Today at lunch two students pushed me for funds, one of whom needs funds for a trip and the other her advocate. One student is going to Africa this summer for a most worthy opportunity to help some missionaries. This student is seriously thinking of missions as a vocation, and (even as a freshman) is already shaping her courses with that vocation in mind. Here\u2019s the deal she figured out:
\nShe\u2019d like me to help send her to Africa. So, she asked for money. And she was prepared with a pitch: she figured that as a professor I was making a certain amount, and with speaking and writing, and then Kris \u2014 well she quickly had me up to the astronomical figure of 300,000 dollars. It was nice to know she thought I was doing so well. So, she thought that, if I was making over 300,000 dollars I should at least give her 150 dollars for her plane trip. (She\u2019s asking others.)
\nI had several options to consider in response:
\nFirst, tell her that in addition to learning French, theology, and Africana studies she\u2019d also have to take a course in business to figure out that it is folks in the business world who bring in those kinds of numbers.
\nSecond, say, \u201cIf I did make that kind of money, I would not only give you 150 but the whole summer would be funded.\u201d
\nWe quickly changed subjects, but her mission has stayed on my mind.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today at lunch two students pushed me for funds, one of whom needs funds for a trip and the other her advocate. One student is going to Africa this summer for a most worthy opportunity to help some missionaries. This student is seriously thinking of missions as a vocation, and (even as a freshman) is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[106],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education"],"yoast_head":"\n