Be watchful in all things, endure hardships,
do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
II Timothy 4:5
Part Two: The Most Important Thing to Take
Everyone packs differently for a trip. I've traveled with those who've brought dozens of outfits and packed enough cosmetics and hair care paraphernalia to makeover a small country. There have also been those who head off for a two-week trip with only a backpack and strong deodorant. Both groups made it there and back and ministered to those that they met.
So what is it that we can bring that will make a difference in the success of our mission trip? On any given trip, it soon becomes apparent, when the stresses of overseas travel kick in, who is truly prepared and who is not. The reality is that, on a mission trip, what they carry in their luggage is not nearly important as what they carry in their hearts. You see, the most important thing to take on a mission trip is the right attitude.
Now you would think that anyone who takes time off from work and invests in the cost of a mission trip would automatically have the right attitude for going, but sometimes, somewhere along the way, we lose our proper perspective. I know this is true because, even as a veteran missionary, I've allowed it to happen to me.
So how can you make sure that you bring the right attitude with you on your mission trip? Here are four steps that can help make sure you have a great experience:
Step One: Remember Who Sent You
The biggest mistake you can make when going on a mission trip is to forget your main reason for going: to serve God. Even though you may be taking vacation time to go, you should never confuse a mission trip with a vacation. If you think of it as a vacation, you will make yourself miserable! Instead, confirm in your heart that you have given this week to the Lord. Commit this time to Him and remind yourself that you are willing to sleep less (or not at all), eat foods that you don't like (or even recognize), experience extreme heat or cold, and do things that you never thought you would have the courage to do. As Americans, we normally never really get the opportunity to suffer for Christ. This is your chance.
Step Two: Remember Why You Were Sent
I'm going on the assumption that the primary reason you are going on a mission trip is to minister. Having a chance to experience exotic locations and quaint cultures can be a side benefit, but should not be a major consideration. In all likelihood, the most exotic location you'll visit will be a foreign bathroom and the quaint culture may include loudspeakers blaring prayers at dawn or dusty roads that have potholes the size of a Volkswagen and kamikaze drivers. Many of the people that you have come to minister to will reject you and even revile you. However, you can be sure that there will be at least one person that God will bring to you whose heart is fertile ground for the Gospel and you can plant the seed of hope in them.
Step Three: Remember That Christ Will Strengthen You
Before going on the mission field, I had never left the country. I liked being comfortable and I never, EVER, went camping. My idea of roughing it was spending the night in a hotel room with just one bathroom! When God called me to be a missionary in a third world country, I was worried that I wouldn't make it. It wasn't easy, but I quickly came to learn that I could "do all things through Christ who strengthened me." Before long, I found myself choosing "squatty potties" (tiled holes in the floor that you squat over) over the Western-style toilets because they were "cleaner" and I hardly gave it a thought when I had to pick bugs out of my food. Christ gave me the strength to handle any challenge that came my way and, in the process, I became stronger in my faith.
In many ways, I am giving a "worse case scenario" for a mission trip, but that is just to prepare you for whatever "bumps" you may experience on your trip. Going back to my roller coaster analogy, I want to remind you that it is the hair-raising drops and the g-force turns that makes the ride worthwhile. Which brings me to my fourth step...
Step Four: Remember That This Will Change Your Life
Nothing worthwhile comes without some measure of sacrifice. I haven't met a woman yet who enjoyed being in labor, but every one will tell you that the pain was worth it. The things that you experience on a mission trip will make memories that you'll never forget and that you will recount over and over to your friends. There will be glorious memories like helping a woman to learn that the Bible teaches that she can know for certain that she has everlasting life or teaching a child his very first Bible verse. Even the seemingly bad experiences can serve to help you bond with the others on your team or grow you as a Christian. It is strange how a situation that nearly brings you to tears while overseas, eventually becomes the story that you laugh over for years to come.
There is no denying the fact that a mission trip is expensive, uncomfortable, frightening, and hard work. But I feel sorry for Christians who let this stop them from going because they miss out on so much! The time, money, and effort you put into a mission trip is nominal in comparison to what you get from it: a greater faith in Christ, a deeper commitment to evangelism, and the blessing of knowing that you have ministered in the lives of others.
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