When we first started our ministry to convalescent homes, I was given some very good advice. I was told that the most important thing was to make contact by touching hands. So, from the beginning, I discussed this with our group and we decided that it was important to make that contact. We started greeting our seniors and touching their hands before and after every service. It was one of the defining things that made our group different from the other groups that come into the convalescent homes. I quickly learned, however, that there was something else that defined us as well. We kept coming back.

In a busy world, we can often make initial contact and never make follow up contact. I was reminded of this when I went to our ministry yesterday and one woman grasped my hand and implored, “Please, come back.” The theme was repeated when several others asked me the same thing. I assured them that our group would come back as we have for the last five years. It is because we have come back for five years that our ministry has been so relevant and fruitful.

I once read that people in European countries consider it curious when Americans come to their country on a mission that lasts just one or two weeks. They wonder what could possibly be accomplished in such a short period of time. Their understanding of mission is that it is something that takes place over a period of time, and is an extension of relationship. It could take years to accomplish that kind of misson.

I think that we are sometimes involved in a “hit and run” type of mission in our lives and I also think it’s important to give people our time and to give it generously. The long term relationship means risk and it means that we might have long term people in our lives who are messy. Messy people are the ones who need more than a day or a week of your life.