What is the focus for today?What hat do I put on?Sometimes the answer is not so easy to give.For example, today I led 3rd-year agricultural education students through a discussion on very simple erosion control techniques.This is the fourth session of 2-week intensive course in Soil Conservation and Improvement.After class we took the A-frame level and practiced making contour lines on the edge of the Milundu High School concession.Last Friday after class we made a sample terrace and planted it with forage crops that double as erosion control.Next year the terraces that students build this year will become a citrus orchard, part of a five year plan to develop a 21-hectare farm that doubles as a teaching and research facility.Two weeks ago, we prepared a manioc multiplication experiment together to study the factors that determine the profitability of producing disease-free plant cuttings.Am I teacher?Internship advisor?

Tomorrow I will sit on the college's management committee, trying to balance two subtly different objectives often at odds with one another.On the one hand, I want to contribute organizational skills, enthusiasm and maybe even a bit of vision to the urgent task of training capable, committed Christian teachers for Baptist high schools – get the task done as soon as possible no matter who does it.On the other hand, I want to help our Congolese partners discern the vision that God is giving to them, articulate it clearly, and work methodically toward making the dream a reality – even when the direction is different than I would take or the pace doesn't satisfy my own need for rapid successes.Am I idea sounding board?Financial/organizational advisor?

After teaching mornings at Milundu I ride back to Lusekele, where I just finished ordering cowpea seed from Nigeria to expand the seed multiplication program in February.Fourteen new varieties of cowpeas produced promising results in the trials over the last two years.Now we want to expand the trials to farmers' fields and multiply seed.Am I seed farmer?Agronomist?

For the last six months or more we have been dreaming about making diesel fuel out of palm oil and locally distilled alcohol.I spent Saturday morning scrounging around in the center garage looking for junk hardware that might be useful in building an experimental production plant.The search turned up an old propane water heater, still in its 1960s shipping crate, that could make a dandy reactor vessel.In the afternoon, I drew up plans for the pilot production plant and an outline for the budget that the project might need over the next six months.Am I entrepreneur? Millwright?

In the middle of November I took the bi-monthly trip to Kinshasa to handle financial business for the mission (pay bills, transfer gift money to church projects, etc.) and spend two days working with the CBCO treasurer to review responsible accounting procedures.Am I controller? Accountant? Organizational advisor?

In between times I have shared in Sunday worship and morning chapels on topics ranging from a Christian's commitment to absolute truth to the importance of our stewardship of God's creation.The question we constantly need to be asking ourselves is how do we live responsibly in the knowledge that we have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ?How do our lives become the building blocks of God's kingdom?Am I preacher?

A missionary is nothing more (and nothing less) than a gifted person that one part of the Body of Christ shares with a world that needs God's grace. The gift may be a special ability to present the Gospel in a relevant winning way.Or it may be the ability to mentor young leaders.Maybe the gift focuses on clearly communicating truths in God's revelation.Maybe the gift is an example of extraordinary compassion or exceptionally inspiring leadership in peacemaking or teaching.But the gifts always aim at proclaiming God's message and building up the fellowship of believers for the purpose of doing good in this world.I am often confused about how to label my role in partnership with the Baptist Convention of Western Congo.

But I am never in doubt about the purpose: to be an instrument of proclamation, encouragement, guidance, hope and love that opens the gates for God's coming Kingdom.

Shalom,

Ed Noyes