I’ve been on a lot of short term mission trips. In fact, if you count each month of the World Race as a separate short term trip, then I’ve done approximately 15 short term mission trips. Like I said, a lot.
And of course each one is different and unique. I mean gosh, the culture and language alone are different- not to mention the type of work you are doing: manual labor, evangelism, teaching English, feeding orphans, etc.
But sometimes, more often than not, I find myself and others heartbroken and thinking, “What good am I actually doing? Did this trip mean anything?? What was the purpose of fundraising all of that money? Was it worth burdening my friends and family at home to take care of the house and the dog while I’m gone? Will my coworkers be angry when they realize that they covered my job all week so that I could go to another country and call it mission work?”
And to be clear, this is always the enemy speaking. Because as long as I’m being obedient, I believe that I serve a God who is bigger than any trip and can do more with a one second encounter than I could ever imagine.
But this trip? This trip is good. This trip is AWESOME, no doubt about it! There is one important characteristic of this trip that has made it so amazing and WORTH IT: partnering with an organization that is established and doing Kingdom work regardless of what “missionaries” are currently visiting.
So this week we are working and living with the founders of Jesus Zone, or as they call it, J-Zone. We have done evangelism in the city, evangelism in a remote village, played games and told Bible stories at two different schools, attended church, and participated in two different Bible studies. And we have only done 4 days of ministry. And here is the best part: all of this still would have happened whether our team had come or not.
The founders grew up in Zambia, and they have such a heart for their people to know the Lord. They do not NEED our team. We did not come here to be missionaries because we are more spiritual than them, I certainly do not know more Bible stories than them, and I certainly CERTAINLY did not come to “save them.” Only one person can do that, and He already has.
So why come on short term missions? Because these people, this couple, Sanderson and Lweendo, work hard. They work tirelessly to see that the Kingdom is brought to Livingstone. All while raising two beautiful daughters. They hardly sleep. Their life is the mission field. So if I can come, and offer a little more muscle to what they are already doing, then I think it is so worth it. I am not making their organization better, I’m maybe, hopefully, just making it a little bit easier for the week. I’m helping to speak to a few more people about Christ. Allow for a few more games to be played in the school. Allow for a few more villagers to be met and prayed over. I’m coming so that they can do “more.” And that is all I could ever hope to do.
I don’t like to think of myelf as a missionary. I’m simply a sister in Christ to the true missionaries who wants to be able to lend a helping hand when and where I can. That’s why I raise money. That’s why I burden my family. That’s why I leave home. And that’s why I say “yes” and go.
