BRIDGETON – In 2010, Kelly Anderson was a missionary in Indonesia, part of the hands and feet of Wycliffe Bible Translators. For two years she immersed herself in the Indonesian language and culture in order to share the gospel orally with the people who live there.
Now, almost two years later, Anderson is working for the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home (MBCH) as an administrative assistant in its public relations department, a calling she deems is just as important.
“When I came back so many people asked me, ‘Why aren’t you doing missions anymore?’” Anderson said. “At first I didn’t know how to respond and then God showed me that my call to be a missionary didn’t begin when I became a Bible translator; it began when I became a Christian. In coming back to Missouri I may not have the ‘missionary’ title anymore and maybe I’m not even the hands working directly with the people; instead, maybe I’m more like the elbow and though that may not seem to be as important, it is.”
Since beginning her new MBCH position, Anderson has learned a lot about “behind the scenes” ministry.
“It’s been interesting to see this side of things and how a large ministry like the Children’s Home operates,” she said. “I knew prayer partners and donors were important, but I had never known just how important until I was privy to the accounting numbers, as well as every time I write a ‘Thank you’ letter to the faithful people who give to the MBCH all the time. You start to see ministry in a whole different light.”
Anderson said when she first joined Wycliffe she thought that that was it; she believed she would be overseas for a long time, possibly her whole life.
“But His ways are higher and He ordains them,” she said. “It may not have turned out how I planned it but the Lord’s plans are great. For example, I got married during this time. We want to have a family and serve and reach out to the people in our neighborhood. You have to be a light no matter where you are because where He has you is where you are supposed to be.”