Question
How does a person who is new to the mission field pay off school loans and other such bills while they are in another country doing work that does not actually pay well?
-- Nate Siems, student, Southern Nazarene University
Response
Debt can delay our ability to respond to God’s missionary calling. David Cooper, with the Church of the Nazarene's Global Mission, advises missionary candidates to expect to be able to afford no more than $100 (USD) monthly to pay on debts, once deployed overseas.
The enormity of the debt challenge comes into focus when we examine the specific types of debts that many young adults accrue. These include educational loans, vehicle loans and credit card debt.
Student Loans
According to FinAid, in 2007-2008, the average student loan debt for graduating college seniors was $23,186.00. When such a graduate marries a classmate, that figure can double.
Yet school bills need not drive us to despair. Daryll and Verna Stanton (pictured right), now serving in Kenya, took several years pre-deployment to pay off their undergraduate student loans, all the while living frugally to avoid incurring further debt. 
Later, Daryll worked part-time while at Nazarene Theological Seminary, while Verna found full-time employment as a nurse. They brainstormed ways to cut their budget, making their limited income stretch further. The poverty that they would one day witness in Africa was less disorienting as simplicity had already become a part of who they were back in the United States.
Near the start of one of my semesters at seminary, our funds were especially low. Tuition money was nowhere in sight. I prayed to God for an answer. A few weeks later a letter arrived from my now deceased grandmother, who was living on Social Security and a small pension. Though I had never said a word about it to others, God told her about my need and asked her to help. With the letter, she enclosed a check for $1,000. Jesus said: “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). My grandma’s selfless gift was a powerful reminder to pray.
For those not yet in college, there are ways to reduce tuition costs. Many students get college credit taking high school AP courses, or may take their first year or two at a community college before finishing their degree at a Christian university. In the United States, high school students who are academically gifted should explore the National Merit Scholarship program. Scoring in the highest percentiles on the PSAT exam may qualify one as a Finalist, a ranking that opens the scholarship faucet at many Nazarene universities or other schools.
Vehicles
A second type of debt is vehicle loans. See if you can pay cash on an older vehicle. If you must take a loan, go to a credit union, where rates, on the average, are lower than banks. Think carefully about what vehicle you really need, and how economical it is. Don’t be afraid to park it when the weather is nice and ride your bike, or to take the bus or walk. Every little bit counts!
Credit cards
Besides student and vehicle loans, credit card debt can delay the would-be missionary. Financial expert Dave Ramsey recommends the use of cash on a daily basis and a debit card for online purchases, not a credit card. Ramsey cites a study in which the McDonald’s restaurant chain found that customers using credit cards spent 47% more on the average than those who paid cash.
My wife and I observe the “two time rule.” If we see something we’d like, we won’t allow ourselves to buy it on the spot, even if we have enough money in our pocket. The next time we see it, if we still want it and still have the cash, we have the option to buy. We’ve avoided many an impulse purchase this way, plus it gives us the chance to make a game out of it, shopping around to find the best price on the item.
God will supply
David Cooper reminds missionary candidates that time spent getting out of debt is hardly time lost. It provides another opportunity to hone ministry skills close-to-home, making us more effective when we go overseas. James Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was fond of saying: “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” He will supply all of our needs, and give us the wisdom to tell our needs from our wants.
Do you have more ideas for how to avoid or cut down on debt in your country? Post comments below or submit a story with your suggestions to Engage.
-- Dr. Greg Crofford is a missionary serving as director of the Nazarene Theological Institute, a decentralized ministerial education program active in 15 African nations. Previously, Greg and his wife Amy served for 13 years on the West African and French Caribbean fields, working in both theological education (Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti) and church planting (Benin).