I have spent nine months serving as the hands and feet of Christ in many cultures around the world – all of them very different from my own. What frame of reference could my parents have for that? They’ve travelled, but when have they spent a month living with a family whose language you don’t speak? They’ve participated in missions, but when have they gone door-to-door sharing the Gospel?
My parents (and the parents of my squadmates) are great, but the reality is that what we have been through this year is a unique and tremendously influential experience. So how could they understand that? Truly understand? Obviously, they can’t do the entire Race alongside us, but they can have a little taste.
Enter PVT.
The Parent Vision Trip (or PVT) is a week-long partnership between parents and their son/daughter who is in the field. Our parents come out and live and work alongside us; experiencing some of the things that we have seen the last nine months.
Our PVT was in Chincha, Peru, working with several of the churches that our squad had partnered with this month. We did a variety of things, from construction (or better said, destruction) to games with kids to door-to-door evangelism. It was awesome! Our parents got to see us in action and dive in themselves.
Now, having that experience, my parents have a much deeper understanding and appreciation for what we’ve been doing this year.
