First off let me clarify that all missions matters. In every different form and shape, in every culture and country, missions matters. We (Christians) should solely live for missions. Yet, there are many forms of missions that are ineffective or that are unrecognized as being effective.
Let me introduce you to Debo.
Debo is 13 years old and lives at the ‘Kids Alive’ organization compound in Mongu, Zambia. He is quiet but so full of life. He is very athletic and an absolute natural at throwing a frisbee, throwing better than most people I know and picking up the difficult forehand and backhand in 1 day! He speaks English well and reads decently, but it is no surprise that his vocabulary is lacking. He is the second boy, after a kid named Dave in Haiti, to steal my heart.
Honestly, I am unsure as to whether he has parents still around or if he is an orphan at the Kids Alive compound. I didn’t have to know that information to know he was starving for love and attention. He had such a desire to learn, talk, and read, which I was able to spend time doing with him. We began reading through the sequel to ‘Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of Nymn,’ or something similar to that, which I remember reading when I was a kid! For hours we would sit and read. I was able to show him that it is ok to sit down and read by himself. Even though there are a lot of words you might not know or understand, you can still understand what you are reading. He got into the habit of writing down all the words he did not understand and we, or the teacher, would explain and define all the words for him later. I would look for him first thing when we arrived at the compound every morning, and he would find me and in an excited craze, immediately begin telling me about what he had read the night before in the book by himself. Then we would jump right back into our adventure together! Over the course of the month he truly became like another little brother to me, with the feel of a father to a son.
Being able to sit down and encourage him to not care about what others thought about him reading while they were out playing, or the jokes they made, because he understood the importance of reading and the impact it would have on his life if he kept it up, was something so valuable and precious. Without our group coming to visit, this may never have happened. Without someone they could personally look up to and admire that was approachable because of their obvious intention to love, who knows if he would have turned out like many of the kids of Africa who just have never had anyone pushing…no… loving them towards something more.
Living with Kids Alive is fantastic for the children. They are provided for, loved, and so dearly cared for but not on a personal level. Everything is done in groups, whether school studying, praying, church, eating, working, bathing, ect… The kids are very importantly cared for through incorporating the Bible and Christianity into everything, which is fantastic! Yet, even in such a great environment these kids still fall prey to typical African child like culture. They are not cared for, encouraged, disciplined, discipled, or invested in on a personal level.
Missions that matters are those that are completely wholistic. Making a difference in someone’s personal life involves investing directly and individually. It means being Love. It sounds cliche, but through these experiences and the Bible, I am realizing more every day why the most important commandments in the Bible are to Love God, and Love Others. Intentionality in love makes all the difference.
Many people can justify against short term missions trips because of it sometimes hurting a ministry due to the expectations of people coming and going and the heartbreak and anger it can bring to the kids. While kids are only a part of the people we want to reach in the world with Christ, they are the future and are the biggest people that youth can reach. The difference that college/young adults can make in the lives of kids who are looking for individuals they can relate with, yet are older and more mature, is massive! We have the opportunity to love them like no adult can do.
Not only does this type of ministry benefit the children, but God exponentially blesses us through it. I guarantee that any adult would agree with me saying that kids can and do teach us profound things about life. God uses children.
Youth and young adults have to make a difference. We have to engage in ministry.
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Call for Help!
I am so blessed to be fully funded, but I have many teammates who are not. A good friend, Francis, is still in need of considerable funds. I want to encourage anyone reading this to consider contributing to him so he can stay on the race!
Frank is amazing individual from Quebec, Canada who is new to the faith, yet lives out the walk that Christ has laid before us. I so desire to see him grow as the powerhouse Man after God’s own heart that I know he can become. Please encourage him and support him, further showing him the love of Christ and the Church through financial support!
