The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever

A very good story with realistic poignant observations about the people being"served" by mission trips. A bit more autobiographical than I expected but I still enjoyed the book as a whole. Looking forward to more books by Jamie.

This book is not for everyone. But I found myself moved to tears at times, and holding my breath too. Yeah ok, language. Probably not a good read-aloud book for your 90-year-old mother. But she might surprise you. Thanks Jamie, for the courage to tell the truth.

WOW - what a terrific book. Jamie writes in a very clear, easy to understand style. She doesn't pull her punches. Her questions and comments should provoke thought and discussion in all of us. Suggest you buy 2 copies because there is someone you know that you should give this book to.

Fantastic from start to finish. Love Jamie's no BS approach at telling her story. Laughs and some true insight on the mission world, made this a win. Read it from cover to cover in one sitting, it was that good.

Her warning at the beginning of the book is comical and heartfelt. If anything you can see her sincerity and understanding that she doesn’t share a popular opinion but yells it out anyways. Love her, her writing style, and her respect for telling her story.

I could not stop reading. I wept several times, laughed out loud even more times, and when I came to the last page, immediately went back to the beginning and started reading again. Thank you, Jaime. From another "very worst", and now kinda proud of it.

This book is funny, relatable and relevant. Jamie’s perspective is challenging and relevant. I was inspired by her honesty, vulnerability and her willingness to speak about necessary change in a broken system.

I have the audiobook, kindle edition, and now the paperback so I can share it with friends. Jamie Wright's examination of her life and experiences are approached with honest anger, frustration, and humor about both herself and the missionary experience.

Having about about her cat Knives, hearing how he came in to the family's life was wonderful. And whatever you do don't skip the iguana story. But between the laughs there were tears for her experiences and self doubt. She opened my eyes to a few things I wish I knew 20 years ago, when I was her age, that I'm finally learning now.

Holy cow - what an awesome kick in the 'junk', if I may. I have heard whispers about missionary work (like, for example, that sending American missionaries is tragically counterproductive for the very people we intend to help). I love Jamie's writing style - almost guerrilla "what the Hell, I'll just say whatever the heck is on my mind" I almost read this book in one sitting.. I fear people that need a 'system' to prop up their beliefs will most likely be savage to this confessional. That is tragic because if you dismiss all of it because of an occasional f-bomb, you are the very person Jamie seeks to talk to. Read it and think about how many movies, conversations and music you have listened to with the very language in this book...and you are making the judgement? Please. I love it because she does not back away from allowing the God of the Universe the ability to mold, shape and challenge our easy faith. Personally, I swear - a lot. However, I know that Jesus is righthere. Jamie, thanks for the confessional. I needed to read this again...

Jamie Wright is not the very worst missionary, despite her self-effacing blog and book. In The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever, and the blog that inspired it, theveryworstmissionary.com, Wright writes about her faith and the Christian life, especially the five years her family spent in Costa Rica as missionaries. Her stories are funny and relatable throughout, and you can't help but love someone who is as comfortable mocking herself as she is. This is the kind of book that will make you feel good by affirming that someone else, even a published author and actual missionary, has some of the same struggles and quirks as you do.

One of Wright's major themes is criticism of the missions "industry," which keeps "sending the wrong people to the wrong places to do the wrong things." In her estimation, Costa Rica can do just fine without white, evangelical Americans moving there. She extrapolates her family's experiences to the whole of American missions. She calls out a "system that paves he way for any who feels like it to move to a foreign country, and then gives them permission to do virtually whatever they please under the loosely defined title 'missionary.'" She says that "if you raise your hand (and have enough cash), someone will send you out."

