Missionary Abroad (when you still have bills...)

[PrayForMeStJude]

Hi all, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted, but I’m seeking some info that I just can’t find on my own and I know where to go to look for some good advice!

I’m a young professional (think 20s/30s) and unmarried. I’m at the point where I’m sick to death of working unsatisfying government contracting jobs (turning your tax dollars into paperwork one day at a time!) and I’m thinking of a radical change. I need a break, and I want to find something that lets me reconnect with my passions… Getting out in the world and working in an international setting, and working in a faithful Catholic environment.

I’ve been looking at the sort of thing I should have done years ago, from teaching English abroad to the peace corps, but I would really prefer something Catholic, like missionary work.

The problem is, I can’t really “volunteer” because I have bills. At the very least, I need to be able to keep paying off student loans.

Do any of you know of organizations that do great missionary work abroad but still provide a (reasonable and modest) paycheck? I m extremely qualified, and would do great in that setting, but I can’t leave EVERYTHING behind due to the need to pay back loans.

Does anyone have any ideas I could at least look into? I need an escape, and I want to escape to something that is actually fulfilling, but i can’t completely escape the bankers!

Thank you, and God bless!

 

[macstar]

Find a religious order and see if you can volunteer with them during a weekend or a week or longer if your employer will let you. You can go on a mission trip overseas, in another state or province, or close to home.

 

[midori]

I don’t know about missionary programs, but there’s a lot of resources open to people who want to volunteer with the Peace Corps about student loan forgiveness. You might see which forms of student loan debt relief or deferment are Peace Corps-specific, versus which might be applicable to your situation with the missions.

Likewise, some of the Protestant missionaries have good recommendations about avenues to investigate-- things like income-based repayment, MedSend grants for medical missionaries, or whether things like the Go Fund will cover Catholic missions.