Missionary or Vacationary?

Jon Acuff of the popular blog Stuff Christians Like recently wrote on the subject of prayer-walking.
He mentioned how a “missionary” he knew went on a “prayer-walking” trip
to Rome, Italy. In between buying trinkets, he lifted up a few prayers
and asked for support money to supplement his “ministry.” Jon wrote a humorous quiz about whether you’re a vacationary or a missionary.

Missionary or Vacationary?

1. Where are you going?
A. To a country that last saw a tourist in 1987.
B. To a country that people regularly honeymoon in, retire in or go on “shell collecting excursions” in.

2. How many personal suitcases are you bringing?
A. The entire team is sharing one so I’ll be required to wear all the
clothes I want to bring on the plane. I’ll have five pairs of pants on
at once.
B. Whichever matching set I feel best complements the native flora and fauna.

3. How many bathing suits are you packing?
A. None, there’s not an ocean or there won’t be any time to swim.
B. As many as I can fit in my suitcases.

4. How many shots do you have to get beforehand?
A. At least 14.
B. Ouchie, no thanks.

5. If you’ll be doing a prayer walk, where will you be walking?
A. Through the Kibera slums in Kenya.
B. By the Pantheon, the Trevi fountain and hopefully the Sistine Chapel. Fingers crossed!

6. What’s your greatest worry about the trip?
A. I can’t pick just one. Probably malaria or that civil unrest would
break out with a government coup started inevitably by a General that
has a really thick mustache.
B. Wicked bad sunburn from not getting enough of a base tan before we leave.

7. Can you drink the water?
A. No. If we boil it and then run it through a filter system and then
dissolve these charcoal tablets in it we can use it to wash our hands.
But drink? No.
B. Yes, and it will be sparkling. Probably Pellegrino if I had to guess.

8. What will the reaction of friends and family members be when you get back?
A. “I’m so glad you made it home safely!”
B. “Did you get me a souvenir? Did you remember I am a size medium t-shirt?”

9. If you post photos of the trip on Facebook, what will people write in the comments?
A. “I prayed for your safety! Are you sure you should be posting photos
that mention the location like that? I thought that country had serious
issues with Christians being there?”
B. “I love that place! We’re going next summer for vacation! Staying at a Sandals!”

10. Did anything about the trip leave an impression on you?
A. “Yes, a small knife that a thug used to cut my fanny pack off left a scar on my lower back. I will never forget that.”
B. “Yes, the food. I ate a piece of caper glazed sea bass that danced on my tongue like Michael Flatley, the Lord of the Dance.”

If you answered A to the majority of those questions, then
congratulations, you’re a prayer walking missionary. My younger brother
for instance goes on regular prayer walks through the neighborhood he
and his wife live in East Nashville. They pick up trash along the way
and given the homicides and gang violence are prayed up long before
they walk out their front door. If you answered B to the majority of
those questions however, then congratulations you’re a prayer walking
vacationary.