Wright's disparagement of missions and missionaries goes beyond the "whole bunch of . . . unqualified/ill-equipped missionaries" she was "surrounded" by in Costa Rica, but to the whole of American foreign missions. She says she has "tons of ideas about how to improve Christian missions (most involve gasoline and a match)." Her attitude and conclusions are ungracious and unhelpful. Sure she gets a good laugh out of her own foibles and the personal observations of some of her fellow missionaries. But I think of missionaries I know who are: opening coffee shops where Christians can befriend Muslims and share the love of Jesus; translating the Bible into languages and dialects that have no Bible; developing businesses that can provide alternatives to opium cultivation and export; rescuing women from sex trafficking; planting indigenous churches; training pastors and church leaders from rural African churches; teaching in seminaries; providing medical care in underserved regions of the world ; and other productive, loving, kingdom-building endeavors. It pains me to see their faithful, sacrificial, God-honoring, culture-honoring work being harshly criticized by this arrogant, foul-mouthed, judgmental former missionary.

(Yes, foul-mouthed. I don't want to make a big deal out of her language. She uses R-rated language for shock value and entertainment value. It doesn't help her case, except to build her "rebel Christian" persona.)

No church is perfect, no missions agency is perfect, no missionary is perfect. But Wright's critiques come off as flippant and mean-spirited. It carries into her overall critique of the church. As a young Christian, she talks about conforming to the conservative values of her fellow church members, including wearing a "gold-cross necklace," cutting her hair in a "mom bob" and talking in "cheap, cheesy platitudes." Now she has tattoos and piercings, showing that she rejects Christian mainstream culture. And she cusses to show she's not bound by language hang ups. The problem is, her judgmental message is that if you don't cuss, if you wear a cross necklace, if you wear your hair in a bob, you are clearly a cultural Christian who has a shallow, cultural faith. This is insulting to Christians whose fashion choices Wright rejects but whose faith is deep and sincere.

On a more theological note, she counseled a gay teen in her church's youth group to be "wholly herself" because "the Bible has been translated for us and taught to us mostly by straight white dudes, and I wasn't sure if I fully trusted those interpretations." These days, Wright is certainly not alone in affirming homosexuality as acceptable to God, but her shallow counsel to the teen be "wholly herself," because "she was exactly who God had made her to be" ignores a long biblical and historical tradition and reflects the self-centered, emotional response to temptation that we hear more and more of.

In spite of her entertaining writing, laugh-out loud, self-effacing humor, and legitimate challenges to genuine faith and foreign missions, Wright's weak theology and judgmentalism left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Alright - honest review of the Very Worst Missionary Book. No major spoilers, I promise! The first half of the book is her growing up years, meeting the hubs, her spiritual background, etc. She uses filthy, filthy, filthy language - which doesn't normally bother me. Sometimes it made me cackle out loud and sometimes felt a bit unnecessary, but she makes it no secret this is how she really is - so there's that. The second half of the book was the very, very best. It detailed their years as long term missionaries in Costa Rica. She spoke with nothing but sincere and hilarious honesty about the good, the bad and the ugly, including what happened to her faith - again - good, bad and ugly. BUT - I started reading my husband passages and then he said - can you just read me the whole last half of the book? So until midnight last night, I read it to him and we finished it. We are both processing out loud the many lessons that keep coming to mind. Our own experiences and questions. The laugh out loud funny way she phrases things. (Spiritual boner is my favorite). The brokenness and the beauty of the church. The very "Jen Hatmker-esque" lesson of how about you get to know your neighbors right here in the US before you try anything else? I was ok with the book at first, then liked it, now LOVE it. I have much to journal about. Can't wait to discuss with my book club. It inspired to think about things in ways I never have before. Excellent read!

I preordered this book because I thought it would give me insight into my daughter’s life as a missionary and insight for short term mission trips I participate in. It did on both accounts. She shared many things that I need to be more questioning about. She shared some funny things. Personally, I would have liked the book more without the profanity. I would encourage the reader to measure this book by the ultimate truth of the Bible. (Which I believe we should do for all books we read.)

This book left me heartbroken! I knew that I would love it so much that I purchased two copies. Jamie is a gifted writer and can make her readers laugh. She is very transparent and is right when she says the American church is broken and parts of the mission program are broken. I found this writer to be another example of how the church is broken. Time’s change, people change, but the BiBle will always say the same thing. She is twisting the gospel. I finished the book heartbroken because Mrs. Wright clumped all short/long term missionaries into one flawed category. Christ really does call some people. Some people GO despite not that wanting to “raise their hand.” And a personal relationship with Christ ~ she claims to be a cynic by saying prove it. If proof is what your after, this book was not enough proof (to me) of a personal relationship with Christ. The language! It goes beyond bad language. “F* me in both ears” “Jesus and F*” in the same sentence, God is holy. It was just heartbreaking!

