consider using my gifts in the International Director role. I don’t believe that everything necessarily rises and falls on leadership, but I do believe that it is a core component in the body of Christ. Using the gifts God has given me is a way that I want to bless the body of Christ in TEAM, making my contribution to the global purposes of God’s mission. Jenny and I spent a lot of time praying about this and decided that I should put my name in for consideration, trusting God’s guidance. We had a tremendous amount of peace throughout the entire process and were blessed by the prayer-filled process that the board undertook. Q: This is a key role in a large and complex organization, and I’m sure this was a big decision for you and your family. What were your fears or concerns? Why did you ultimately decide to accept the position? A: You say “were” like the fears have passed! I still am quite aware of my youth and inexperience - of the responsibility and weight of this role. Mostly, I’m afraid of leading an organization like TEAM in the flesh. Many of the fears that I have faced have been fears rooted in fleshly desires and concerns. I have no desire to succeed in the world’s eyes and fail in the Kingdom of Jesus. Why did I ultimately decide to accept the position? I’m convinced that the Good News about Jesus is true. The tomb is empty, Jesus is King, and the world needs to know, because Jesus is coming back. He will put things in order. He will establish righteousness, peace, and justice for all mankind, and He has commissioned His Church to proclaim and demonstrate His rule and reign. I want to use my gifts to do whatever I can to amplify the proclamation of this message and the multiplication of His Church around the world. Q: What are your goals and vision for the future of TEAM? A: This is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. I’m certainly not ready to present a fully-shaped vision and goals for TEAM’s future without the input of other people in different contexts in TEAM. But, I will share a few things that I think are important: First, we need to model God-Dependence . I am hopeful that as leaders in TEAM, we can continue to model God-Dependence. As Hudson Taylor said years ago “…God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” I am hopeful that we can increase our sense of faith in God, prayer, and seeking direction from the Spirit. Secondly, we must strengthen our relational fabric . Due to the changes that we have experienced by decentralizing our home office functions, and the challenges from the pandemic, we have experienced a loss of relationships. It is imperative that we intentionally prioritize the building of relationships with one another. I plan to visit our workers and staff, and I am expectant that other key leaders and staff will be doing the same. Third, we must pursue the greater presence of the global Church. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ doesn’t look like any single geopolitical, ethnic, or racial culture. If we want to truly see the Kingdom of Jesus come on earth as it is in heaven, then we as citizens of this Kingdom must learn from one another, submit to one another, and grow with one another. The missional potential of the global Church has been unleashed by God’s Spirit since Acts 1, and we have an opportunity to learn from many brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us to better model and proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus to those who have yet to believe. Lastly, we must increase our Gospel boldness . There are still many places of great spiritual blindness and spiritual brokenness around the world. The apostolic impulse of cross-cultural organizations should call us to the to the edges of where the Kingdom of Jesus is not penetrating. Whether spiritual blindness and brokenness exists because of lack of access, idolatry, injustice, or any other myriad of reasons, I prayerfully hope to see more and more TEAM workers continue to move into spaces of great Gospel need.
By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
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