Third Age of Missions

MISSIONS DIRECTOR, Janice Ha

After the “First Age” of Childhood and “Second Age” of Career and Parenthood, comes the "Third Age” of Retirement, often encompassing the 60s and beyond. The “Third Age of Missions" is about focusing on the potential and value of older adults in fulfilling the mission of God. It is about rethinking the role of seniors and senior missionaries in missions and leveraging on their experience, skills, stability, wisdom and wealth of knowledge. Third Agers, an overlooked resource for missions, are both a field and a force in its own right. God has not placed anyone on the shelf, even in retirement, and there are many ways to serve Him and continue to find purpose in life.

Surveying the current mission landscape in Asia, there are many organisations, us included, reaching out to First and Second Agers. Platforms such as children’s home, schools, training centers, birthing centers, refugee placement, livelihood projects, business incubators and other similar initiatives, all good and excellent, are more often than not geared towards enabling emerging young people take off in life and succeed. Few venture into projects or services that cater to Third Agers – the aged and the aging.

Interestingly, Rev. NP one of our key leaders in South Asia is quietly running an old age home for the past 20 years. Church members minister and serve seniors as they move closer to their end of life. His report is right after this page.

Set against the backdrop of a greying population and our own mortality, the Third Age of Missions is dawning on us and perhaps it is pertinent to devote time, talent and treasure to serve the aspirations and needs of older people.