These past few months I have really had a lot of time to research and consider what my goals are for going on this trip. The Lord has definitely placed this on my heart, but for a long time, I didn’t know why exactly. It’s a big world out there and I’m just one person, one particular person at that. What can my range of gifts and insight bring to the table to really make a difference? Here is a list of what I came up with. These are goals that I have for each and every country I visit.
- Obtain one personal story from a local. This matters a lot to me for two reasons. I have an issue with the phrase, “Giving a voice to the voiceless”. Yes there are a lot of problems and horrible acts of injustice out there in this world, but I strongly believe that it’s not my job to give victims a voice. I know the people who say this phrase mean well, but I feel like using it takes away a person’s agency to speak on their own issues. Victims don’t lack voices, they lack a platform. They don’t need me to speak about their problems for them, they need someone who will listen to them and give them the avenue to speak to the rest of the world.
Secondly, I know how I am personally wired. As Americans we are bombarded with news stories every day about tragedies around the world (in fact I feel like that’s all the news talks about). Because of this, I believe that we have adapted by disconnecting ourselves from it, otherwise we would be emotional wrecks all the time and would never get anything done. It’s easy for me to see stats, statements, and images and go about my day. What really grabs me, is a living breathing person. I need a face, a name, and a story to really gain an understanding of what is going on. That’s what makes it real to me. This is why I believe it’s important to share these things. I can tell you about my interpretation of injustice all day, but it will never have the same effect as someone sharing their daily experience with it. - Encourage a local person who is actively being the hands and feet of Jesus in their native land. I have read many articles and books on the effects of short term international trips and their effectiveness or lack thereof. I have concluded that there is definitely a right and wrong way to do things. The hard truth is, I’m only going to be in each location for a short month. Yes, we can do a lot of good in one month, but my biggest concern is what happens after we leave. We need to avoid becoming the spiritual leaders of the areas that we are visiting because once we leave, there will be no more growth or direction. I believe that the most important role an international missionary should have is to build up and encourage indigenous leaders in the community. They are the ones who will be watering and harvesting the crops once we are gone. We are not the be all and end of all what God is doing there.
- To portray the issues in each country, but follow it up with examples of hope. As I mentioned before, there is a lot of injustice in the world, but there is also a lot of beautiful and wonderful things as well. I don’t want to just show everyone the issues in a country, but I want to share the wonderful things that are happening locally to combat it. I want to show what God is doing in the midst of these issues. Too many people focus on what is wrong with the world and miss out on what is going right.
- Discover one new character of God that people in the USA can overlook. We are a product of our culture, and because of that, we see God through the lens of our culture. However, God isn’t just an American God but a God of all cultures and all people. My favorite thing about traveling overseas is learning new ways to view God. We can overlook a lot of things when we view Him through our daily experiences alone.
- Develop a lasting friendship with at least one local. The strongest effect you can have in missions is through the building of strong and lasting relationships. Missions is about people more than it is doing acts of services, speaking at several engagements, or anything else. We are to go out into the world and share the Good News with people. That means we must interact with them and build relationships with them. I think that there is nothing greater than connecting with someone from another culture on a deep level. It is the greatest gift we can give and receive.
Well there you have it! This of course isn’t all I will be doing on this trip. Each country will look different and involve different ministries. These are just the things that I believe are important no matter where I go or who I am working with. These are the things that make a lasting impact, which is my ultimate goal.