The title caught my attention and the content did not disappoint! Wright's honesty, humor and unapologetic "realness" are a breath of fresh air, especially for those of us struggling to reconcile our faith in Jesus with the dogmas of the church.

Honestly I was very disappointed with Jamie's book. As a missionary myself, I found her language vulgar and her gross generalizations over the top. In my 8 years on the mission field I myself have witnessed a lot of well intentioned people going about things poorly. However, I have also seen a perfect God using MANY imperfect but obedient vessels to bring beautiful change in this broken world. Her book left me sad, depressed and with more unanswered questions than answered ones. My $11.99 could (and should) have been better spent elsewhere.

Not only does this book suck... so do missionaries, and churches, and Christians for that matter.

A bunch of hypocritical judgmental know-it-alls.

And Jamie loves it all. And I agree with her.

Jamie tells a story that doesn't tie up neatly with a bow, has way more profanity than some of you probably want to put up with. From her beginnings as an almost-jew to an almost-Christian to an almost-missionary, nothing ever even gets almost finished.

Life is messy, and thank goodness Jamie lets it be messy instead of trying to make you feel like everything is going to be alright when sometimes, it just isn't. An intimate portrait (occasionally WAY too intimate if you track with me) into the mind of a person who loves Jesus and loves the church and loves people, but doesn't always get why we do what we do, say what we say, and think what we think.

Fans of Rachel Held Evans and Barbara Brown Taylor and Nadia Boltz Weber should check this out.

Honestly I was very disappointed with Jamie's book. As a missionary myself, I found her language vulgar and her gross generalizations over the top. In my 8 years on the mission field I myself have witnessed a lot of well intentioned people going about things poorly. However, I have also seen a perfect God using MANY imperfect but obedient vessels to bring beautiful change in this broken world. Her book left me sad, depressed and with more unanswered questions than answered ones. My $11.99 could (and should) have been better spent elsewhere.

Not only does this book suck... so do missionaries, and churches, and Christians for that matter.

A bunch of hypocritical judgmental know-it-alls.

And Jamie loves it all. And I agree with her.

Jamie tells a story that doesn't tie up neatly with a bow, has way more profanity than some of you probably want to put up with. From her beginnings as an almost-jew to an almost-Christian to an almost-missionary, nothing ever even gets almost finished.

Life is messy, and thank goodness Jamie lets it be messy instead of trying to make you feel like everything is going to be alright when sometimes, it just isn't. An intimate portrait (occasionally WAY too intimate if you track with me) into the mind of a person who loves Jesus and loves the church and loves people, but doesn't always get why we do what we do, say what we say, and think what we think.

Fans of Rachel Held Evans and Barbara Brown Taylor and Nadia Boltz Weber should check this out.

I was involved with Campus Crusade in college and still to this day, I remain uncomfortable with the ways they use to carry the message of sharing the gospel. This memoir by Jamie Wright is honestly refreshing and who cares if she uses profanity? She is as real as anyone can get and she will admit that she is not a good missionary. It did take till the end of the novel before she talks about what is wrong with missionaries and their missions today. I do wish she would have expounded more on that, so maybe in another book she will. (I don't read blogs ... don't have the time to unless they come in the form of a paperback book, which I can carry with me wherever I go.)

Jamie Wright grew up in a Protestant family, though her parents did convert to Judaism when she was a child, though that didn't last long. Long story short, she met her soon-to-be husband, got pregnant, then married him and after a few turbulent years of marriage, they both came to realize that they were called to be missionaries. They were sent to Costa Rica, where they spent five years there with their three sons.

