Missionary Boom

According to Christianity Today, there is a marked increase in missionary activity among Baby Boomers. Many Boomers are, apparently, taking early retirement and then moving out in to the missionary field. Because of this, many missionary organizations are having to rethink their pradigm--from having (and expecting) young, full-time, and long-term volunteers to older volunteers who are available for shorter term assignments.

The missionary world has begun to adapt to such a change, starting programs like Finishers Project which:

. . .works with 100 organizations, matching retirees with volunteer mission projects. Finishers Project has placed 1,000 volunteers in full-time mission since 1998, has another 1000 in process, and has additional 1,200 saying they will make the transition in the next two years.

Searching the web for Catholic Lay Missionaries, I came across Catholic World Mission, which "exists to bring education and the message of Christ to neighbors throughout the world." Currently, CWM has 900 lay missionaries working in 43 diocese. Do check out there site if you can. It seems like an exceptionally promising apostolate

I was surprised that such an endeavor only had 3 full time employees "in order to keep costs down." I wonder what a better funded Catholic Lay Missionary organization might be able to accomplish? When I lived in Seattle, I was surprised by the amount of positions that regularly opened at World Vision--positions thact actually payed enough to support a family.

Anyway, it's nice to see the missionary world making room for those who want to serve in their later years. A very wise friend of mine once said, "You know, I've found that I spent the first half of my life trying to discover who I was, and the second half of my life giving all of that someone away to others."

A model that I would like to follow...sooner rather than later!