Recently I have been thinking about the missions trips people are taking and the effect they have on those involved. I have been asking myself some of the questions that I have asked myself in the past in regards to it. I have come to the conclusion that I should change some of my thoughts on them.
I look at the lives of Americans and what we do to feel like we are needed and being useful. I see that as Americans we tend to make choices more on feelings more than practicality. Is that all bad, or does making choices on feelings have some credence?
Lets look at mission’s trips as a whole and see what sort of questions we should be asking ourselves before we take “sides”.
1. What is the purpose of the mission’s trip?
2. What is your purpose of going?
3. What is the lasting result of it?
4. Is it cost effective?
5. Is the experience going to change you?
6. How will it affect your spiritual walk?
So what really is the purpose of the trip? Are you going to help teach at a school? Are you going to help build something? Is it just to experience the culture? Teach the gospel? All of these should be asked. Teaching at the school can be good but what about the language barrier or is there one? Building something can be good but when an item is just given to someone they don’t value it as much. Just experiencing the culture is more of just a trip or vacation than anything. Teaching the gospel is always a good thing but the language barrier can be an issue again. If someone does make a profession of salvation who is going to follow it up? Who will disciple them?
What is your purpose of going? Are you going because you want to experience another culture? Are going to because your friends are going? Is it to appear more spiritual? I can understand wanting to do all of those. I think those can all be included in your reason. I think our purpose for going should always include showing Christ’s love, glory to His name, and spiritual growth to all involved.
What is the lasting result of the trip? It could be the work that you do. It could be the lives that you help change. It could be the effect that it plays in your life. Either through how you view life, how you view the world, or appreciation of what you have been given.
Is the trip cost effective? Could the money spent be used better if just given to the missionaries their? Is it possible that maybe just doing a missions trip in the United States be more effective? Our culture is struggling enough spiritually that maybe we should look here first before we look elsewhere. I was told once by a missionary family that the preparation that it takes for them to have a team come over and to get projects together for them to do while there is really straining to them and causes them to spend more money that it would be better if people would raise the same money and just send it to them. I see their point and tend to agree with them. However that leads me to the next point.
Is the experience going to change you? I have no doubt that it will change you. I believe it is up to you and how willing you are to allow it to change you. Will you be a more prayerful person? Will you trust God more? Is it going to be trying to you as a person? Will you have more respect for those who make the commitment to be missionaries? Will the change affect you long term of is it just going to be a short-term thing that you forget after a month or two? I know personally that when I was in a situation that made me rely upon God more and be more prayerful that I lost focus and seemed to forget what I learned from that time in my life. May that not be so for you. May you learn from those around you and grow from it and not forget what you learned.
How will it affect your spiritual walk? As I touched on just above, I believe that it will affect you but it is how you choose to let it affect you. It can be a very good thing for you spiritually. If you allow God to work on your life in ways you would normally not allow Him too then do it. Open you life to Him and let Him mold you into who He wants you to be not who you want to be.
I have been of the opinion that I would not want to go on a mission’s trip but have since changed my mind. I believe that it would be a very good thing for me to do. I am looking for options that maybe I could do it within the next year or two. I would love the opportunity but still am not sure where I would like to go on one. I know that I would want to go on one where I had some connection with the missionaries there.
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