For a slim book, she packs a lot in it. She is hilarious. Yes, she swears, but so do I. She isn't like all those do-gooders, who gasp at the slightest provocation, which is really refreshing. She doesn't use preachy terms at all, which I absolutely love. She points out that the missionary programs really need a makeover, which I totally agree because for one thing, it's condescending to the people who live in those countries; it doesn't solve the issues of poverty and how we can make their lives better, by addressing the issues of poverty and frankly, Jamie rips the band-aid off and there's this ugly gaping wound of real life that is hard to keep under the covers. There are no simple answers but she points out that it's time to start addressing it.

Jamie doesn't offer any solutions in this book, just shared her experiences as a missionary and what they have discovered while serving in Costa Rica. Yes, she uses profanity in this book, but seriously, she's honest and more real than most of those do-gooder books that are out there.She admits that it is hard being a missionary and it's hard to feel like she is doing anything worthwhile there and it just brings up all these questions that she doesn't have the answers for. But to me, that's what makes this book a refreshing change from all these religious tomes out there. She is honest. She is real. She is seeking the answers that aren't readily available and for the first time, in a long time, I feel hopeful that there are other Christians out there that are seeking the truth that isn't covered up in the floral language that is so common among what passes for Christian literature these days.

One cannot discount Jamie Wright's experience in Costa Rica; this is, after all, a memoir (or whatever). But she's also making claims about the state of Christian missions, and those claims deserve to be evaluated. Ms. Wright (w)rightly points out the flaws in how the church has been sending people - whoever raises their hand can go. However, volumes of (evangelical!) books have been written on this subject and the dangers of short-term missions, and they not only diagnose the problem with more theological insight but also offer Biblical solutions. Thankfully, the church seems to be catching on to a Biblical model of missions where God, by his Holy Spirit sets apart some who are also affirmed by the church and sent. Thus, an "internal" and "external" call (think the sending of Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13).

The value in this book is in its first-hand account of churches sending missionaries who aren't qualified. If you want to explore that topic with some Biblical or theological depth, this isn't the book for that. I think too that Christians will be and should be challenged by her experience, and they should consider well the kind of critical thinking that produces this kind of insight (albeit, tainted).

In my opinion, Wright doesn't leave the door open for Biblically-minded missions; she seems to condemn Biblical missions entirely (missionaries sent out to evangelize the lost, plant churches, and disciple new believers - Acts 16). To discard missions entirely is misguided.

Also (and this has been commented on extensively), the language in this book is appalling for a Christian. But it seems the language used is symptomatic of a deeper issue. The author seems to have embraced an anemic version of protestantism that rejects a foundational tenant of protestantism, namely Sola Scriptura (by scripture alone). By rejecting the authority of God, transmitted by his Spirit through the scriptures, Ms. Wright builds her argument against Christian missions on theological sand and, at the same time, seemingly feels no burden to walk in obedience to the commands of scripture concerning unwholesome talk. I hope that Ms. Wright will consider the historical and Biblical claims of the scriptures and dig deeper to find answers in what God has revealed. I think she might be surprised to find that Biblically-minded evangelicals agree with her on a lot of her criticisms, but they have found answers in God's word.

Based on her blog, this memoir has two parts: Wright's frank and sometimes profane account of her childhood up to her early marriage, and her family's experience as missionaries in Costa Rica.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style. It is very friendly and easy to read (and there are a few swear words, but just once in a while), told in a conversational way.

I also liked the substance. I thought the author was very honest, which I always appreciate, and did a good job articulating why she got into religion and what she finds wrong with Religion and missionary work, as well as what works. She does not offer solutions to world problems but does suggest a first step or two.

