What do missionaries look like?

When I think of missionaries, I think of the old people (at least that is how they seemed to me) who would come to my church with their slide shows and share stories of their work. I think of going to the jungles of some place I've never heard of and encountering cannibals. I think of women dressed in frumpy dresses with their hair pulled back, who are seen but not heard.

Kenyon and I have signed a two year contract to go to the mission field in Cambodia. We will be living in a city, the capital city of the country. I have no intention of becoming the stereotypical missionary woman, I don't think I'm even capable of it if I tried...I inherited too much of a rebellious spirit to be so docile or sweet.

I still struggle with calling myself a missionary. Why? I guess somewhere deep inside I think that missionaries should feel comfortable standing in front of crowds sharing the gospel, which I don't. I'd rather just share with a few close friends how a relationship with the living God changed my life. I guess I assume that missionaries should have it all together - the perfect family, the perfect life story, the perfect marriage, and be perfect people. I don't have those things, my family, life story, marriage and me are far from perfect. I've been thinking a lot about this concept of what a missionary looks like. What I've discovered is...missionaries look a lot like us - ordinary people.

I am learning that God is in the business of using unlikely, ordinary people to do his work. All we need is a willing heart. We were willing, and now we are going to the other side of the earth (literally). Do I have it all figured out? Not even close! But, in humble submission I will follow the One who is greater than me.

What do you think missionaries look like?