What do I do when my parents say no?

• Reflect on the way you've represented your great ideas before. You've sounded certain about so many other things that you are no longer very interested in. They've seen you dating three or four different people and every one of them, you thought, was God's one for you. How are your parents to know this plan to go overseas is not just another of your many enthusiasms? 
• Ask them to pray with you for several months about your plans. If your parents are Christians, say to them, "Can we both seek the guidance of God during the next six months? If it's right for me, I trust that God will show that to you. If that's not so, then one of us is wrong. And it may be me." This kind of humility is important.
• Ask them why they feel as they do. And listen carefully! They may be right. As your parents, they may know you better than you know yourself. Let them sense that you really want to know why they are so strongly opposed. Then question yourself quite carefully.
• Introduce them to a senior staff member of AIA. Sometimes when parents meet people from AIA (or any missions organization), they found out they were genuine, competent people. It may be good to get out of the way for part of the time so that your parents can talk to the AIA staff member(s) alone. Then they can share their thoughts and concerns in an environment of safety and openness.
• Let them know you haven't just dismissed their objections. One applicant told his dad, "You're right, Dad. I realize that if I follow what I believe to be the Lord's call to the mission field, that means I won't have the kind of career I would if I stayed here. Neither will I earn the kind of money that I could. I've really struggled with that. But I've come to the conclusion that there are bigger values and issues."
• Bear in mind the ridicule your parents may face from friends. Sometimes the criticisms they express most stridently are not what they feel, but are reflections of the unkind things other people have said to them that they couldn't answer. Confronting you may be their way of looking for answers.
• Express your gratitude for their past provisions for you. One person said, "Dad, I couldn't be doing this were it not for the excellent education you've given me. If I need all this education to make progress in this society, I need even more to be effective in making an impact for eternity."
• Help them to realize many missionaries are dealing with more urgent and fundamental questions than what we meet here. For instance, the missionaries in many mission fields are saving whole populations from starvation, helping develop agriculture, teaching farm management and developing literacy programs. At AIA, we have a very bold and aggressive mission, vision, and value statement that can only be accomplished through faith and attributed only to God.
• Seek counsel from an older Christian who knows your family. The point may come when you must go in the face of parental opposition. But first, find an older Christian who will tell you whether you're an impetuous young person. If so, perhaps you should wait for a little while. A year may seem like the end of the world to you, but it may be better for you to go later.