It seems we find ourselves in leadership roles in many or our activities. Maybe we can think it's because we're good at planning, but then maybe we have control issues we need to deal with! :) But on this trip, we are helpers. Of course, bringing along four children doesn't leave room for complete passiveness, but we are not in charge of organizing the team, coordinating with the local churches, planning activities, international travel logistics, or a whole array of responsibilities.
One aspect I initially didn't know what to make of is the training. There is weekly team training where we all get together to discuss various parts of the trip. Two of the things we've done so far is put together a presentation (ours was Guatemala economy) and wrote a book report. We're learning various perspectives of the local pastors we will work with, their churches, villages, their own programs, and their strengths and weaknesses. This is all a lot to absorb in a short time! We also have known several full-time missionaries and over the years have heard many stories about positive and negative impacts short-term mission trips have had. I have come to be excited as I've learned about our own team and the care and concern about making lasting imact on the people we visit, not just pop in for a week and dissappear. There are many aspects of this established relationship with the ten churches in the area that enable us to understand their real needs (and things they don't need) to allow us to not just visit, but help strengthen their own existing ministries and care for their people.
Over the next few weeks we'll try and provide insight into what we're learning, planning to do, and why it makes a difference in the communities we will visit. Our hope and prayer is that you will join us on this journey and find for yourself an awareness and care for not only our own communities but for people outside our own culture and see the richness of our world and how no matter where we are, what we have, or what our priorities are there are many fundamental commonalities that tie us together. We attribute God as our single source of creation and life, which even a glimpse of that perspective tells of the value of each and every one of us. We hope to lift up those we encounter on our trip, encourage them with love, learn something about ourselves, and hope you do too!
Stay tuned for more!
