As an economics major at an institution that bleeds social justice, I have grown apprehensive toward supporting various “missions.” If you want to turn your world upside down, watch the documentary Poverty Inc. which beautifully explains how most missions and non-profit organizations, causes in which we praise, have utterly destroyed local economies aboard and is currently trapping them in a cycle of poverty and oppression. We support these causes blindly EVERY DAY without even understanding the depths of their consequences.
So, why did I sign up to spend 11 months of my life traveling around the world on a “mission trip?”
There is a lot to cover in this question, so I hope to unpack this over a series of blog posts.
Perhaps the most important thing I have taken away from my time at Creighton is an understanding of the concept of solidarity. Through classes, leadership experiences, and service opportunities that are deeply rooted in Jesuit Values, I have come to understand the relational nature of humanity. Humans are made in the image of God, and we know that “God is Love” (1 John 4:16). Love in itself is relational and implicitly assumes the presence of a relationship. Love is an intentional and conscious act or consideration that is applied toward another entity. One singular being cannot possess or express this care or passion for another if there is no “other.” Humanity was created in the image of God’s relational existence and is social being at its core. Therefore, people must seek community and relationships, so they may have the opportunities to express love and fulfill the purpose for which they have been created. As a result, participation in community and relationships are not simply a frivolous endeavor, a past time, or an alternative way of life. Rather, they are imperative to living the life in which Christ calls for and is the only way to develop as a member of humanity.
This theme of solidarity recognizes that Christians are called to take on the realities of others. This includes celebrating in the good but also endearing with others through the pain and suffering which others experience. Humanity is not called to blind interactions and relationships, which are selective in nature. Taking on the pain of another can be challenging, inconvenient, and even self-deprecating at times.
I recently read an article called Road Less Traveled by Rick Steves who explained travel as a spiritual act, which drew upon the same assumptions made above. Solidarity requires human interactions, personal interactions. This is what draws individuals and groups of people into our sphere of moral concern, more than reading any newspaper or watching any documentary. If we are to deeply love another in the way that Christ calls us to, building these personal relationships are important.
The World Race is the epitome of solidarity with those who I would normally not come into contact with. While there is comfort in returning home at the end of this journey, I will be living the lives of those who we come into contact with on a daily basis. My squad and I will get to know these communities, understand who they are, and appreciate who God has created them to be. I hope to see the vastness of God in his human and environmental creation. There is often pressure to check something off a list when engaging in service, but perhaps the most meaningful activities do not come from that at all.