Jamie Wright has a lot of compelling material in her memoir, much of it taken from her blog under the same title. She was raised by Protestant parents who early in Jamie's childhood convert to Judaism, more on a caprice. The conversion is short-lived, but Jamie learns the lesson that religious faith is fluid. As a teen, Jamie was a wandering soul, flunking school, and engaging in the kind of reckless abandon that is a common story in adolescence. She marries Steven, a giant of a man at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing 280 pounds, who suffers from "extreme mood swings and simmering rage." Overwhelmed with a child and an angry husband, Jamie seeks refuge in a suburban church and wants to find the comfort and peace of Jesus. Early on, Jamie learns she is repulsed by church decorum that makes everything squeaky clean. She prefers an edgy Jesus, the Rebel Jesus. She is also repulsed by sweet-talking Christians who are hateful under their piety. Another turning point is when she rejects the church group's "ultraconservative alpha leader" who champions a "Christian book" about women being subservient to their husbands." This sends Jamie off the edge. The second half of the book explores Jamie's missionary duties with her family in Costa Rica. She concludes that spreading Christianity through missionary work is not the best way to share the Gospel, that most missionaries are doing what they do out of rote obedience or are showing off or a little of both. I would have to take a star off the book because a lot of her big moments, epiphanies if you will, don't feel like pay-offs because they lack buildup. Rather, she tells the reader rather than shows with climactic scenes. For example, the "alpha leader" wasn't developed; a lot of missionary hypocrites lacked development, and Jamie's depression in Costa Rica needed more depth. But still a lot of hard-earned wisdom in this memoir.

Unlike most, I'm not rating this book low because of the author's "crass language" nor because I disagree with her critiques... rather because I think this book didn't deliver much of what it appeared to offer. This book promised to be, at the very least, very interesting, especially to other missionaries like us. However I feel like it only half-delivered even on that. While I expected the main topic of this book to be regarding missions, either the author's experience in missions or her thoughts on it, the truth is that missions as a topic barely filled maybe 10% or 15% of this book. Most of it was about the author's life, all the way from her early childhood until now, including her spiritual growth and general thoughts on Christianity and spirituality (and what she calls "practical magic") - and of that, the author's experience in missions was such a minor part of her life, that I suppose it got accorded the same amount of space in her book. Yet with the title (that I know she's "famous" for) including the word "missionary", I unfortunately assumed the book would have much more to do with missions. So a large part of my rating of this book is that I feel like it offered one thing and delivered something entirely different.

So what it did offer was a frequently funny, and occasionaly hilarious, take on the author's experiences in life, in the American church, and for a short time her participation in American Christian missions. Throughout the book she gave a *few* relevant critiques of the institutional church or the institution of Christian missions or voluntourism / short-term development or that sort of thing. She gave more anecdotes of funny mishaps in the church or in missions than she actually gave specific critiques of it. And she didn't even give that many of those in terms of the overall content of the book. I was actually very much hoping for much more direct and relevant critiques, or at the least a lot more anecdotes of missions gone bad (or just "missions gone ridiculous"). Not only that, but I felt like the earlier parts of the book (which had nothing to do with missions and not necessarily much to do with the church) had funnier scenes or statements than later parts of the book (particularly by the time she discusses Christian missions). Where was the snarky and abrasive humor applied to her experience in missions? Not entirely absent, but mostly lacking, I'd say.

And that's the thing: in this book, the author identifies herself with Christianity, but distances herself from the institution of it, and certainly puts forth enough effort in her choice of words to challenge what would normally be considered "acceptable". And for anyone who's not squeamish with swearing, particularly swearing that's united with Christian terms or Christian situations, you might find her wording very funny. I often did, sometimes just out of surprise, but sometimes because of its actual appropriateness. And I thought that in her use of this language, she was paving the way to directly challenge head-on a lot of the church's assumptions about missions or evangelism or something like that. But she didn't. She just sort of said it wasn't great, it's kind of a mess, and she was part of that mess. That's really all she got around to saying. Very few direct statements about things like: this, in particular, is messed up. Or: this, specifically, needs to change. Almost none of that. And you'd also be incredibly hard-pressed to find her offering (in her book) any alternatives to the few problems she points out. Like really, she says God has equipped her with great perspective over the course of her life, with great experience in doing missions wrong - you think she'd be able to offer at least a *little* suggestion for what we *might* do instead to do it right?

