Impact of International Mission Trips
Spiritual Topics & Discussion Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Have you participated with an international mission trip? I’m hearing of more rank and file Christians choosing to cross borders for the purpose of ministering to others. In most cases, the mission trip seems to positively change the person going as much or more as the mission destination. A variety of trips provide opportunities for Christians to use their various gifts to serve others through medical missions, shelter construction and a myriad of other outlets of ministry. Youth groups are widely known to travel together for specific missions.
The Park Plaza church of Christ in Tulsa, Oklahoma is serious about mobilizing as many members as possible to participate in some form of missions and the benefits are tremendous. I can attest to the rewards of experiencing missions as a family. How about you? Have you joined mission efforts? It seems that international experiences can draw us outside of our normal comfort zones and broaden our perspectives. Take the poll and share your thoughts.
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I know the poll question specifies “international,” but there are many mission opportunities within our own borders. I recall the impact of traveling as a teenager with our home congregation to distant parts of our nation to work with small and struggling churches in mission areas.
When I was about 8, my folks took us to visit Mexican missionaries our church supported. That put in me a desire to return, so in college I took every opportunity to return to participate in medical mission campaigns, VBS campaigns, or to build houses. This trained me in choosing career paths in being a teacher, a church-planter in Mexico, and an inner-city bilingual minister in downtown Houston (Impact Houston Church of Christ). My wife grew up on the mission field in Brazil. So, my mission experiences, although not always pleasant not comfortable, as a whole were VERY positive. God has used them to bless me in incredible ways. If an opportunity comes your way, think and pray hard before passing it up.
Editing note: “So, my mission experiences, although not always pleasant NOR comfortable, as a whole were VERY positive.”
In the 70′s we made several trips to Port-de-Paix, Haiti, which is in the the Northwest region. There were 11 of us who made the first trip, not knowing if we’d have a place to stay or food. God provided us with a hotel, although no running water but we had food by the owner who had been a chef in New Orleans. We built an orphanage and church building that have grown and had full-time workers from the states all these years. Conditions were primitive, but the memories of the people and the blessings we carry today are priceless. We established the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission back then, and God has blessed that work tremendously. We keep thinking of the people of Port-au-Prince and how that city and lives will never be the same.
Keith, you know about Vieux Fort, St. Lucia, we were blessed to be able to live there and start a church in the mid 80′s. We praise God the church has grown and built a larger building on their own. We were so fortunate to have Keith and Acappella there for a campaign, so long ago. Many will share heaven from the “riots” caused by Acappella…now you are heard around the world.
God has blessed us beyond measure in our international travel.
Thanks for sharing, Sandy. O my, Haiti will never be the same. It’s good to see all the relief efforts, but I hope the momentum will not dissipate prematurely.
Yes, it’s encouraging to hear of the ongoing work in Vieux Fort and how God gives the increase.
International travel is such a blessing, especially when it’s connected to the family of God!