Is going to 11 countries a little greedy?
Is going to 11 countries a little much?
Is it really the best use of resources?
I assume some people in my life have had these thoughts!
Heck, I’ve had these thoughts!
Off and on over the years I have struggled with the idea of short term missions. I have often questioned the impact of having someone go for a few weeks to work alongside the long term workers…only to leave them and the people you are serving when your time is up. You return home to your warm, decorated home in your relatively safe, neighborhood, with your accessible healthy food and job you can live on.
Now I don’t mean to minimize the importance of short term missions. I understand that short term missions support long term mission projects. That without short term missions, many long term projects would not be sustainable, or would not be able to do ‘special events’, or install new infrastructure. I do see the value in doing these things.
But for me, personally, why would I go some place for 2 weeks at $2000, when the same amount of money could do SO much without me actually going? So going short term seemed relatively futile to me personally…
~Enter the World Race ~
11 countries, in 11 months…that’s right folks that’s basically 11 short term trips! To be honest, there have been moments when I have struggled over the last few months about going 11 different place.
Why go 11 places, when I could go to 1 place?
Wouldn’t that make more sense?
Wouldn’t that be a better use of resources?
Yet, here I go! We are going to 11 countries in 11 months [from a practical point, we are going to 4 regions…so we aren’t zigzagging all over the world, we’re going in a logical order]. I know that God has called me to this. I can list countless ways that this has been confirmed. I don’t need to understand fully why it’s to 11 countries, and not just 1.
But I am not that naive. I know that this trip is going to have a greater impact on me then on the people I am serving. I will remember faces, but my face won’t be remembered. And that’s ok! I am going to love and to serve. And what I get back will be more then what I am giving. God will use this journey, this adventure, to point me forward, to direct me to the next phase of my life. So although, I have struggled with the practicality of short term missions for my own life, I am going on 11 short term mission trips in the next year.
So my prayer is that along the way, throughout this journey, that God makes it clear why my team is in each location. He has a purpose for us in each place, and I pray for eyes to see HIS purpose. That my motives and my squad’s motives are focused on seeking God’s direction & purpose in everything we do. Please be praying with me and my squad!
If you have questions, concerns, or words of encouragement, please connect with me! I may not have the answers, but I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks for following along my journey!
