Money Stuff 2021

It is a really interesting line to try to walk. It was weird being a single missionary for so long—that was an interesting line to walk. But being a “missionary” in the USA is another one—as well as me being a missionary (that I am still figuring out the quote marks for), but not my husband. Caid is a teacher. He makes a regular teacher’s salary, which isn’t a lot, but about double what we used to make. So if you combine that income with my “missionary income,” we went from around $20,000 take home pay to around $60,000 take home pay.

Tripple sounds impressive. Tripple feels impressive. But when I look back over our spending and actual lifestyle—it really hasn’t changed. We just changed countries.

I am completely humbled: what missionary family do you know that actually received more donations the year after returning home, than they did on the field (and I did not do any personal fundraising at all this year)? When they went from being a missionary family to being a missionary…me?

No one is asking me to post this information. I don’t know if anyone even cares. But I do. From the moment I started receiving donations I felt a heavy responsibility to be transparent and clear with where the money went. Checks and balances are important, and unfortunately, in many areas of ministry and missions—they are greatly lacking. This is part of my routine to try to put them in place. It is something I value, and I know many of those who support me to as well.