Students often ask me, “How can I prepare to be a missionary?” I usually answer by urging them to stick to the group they are part of, and to go through the pain of being there without giving up. That will make them skilled in facing the frustration and pain that is an unavoidable aspect of the missionary call. There is an unprecedented amount of study today on cultural anthropology and contextualisation, and I praise God for that. These studies are very helpful for incarnational ministry. But more helpful even that that is the ability to die, to die for those we are called to work with: our families, our churches and our mission fields.

Ajith Fernando, “An Authentic Servant”