What do missionaries and the SSA have in common?

At this point the two have a lot in common! There is an issue that has arose in the past few months that is affecting the mission field as a whole.

In 1979 there was a Social Security agreement that was signed between the United States and many foreign governments. This agreement stated said those living overseas must return to the States every 5 years and live there for a full 366 days to maintain Social Security benefits. Most mission agencies were unaware of this law until recently.

The personnel department here at Black Forest Academy is in communication with the SSA to work things out, since many missionaries here were unaware of this agreement and are affected by it. Earlier this week there was a meeting to debrief local missionaries (those connected to BFA and those whose mission headquarters are also located in the area). Approximately 40 to 50 were present at the meeting.

In the midst of the uncertainty, some missions are making conservative calls on what their missionaries must do, while others are letting them wait it out until a final decision has been made. Currently I am aware of at least three families that will not be returning to minister at BFA next year due to this situation.

A lot of the students' parents have just been informed by their mission agencies that they must return to the States for a year since they could lose a lot by not abiding by this law. A friend who works in one of the dorms as a Resident Assistant was talking with one of her girls one evening. Her parents have been working in France for the past 9 years and in Turkey for at least 8 years before that. Because of the Social Security issues, and the way their mission agency dealt with paying their Social Security (Mom paying into the American system and her Dad paying into the French system to make both parties happy), her Mom is losing her visa from France for not paying Social Security to them. So their whole family will be moving to the States this next year.

Please be praying for this whole issue. It hit me tonight how the devil is using this to take missionaries away from the countries they have been working in. It's a bigger issue than I had realize as I learn more details, especially hearing of students who are unsure whether they will return next year. This issue is still up in the air with how the United States will respond to it, as people are fighting it in law right now.

Thanks for joining me in prayer because our God is bigger than any governmental system.