Because that's the thing, I'm a missionary myself. I took a bit different route towards the "equipping" than she describes for herself or for most missionaries that she mentions. Maybe the author is unaware of those who actually spend many many years getting well-trained academically, spiritually, and practically before they embark on Christian foreign missions. And yet, even taking my path the long way through, now that I'm here (and have been serving overseas for 10 years now) I can't help but notice TONS of problems in the way the Christian Church has done and for the most part still does missions. Sure, a lot of the problems I've noticed are echoed in this book (and I've seen many more types of problems that she didn't even hint at). But where are the considerations of how to do it better? I've got plenty of ideas. And then I try to implement those ideas. And similar to the author's description of "practical magic", when things don't work out and I see where the problem was, I seek God on it and try something better, not getting *too* discouraged because of his grace. So all that's good. But the thing is, I have some REAL ideas on what should be done better and I don't mind sharing them with anyone even slightly interested. So why doesn't the author share her considered solutions in this book? Why didn't she try them out (or if she did try them out, why didn't she describe them more)? Again, it comes down to the fact that for a book about missions, particularly one from an author who says God has specifically equipped/called her to critique missions and/or the Western Church, she spent very little time in the book actually considering missions - neither with what's bad nor with what might be done better.

And unfortunately, I noticed a fair bit of hypocrisy (or just self-contradiction if there's a meaningful difference between the two) in this book. Initially, her self-deprecating style made it seem like there was no room for hypocrisy (great!). But then she included a whole section on a homosexual pastor's kid later getting married (and I feel like the author was trying to congratulate herself for being supportive in this situation), but the point of the story turned out to be regarding some portion of the author's legs being visible when she hugged those getting married. It's like, "where did that come from in the middle of this story?" The point was that she wasn't too self-aware to let it bother her, but she demonstrates being caught up in self-awareness by actually noticing at all and then writing it all down for a faceless public to read. The author constantly speaks against "Christianese" (church lingo) and I totally agree with her on that point. Then she apparently coins the phrase "practical magic" and starts implementing it ad infinitum in the book as if it should be the new big Christian catchphrase. Her use of this phrase is no better (or worse) than Christianese lingo.

The author speaks against "butterfly eater" (a very crazy story my wife and I still bring up and laugh about), a fellow missionary that the author used as an example of why some people (i.e. "butterfly eater" himself) should *not* be on the mission field. And I don't disagree with her. But then later, the author describes herself as being particularly ill-equipped for status-quo missions and yet saying God specifically equipped her and called her (mainly through her ability to offer snarky critiques with thick skin) and how therefore everyone is specifically made uniquely by God to have something to offer. I'm thinking, "OK, so what about 'butterfly eater'? Did he not have as much to offer as you, as bizarre as it sounds?" And all of this is after she critiques the Christian missions practice of everyone claiming a "calling" and using that as the right to go anywhere and do whatever they want. And I agreed with her critique of the way the word "calling" is thrown around in the Christian Church and missions and the way it's used to justify all sorts of poor missions practices and poorly-placed missionaries. But then she uses the word "calling" the *same way* to justify the position she's found herself in today - a critical voice that (to be fair) the Church really doesn't want to listen to anyway (since so few leaders in the Church seem to be able to tolerate profanity). And she says her "practical magic" (i.e. the way she describes God equipping and calling people) needs to be measured in terms of actual results. So I ask, "well, in your own calling as a critic of the Church/missions, what positive impact have you had? Have you actually changed the way Church does missions such that it's actually had positive success on the field?" I don't know the answer to that, but it's a question that her statements beg to be asked, and yet I didn't see the author either suggesting any answer to it, or even asking that question regarding her own "calling/equipping". So yeah, those bits of hypocrisy and/or self-contradiction (demonstrated in the limited content of the book) made me more disappointed with it.

