So lately, I’ve seen a lot of opinions about mission trips on social media- most of them have been very negative. One in particular really stood out to me and I haven’t been able to get it off my mind since. To sum it up, it pretty much said that mission trips have just become a way for the person going to feel good about themselves and that the trips are just a modern-day version of colonialism. Many other comments attached to the post added that the money spent on these trips were wasted and could have been better used had it just been donated to the community.
I’m gonna be honest, these posts got to me- really, really got to me. I started to doubt if going was even worth it. I knew when I was accepted to go that this trip would take a lot of work and preparation- I’d have to fundraise (something I’ve always been so scared of doing), and I’d have to face some of my fears that had been with me my whole life. I was scared of saying yes to God about a mission trip for so long. But this past December I finally said yes, and the decision has already changed me so much. And now here in March it’s all getting so real. I am actually going out of the country and my comfort zone all in the name of Jesus—and this realness has brought me a kind of overwhelming joy I’ve never experienced before.
But with this realness, I’ve also had some of the devils lies come to mind. And those lies came full circle when I saw those social media posts.
Those words are not God’s words. Those words are not of the Lord. The Great Commission is still alive today—and Jesus calls us all to it. God is not done with us yet. He has a plan; His love will reach all the nations and He will be known by all.
It breaks my heart to see people posting those words, because everything about it is false. The Lord calls us to spread His love and truth to the ends of the earth, and it breaks me to know that those people haven’t experienced that love, they haven’t experienced the truth that only God can reveal. It breaks my heart to know that there are so many untouched souls out there that think God has forgotten about them. God knows us! He knows each of us by NAME! The Creator of the universe and everything in it knows every person on this planet and calls them by name, He calls us His own children!! I want everyone to know this!! I want everyone to experience this truth, because it is so life-changing! When the people of Israel begin to feel as though God has forgotten them in Isaiah 49, God responds “Behold, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands (v. 16)” God knows us by name, He hasn’t and will never forget His children.
This is why God is sending us! So His children can know that they are known by the Creator! Jesus sends us out into the nations to share the Gospel, to share the truth of his everlasting love! The people we will encounter in Costa Rica are not forgotten, the people who write those posts are not forgotten, no one on this earth ever has, is, or will be forgotten by Him. God knows us. In every situation we may face on this earth, God sees us. He sees our suffering, sadness, joy, and laughter and He calls us out by name!
This is the truth of mission trips; to obey the Great Commission, to share the Gospel, and to make disciples of all the nations. So that everyone knows the truth, so that everyone knows God and His perfect love.
