Orientation is the process of determining one’s position with relation to environment. It is awareness of the
existing situation with reference to time, place, and identity of persons. To orient is to set right by adjusting
to facts or principles, to put oneself into correct position or relation, to acquaint oneself with the existing
situation. The well-oriented missionary is happier and more effective than one who is poorly oriented.
Orientation is a process; it takes time and conscious effort on the part of the missionary. We usually think
of orientation as the beginning of a missionary’s new life, but orientation must continue throughout the entire
missionary career as new information is added and the missionary reacts to it. Orientation is especially
necessary in the early missionary life, but it should never stop.
The complex problems of orientation can be considered from three points of view: spiritual - the spiritual
nature of the missionary battle, mental - the attitudes which the missionary must form or reform, and physical
- the physical conditions and complications of getting the missionary job done. These are not clearly divided
areas but overlap like “wheels within wheels”.
Spiritual:
This might be called dedication to the Lord. All of Life’s problems are basically spiritual problems. Crisis
and catastrophes are only so to the degree that we consider them to be such. What the world considers loss
or sorrow or defeat can be the time of greatest spiritual victory for the believer. Winning souls from the
power of darkness to walk in His light is a spiritual battle. The missionary may be removed from what has
been conscious spiritual props. Behind him is the experience of being honored and praised by the people at
home. Before him is the experience of being a foreigner, a stranger in the everyday customs, a newcomer to
an established work, or a “junior partner.” There may be no other Christians with whom to fellowship.
There may be n Gospel broadcasts, or rallies, or films, or home church Bible teaching. The music will
surely be different. There may be nothing left but the missionary’s own personal devotions with the Lord,
his own personal Bible study, his own preaching or that of beginning national preachers to build his spiritual
life.
The missionary who is sure his call is from God will find that there is a spiritual solution for every problem.
The fight is against Satan, The victory is with God. A daily walk in fellowship with God is the answer to the
spiritual problems. What nationals are like, what other missionaries are like, what the weather is like, is not
what is basic. What is basic is that Satan uses every means to bring defeat in the spiritual realm. God uses
His means to win people to himself.
Mental:
This might be called dedication to the missionary cause. The attitudes one has always had toward food,
church, friends, foreigners, language, and a multitude of other relationships, may have to be changed, and
probably will. One operational principle is: The “Unites States” way of doing things is not necessarily the
best way in another culture environment. Only some of the areas where attitudes are involved can be discussed
here, but they will suggest many others and may help to form an attitude toward attitudes.
A missionary is the foreigner, even in an English-speaking area. Perhaps a new language must be learned.
The attitude toward language learning often reflects the attitude toward all that is different in the new culture.
The degree of language proficiency will likely reflect the degree of orientation to the new culture. No
one should be satisfied with less than 100% proficiency in the use of the language, even though he may have
to continue to work on it while carrying on his other missionary service. The language patterns set in the
first year of missionary life are likely to be the patterns for the remainder of it. These patterns can be built

Consider attitudes toward others. The nationals think differently about everything, including birth, marriage,
burial, food, time, church organization, and non-nationals. The missionary will want to learn what
they think and how they react, even though he may not agree or completely adapt his own life to that new
pattern.
How missionaries may have different views too, depending on their backgrounds, how long they have served
as missionaries, their health status, and their attitudes. The missionary who is sure of his own call and ideas
might do well to remember that his fellow missionaries, or a neighboring mission’s missionaries, is probably
just as sure as his. Being cliquish with another missionary or group of missionaries, to the exclusion of others
of one’s own group can be devastating to the spiritual force of the mission family on the field. Small
things grow into big things.
Information about local and national government officials and policies is essential. Proper approach to officials,
in person or in writing, makes for intelligent response and calls less attention to the missionary as a
foreigner.
Attitudes toward his task will be formed on a better basis, when the missionary knows something of the history
of the work, including the scandals. He also needs to be informed about the present conditions in relation
to national politics and economy as well as to the spiritual and church ties the local group of believers
may have or may be expected to have. Future plans made by other workers should be taken into consideration.
A good example of attitudes is seen in the study of a Southwestern American farm community made by a
Polish anthropologist, Alicja Iwanska.
Miss Iwanska said that the farmers, on the large western farm which she had studied, divided the universe
into three different categories - landscape, machinery, and people. Landscape included the distant mountains,
the scenery to be looked at and enjoyed. Machinery includes machines and livestock which are appreciated
and cared for because of their productivity. People and neighbors, those who drop in for a cup of coffee,
who cooperate in times of need and with whom one has social and business relationship. Not all human
beings, however, are considered people! Indians, for example, belong to the landscape; they are considered
part of the scenery to be viewed on a Sunday drive. The Mexican migrant workers are considered machinery,
valued for their productivity but discarded when their usefulness is lessened. Human beings, who are
considered people, are those who have value in and of their productivity (this study is reported by William
Smalley in Practical Anthropology September - December 1958).
The American missionary may carry with him his culturally formed attitude. People are seen as scenery
and are observed from a “National Geographic” viewpoint. Too often, people in the local church are treated
like machinery, valued for their productivity. They are loved for the way in which they win souls to Christ
(which helps the statistical reports), for the way they make calls and hold services, for the way they help the
missionary. They are cared for, but care is taken to keep them in their place. They are invited to the missionaries’
homes and are welcome as long as they keep their place and do not usurp the prerogatives of people,
expecting to be treated like people. This attitude, a product of American culture, must be changed if the
missionary is to deal with people in a new culture. People are different, in different cultures. The missionary
moving into a new culture must make the change; he cannot expect the people to change to his liking.
Paul was willing to commit culture suicide. To change his attitudes in order to win men to Christ, he said, “I
am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Even as I please all men in all things, not
seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (I Corinthians 9:22; 10:33).

Our love of seclusion and our sense of belonging to ourselves must give way to a sense of belonging to others.
Missionaries must see people as people, not taking on all of their customs. But respecting them as people and
being real neighbors to them. Victory in this is a victory over a very subtle form of worldliness. Dr. Smalley
said, “this world is too much with us,” and defines worldliness as the spirit of the world which lies more in
attitude and predispositions of our day than in any particular thing we do. The spirit of the American
world often does not consider human beings to be people. Victory over this will only come in the daily experience
of being crucified, and with letting God renew our minds toward our work and toward those to
whom we minister His Precious Word.
Physical:
This might be called dedication to the cause of daily living in a different environment. The actual physical
battle of daily living always seems to take much of a missionary’s time. The physical conditions will be different
from those he has now. It will be hotter, or colder, with a greater likelihood of disease or exposure.
There will be food or drinking water restrictions. Food will not always be the same. Housing may be a
problem. There will be repair work to be done with no one else to do it. The constant care of equipment
may seem to need as much time as the time it is meant to save. Here are involved some of the missionary’s
attitude toward his possessions and what he is willing to do without or willing to share.
Some Conclusions:
At every hand there are frustrations. There are, limitless demands, if one allows himself to see them. A new
missionary needs a good orientation before assuming a place of responsibility, but often responsibility is
thrust upon him anyway. The missionary goes to communicate the Gospel, but actual language communication
is slow. A myriad of “non-missionary” activities, worthy in themselves, cry for attention. There is education
for believers and workers to consider. There is health. There is a spiritual load. A lifelong way of
thinking may have to be changed in every direction at once.
The situation is far from hopeless. The new missionary must be aware that everything else may be different
but God is not. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8)! He has promised
that His Word will accomplish the purpose to which He sends it.