Mission trips and their intentions?

Hi,

I feel called to be a missionary. I have many many outreach interests that directly relate to this. I know this is my calling because God has told me personally. The problem is I have the opportunity to go on a mission trip. I asked around and I got the impression that mission trips are sort of like "mini vacations". I don't like the sound of that. The cost is $1000 dollars. I cant quite afford that nor do I think it is worth it because of these impressions that I am getting. The length is only two weeks compared to a months time. How would I even relate any of this experience to my career resume to other companies? Would you believe it would be wiser to wait for another opportunity that comes around?

I've gone on several short term missions (1 week of work, plus travel days), and I can tell you, they aren't a vacation. The groups I went with usually had one day of sightseeing, but not all even do that. We were up early, to bed late, and busy all day.

As for the money, if God means for you to go, He'll provide the finances. I've had to write letters and send them out, ask my church, etc...but even when I was trying to raise over 4000$ to go to Papua New Guinea, it all came in. I paid part of it myself, but the amount I paid was affordable to me.

If you feel God is calling you to a specific trip, by all means go. He'll make it happen. If you want some help writing a letter asking for support, let me know...I think I still have my old ones you can use for guidelines, or can maybe give you some tips.

l0v3n said:

Hi,

I feel called to be a missionary. I have many many outreach interests that directly relate to this. I know this is my calling because God has told me personally.

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Sorry, you lost me at "God has told me personally". That's a good sign you probably shouldn't be a missionary.

Hey I recently got back from Af, seek God ask him to open and close the doors. I prayed that in early Jan 08 and saw it happen until my leaving in dec 08 on a short term mission.

l0v3n said:

Hi,

I feel called to be a missionary. I have many many outreach interests that directly relate to this. I know this is my calling because God has told me personally. The problem is I have the opportunity to go on a mission trip. I asked around and I got the impression that mission trips are sort of like "mini vacations". I don't like the sound of that. The cost is $1000 dollars. I cant quite afford that nor do I think it is worth it because of these impressions that I am getting. The length is only two weeks compared to a months time. How would I even relate any of this experience to my career resume to other companies? Would you believe it would be wiser to wait for another opportunity that comes around?

Click to expand...

I have been on one very short 'missions trip' (it was actually my senior class trip, but we did a day of missions work) and a very long one (to China for a month). I can tell you that they are no vacations. It is hard work and you are to devote yourself soley to those you are helping/witnessing to/teaching.

The best advice I have is to pray. Personally, I've made decisions to let another mission trip pass me by for this summer and I completely regret it. I was so sure I wasn't suppose to do it, but now I am second guessing myself. My personal advice would be to take the oppurtunity because I'm sure that God could use you wherever you plan to go, however I am a human and God is divine and knows best, so if He tells you not to go; don't.

Good luck!

Hi there!

Great that you feel called to be a missionary! But even if you weren't directly called, God sends all of us to the mission field .

Last year I went with Youth With A Mission to China during the Olympic Games. I too was scared that it was going to be more of a vacation, but those fears didn't come true. We spent just over two weeks in Beijing and we went to lots of sightseeing places, but while we were there God used us in wonderful ways, even to witness to crowds of hundreds of people at a time. Every person we met was a new oppertunity to share some of Christ's love... in the bus, in the subway, in Mc Donalds etc etc. Just think of it this way... you're not only going there to share your faith with others, you're also going there to learn. From personal experience, the Chinese people we met were really happy when they found out we were interested in their culture, and it led us to have really good conversations. God can use you anywhere, so you don't have to worry at all that it will be a vacation. And anyway, these short trips can be very emotional, and physically challenging because you are constantly on the go. Some free time wouldn't hurt just to digest all the amazing things you've seen God doing .

Oh and about the costs: it's a lot of money, that's true. But if God wants you to go, He will surely provide. The money you recieve won't be yours anyway, but God's. It's His money He is investing into you, so that you can double it in other ways .

Anyway, I hope you will go! I can say that the time I spent in China changed me and my faith became much stronger... and I can tell you the same will happen to you . See these short trips as starting missionary trips, and perhaps God will lead you to more full-time oppertunities. But don't consider these trips of any lesser worth. God can do so much with so little time .

(Hah, this year I will be going to Moldova for two weeks... I don't nearly have all the money needed... but I know that God will provide before the deadline in 3 months . Praise Jesus!)

God bless and good luck!

I agree with the other posters here. Missions are many things. A vacation...not so much. They can bring a great deal of joy to your life. They can be fun. And they can provide memories you'll love to think back on the rest of your life. But that isn't what a mission trip is about. It's nothing less than that, but so much more. It may include those things, but it isn't about those things.

And as said above, we are all called to be missionaries. The question is are you willing to be a good one? Or do you just want to take a vacation...?

I recently met someone who appears to be a full time missionary. This person is either wealthy or has someone who pays all the money, nonetheless this person spends about 180 days per year out of the US. When I questioned this person as to how he/she shares Christ I was told, "well we try to set up Bible studies and invite people from the community to come."

My point is that alot of missions seem to involve alot of work and physical help with homes and monies for food, etc. That is great, however, it sounded to me like there wasn't a whole lot of evangelizing. Missions are fruitless (pardon the pun) unless the Gospel is going to be effectively shared. That should be priority one with the construction, food help being solely as a means of "getting in the door", IMHO.

WOMSteve, great points and hopefully well taken by all. Missions can be hard for many reasons, some of which you've hit on. For full time ministries, finding funding and other needs can be a challenge. But as you've mentioned, you must take every care to ensure that the Gospel is the center of the work. Without that, you've missed the mark. And that's not a small miss. That's huge. Excellent point.