What Does a Missionary Look Like?

Surely not like this.


Well, actually- sometimes, yes.
But why?


To make this...



look like this.


But, why?
These scenes are all from Takayama, the summer missionary community I mentioned in an earlier post. Our water lines are 40 years old, and need to be replaced. In those 40 years, trees grew up over the lines, then died (the pine bark beetle disaster) and toppled in a heap- 5 deep in places.
So, since paying plumber's wages to get trees cleared is a poor deal, we decided to do that part of the job for them. We already have the chainsaws, etc. - clearing up dead trees has been a big part of the business manager's (ie MY) job for a decade now. I just had to go into the woods this time, and tackle a long-neglected mess.
But, why?
My core values statement is " To pass on the Kingdom of God, intact, to the next generation." And, I am sure the next generation will need Tak for rest and renewal as much as previous generations did.
So, THAT'S why. That's why a missionary sometimes looks like that.