BJ & Andrea Lopez – Action International – Cambodia Itinerant
A reality faced by many missionaries is the pull between their overseas ministry and the very real needs of parents back in the USA–so BJ and Andrea are not the only ones in this difficult situation. They have temporarily returned to California and are filling important roles on two fronts.
We are still working remotely from Morgan Hill California as we care for my ailing parents. My work in Cambodia has continued with the blessing of technology. Working late evenings or early mornings are the new normal in communicating with one another.
My role as Director of Church partnerships with ACTION has been evolving and moving forward. Instead of just concentrating on Cambodia, I am involved with all our ministry fields and missionaries in ACTION. Having 17 years of service in Cambodia has bridged relationships with our ACTION missionaries serving overseas and their sending churches. For the missionary, they appreciate having someone who has real life experience living abroad and therefore, may understand issues they may be facing. Their sending churches appreciate that we want to work together and not alone. I’ve been communicating that we can best serve one another if we are all working off the same script, off the same strategy and doing the thing that God has called us all to do together.
I’ve been communicating to sending churches that we at ACTION try our best to care for our missionaries with our member care teams, but sending churches are better equipped in spiritual accountability. The church can care proactively for their missionaries, not just reactively when needs arise. I’ve found missionaries in ACTION that have no church to love and care for them or help shepherd them. So I’ve been blessed with being a liaison and fostering partnerships that have been lost or broken and encouraging new missionaries to build or continue close relationships with their sending churches to help them thrive and stay longer on the field.