I imagine most poor reviews of the book are based on people not appreciating her crass language or the critiques she's making. To be fair, the language didn't bother me in the slightest, and quite often I found it even fairly appropriate. I also agreed with nearly every critique she offered and wish she would've given many more. But I think the book didn't deliver what it appeared to promise, and I don't find the author applying many of her critiques to herself (though she claims she does on several points). At the very least, she could've made the book more entertaining or funny by offering much more content from her time as a missionary, much more direct (and "in-your-face") snippets and stories of how screwed-up status quo missions is. Because I don't doubt that a country like Costa Rica, there are plenty of examples of bad and/or superfluous missions (because that country probably has literally ZERO need of foreign missionaries, beyond possibly those with a mission to generally foster good reciprocal relations within the global Church). So if she wasn't going to offer more specific criticisms, or some solutions to her few criticisms, why not at least offer an entertaining and/or funny book about missions stories? But there was very little of that here. I really wanted to get more out of this book and be able to recommend it to more people, but I don't see that happening. Maybe I can recommend it to some of the missionaries (who often contact me) who say they want to come out here and join the work, but they honestly don't appear as if they have any idea what they're getting into... maybe reading this book can help them realize that most people *don't* know what they're getting into (including themselves) and they usually quit trying long before they figure it out. Maybe this book will either discourage them from ever starting (which is a fine result), or it might encourage them to stay long enough to learn more than this author did, or to come out with more concrete goals and a better plan in mind. Other than that, I don't see a lot of potential benefit coming from this book.

I know what she said in the introduction.. she warned her readers that this book is terrible.. and it delivered on its promise. I get it. I tend to like books that are transparent with the wrestling that occurs in the Christian life (I loved Blue Like Jazz and Midnight Jesus), but this was too much. For one, there was a lot of swearing and it just seemed very unnecessary. It alienated me as the reader quite a bit and I couldn't continue with the book. Honestly, I'm not sure who the intended audience was supposed to be. All in all, a big disappointment.

***So I really only read and review Christian Fiction, clean mainstream fiction, Christian Living, and/or clean memoirs. So I feel the need to be really honest with this review of this MEMOIR from a FAITH PERSPECTIVE (notice I didn't call it a Christian Memoir?!?) up front before I even start my review. This book has some things I feel very passionately about (missions trips and "white people" saving the world) but it also includes some things I really don't care for (profanity...and lots of it) but all that being said I'm still glad I read it. And unless you are a stay at home person who only watches Christian TV and only listens to Christian music I'm guessing you hear profanity every day. I know I do and I know my husband does. It doesn't mean that we cuss, but we do hear it.***

Now that that's out of the way. Here is my real review:

I believe I was in Bolivia, South America the first time I ran across Jamie Wright's blog because a friend told me about it. I was there as a volunteer at a baby orphanage for 3 months but I did not consider myself a missionary and I was not there with any money that I had fundraised and I did not think I was saving the world. I was just holding babies, doing lots of laundry, washing dishes, and supporting my friends that worked at the orphanage. I wasn't taking anyone's job from them but I was lightening the load a little. But even then there were times when I wondered if it was fair to the kids to only be there for a limited time. In the end, I decided it was since they were truly too young to remember me anyway and I knew the tias appreciated the help.

I'll admit that Jamie's language sometimes grates on my sheltered ears but what she has to say is so important. I loved reading about how her childhood shaped her life, about the early years of her marriage, how they decided to go to Costa Rica as missionaries for five years, and ultimately how they decided to return to the United States.

There is a lot of truth in the beginning of this memoir as she talks about how she was able to learn about faith without the bias or expectations of her past. When you grow up in the church there are a lot of things that you can't easily change your intrinsic beliefs. I honestly hadn't ever thought about that and appreciated her perspective.

It was interesting to read about her youth, the early days of her becoming a Christian and also their marriage. I love that she might have started out quiet in small groups but eventually found her voice and that it wasn't any different than this book or her blog. I really value people who are honest and I love the stories she shared but I won't say why so as to avoid spoilers.

The biggest reason I read this book was to learn more about their time as missionaries - especially because I spent 7 weeks in language school in Costa Rica where they served as missionaries for five years. There were so many anecdotes that made me smile in remembrance of my time there. Most notably her opinion of papaya, her description of the rain, and even the mention of Coke light in a baggie.

I appreciate her honesty in that they discovered that not all missionaries should be missionaries. That sometimes it shouldn't come down to whether an organization believes you were "called." I love that she and her husband actually made the most friends and had the most impact through his time playing football. I love that she calls out people who perpetuate the problem by going down for a week, doing something the locals could have done on their own, hand out a bunch of stuff, and then go home. All while spending thousands of dollars.

