Missionary families and "Who's who"

[kendemyer]

I did not come here to debate this issue but to have this explored further.

WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA - Zig Ziglar

Several years ago the people listen in Who's Who in America were analyzed. Researchers discovered that it took 25,000 laboring families to produce 1 child who would be listed in Who's Who. It required 10,000 families in which the father was a skilled craftsman, 6,00 Baptist preachers, 5,000 lawyers, 5,000 Presbyterian preachers, 2,500 dentist, and 1,200 Episcopalian priests to produce someone who's listed in Who's Who. However, every 7 Christian missionary families produced a member of Who's Who. I can only speculate on the reasons for the remarkable difference. Surely most of the preachers from the various denominations were men and women of faith, but I believe the missionaries, in most cases, demonstrated a stronger commitment. Their example demonstrated their faith and courage to their children. Also, they probably did not have many things to give to their children, but the mother and father, with fewer distractions such as daily newspapers and television, were probably spending an unusual amount of time with them. The kids had a day-to-day example and a chance to study what real success was all about. Needless to say, the parents were teaching and preaching the Bible every day and felt a unique relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ. Undoubtedly the role modeling and demonstration of their faith played a significant part in the development of the children.

http://www.dgchurch.org/bulletin/2000/1210.html

I also quote this:

Missionary life is not for the fainthearted," says Sandra Auer, manager of member care for Campus Crusade for Christ's International Ministries. "Yet almost every MK I've talked to will say, 'I'm glad I lived overseas....

"Family units that are healthy thrive whether at home or overseas," says John Austin, director of international human resources for Campus Crusade.

Raised in healthy families, MKs learn to love the people and build bridges to cultures around them. They don't just study geography and anthropology; they live it. At the same time, they develop linguistic abilities unparalleled by their U.S. peers.

Healthy MKs also represent a powerhouse potential for future missions. According to a recent study of adult MKs, 15 to 20 percent return to the mission field as missionaries. Those who don't return tend to find success in other areas of life. In a study listed in Who's Who in Who's Who, it took 5,000 Presbyterian ministers to produce one child listed in Who's Who. Among lawyers the ratio was 5,000 to 1; dentists 2,500 to 1. But for every seven Christian missionary families from the United States, one of their children would be listed in Who's Who.

http://www.wwcmagazine.org/1997/call.html

I said I did not come here to debate this issue but to have it explored further. Does anyone know much about "Who's who" for example?

[PhilA]

Does anyone know much about "Who's who" for example?

I don't know much about Who's Who, but its sister publication, Who's Where, (AKA the phone book) is very popular.

In would imagine that most missionary's children engage in some form of missionary work themselves amongst their peers. This will in turn leed to a higher level of social compassion than children brought up 'back home' in the rich west, and lead te children to strive as adults to help make the world a better place. Their education by example from watching how their parents did things will no doubt be a factor in this. The kids, who have in essence been missionarys through there childhood, will have a lot more experience at it thean there parents would probably givethem credit for. (Nothing to back that lot up with BTW, just speculation.)

[Nimrod]

Some obvious questions: Which researchers analyzed the data? What was their methodology? And where were the results published?