Missionary [ Chrome ]

The pith helmet is gone. The pocket watch is broken. What remains is the quiet, terrifying, glorious call to simply show up and love.

If we are going to use the term today, we have to check that backpack at the door. Strip away the colonialism. Strip away the judgement. What’s left? Missionary

For many of us, it’s a specific, grainy snapshot from a history book: a stoic figure in a starched collar, standing awkwardly next to a thatched hut, holding a leather-bound Bible in one hand and perhaps a pocket watch in the other. There’s often a pith helmet involved. The vibe is colonialism, conversion, and cultural superiority. The pith helmet is gone

Because of this, the word carries baggage. In many global south communities, "missionary" is still a slur, shorthand for religious imperialism. If we are going to use the term