When they came back to the States she quickly realized that God's command to love your neighbor works everywhere for everyone. That our true calling is to love.

She shares so many truths that this book really is worth the read. It gave me a lot to think about and hopefully, this book will be eye-opening for a lot of people.

One last warning if you made it this far. In addition to the profanity this book also talks about premarital sex, drugs, homosexuality, and pornography.

I received an advanced copy of this book through the publisher, Convergent Books, on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

From Convergent Books' website: "Convergent Books publishes exceptional nonfiction that inspires, entertains, and illuminates meaning while helping readers and communities thrive through a faith perspective."

The Very Worst Missionary
Jamie Wright

I am so glad I read this book. Jamie Wright is funny, entertaining, humorous, and writes from the heart. I am sure there will be Christians that will be very offended by this book but not me. Author Jamie Wright begins her book with something authors never do…an apology. She apologizes for—well-- for everything about this book. I must relieve her mind, this is an excellent book. In the first section she shares her roots, her upbringing and her early adult years. Her parents were Protestant turned Jewish. She opens her life to readers and shares it all. She tells about her relationship with Steve, their engagement, the birth of their son and their marriage. Yes, that’s the order it happened and while many people would hide that fact she was open and honest about it. I found myself laughing out loud when she described her life in Costa Rica. {Sorry to laugh Jamie but the gecko on your leg was hilarious.} The reaction of the “Christian woman” wasn’t funny. She should be ashamed of herself. Even missionaries have to go to the bathroom and finding the little guy looking up at you had to be a shock. I also found myself laughing at Jamie’s reaction to the women’s study leader that said it was more important to be a “good” Christian than a good mother. I agree with Jamie sometimes a mother’s quiet time has to be loud. I admire her work with the youth program at her church.
Her message to the youth was to “be who you are” that’s what God intends you to be. What a wonderful message. Too often we think we have to be something we are not. We try to change our self to be what we think we are supposed to be or to be like the woman we admire. We forget that God created us, and he doesn’t make junk. He created us to be who we are, and he gave each of us a purpose in life. He created each of us to be the special person we are. I will get off my soapbox.
Jamie Wright went to Costa Rica expecting to change the world, but Costa Rica was filled with missionaries all with the same idea. “Costa Rican Christians didn’t need North American Christians to teach them how to follow Jesus, and Costa Rican people didn’t need any more well-intentioned foreigners to come and “help” them. They were just fine before we got there, and they’d be just fine when we left.”
Jamie Wright is a refreshing breath of fresh air. She uses salty language in telling it like it is. She doesn’t try to solve the world’s problems she offers an honest assessment of her life and her five years as a missionary. She doesn’t try to speak in clichés or flowery prose. Jamie asks the questions so many of us ask as she searches for answers.

I read and followed Jamie’s blog many years back when I was also on the mission field, so I was fully aware of what I would be getting with this book. I am not bothered by cursing, but I will admit some of her unconventionally irreverent descriptions of things even made this easy-going reader a little uncomfortable. It is part of her plan and please know going in that that is not the point. Please see past all that for the point.

Be prepared to pull your boots up and be slapped around a bit. The author holds nothing back. She will make you look at your own life in a new way as she lays hers open for inspection. Her authenticity and humor will hold you as you read her crazy antics, and possibly your heart will be changed.

My “Missional Mama” blog title paled in comparison to the ultra cool swag like name, “Jaime, The Very Worst Missionary”. I was a little envious. Being a former missionary, I think it is very pertinent that you understand that what she is saying about missions was also what I experienced. I had many quandaries about being in South America and if what we were doing was in fact worth the huge sacrifices being made to keep us there. There were so many questions and not many answers. Plus we dealt with the craziness of life abroad including electrical house fires, boils, having money stolen, our car being broken into, and deep depression. So, her stories resonated from a place of understanding and head nodding.

This is an important conversation starter. Please read this book with friends and talk about what stirs your heart. Give it to your Pastors and leaders, your friends interested in missions, and send it to your missionaries. Look deeply at the conversation Jaime is starting here and see what is your part in the next best thing to do.

*This book was given to me by NetGally in exchange for my honest review.