What is a Missions Trip?

So, I've been asking myself for easily a month now, What is a missions trip and what is not? What matters to Jesus when I go on something called a missions trip? What is the purpose, goal, reason?

My most recent trip was not what I would have thought of as a missions trip. I mean, it seems so often that we are told a missions trip is a trip somewhere where you go out, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and bring home a plaque with all the names of the people you saved. OK, that was a bit facetious, but seriously there is a grain of truth in that.

Anyway, my last trip was none of those things. I pretty much served. I was a gardener, a painter's assistant, a wood stacker, a Kindergarten/1st grade English (ESL) teacher, and maybe a few other things I can't think of right now. I was a prayer servant. I was also fed many wonderful meals by people with beautiful hearts; I was given the opportunity to experience something of a different culture.

So, I began to wonder, why am I here and am I really doing what I've been called to do on this trip? What am I called to do on this trip?

I went back to basics: I'm here to faithfully serve under the person who is in authority on this trip. I'm here to faithfully serve the other members of my team. I'm here to faithfully serve the other people with whom we come into contact. I'm here to love, to pray and work with whomever the Good Lord chooses to send my way.

I'm not here to complain (drats! I'm so good at it). I'm not here to judge others (another skill which I possess way too well). I'm not here to push my agenda forward.

So, basically, it seemed I was there to be whom I have been made to be--an encourager and a proud member of the team.

Thanks, everyone, for letting me be on the team. Thanks, Father, for letting me play in that game for that time.

Away from Home

Ok, so I was out of the country for about 4 weeks, from the end of June to the end of July. I was in Ukraine, on two back-to-back missions trips. Amazing.

The first part of the trip was a service trip. This was billed as a "Camp Barnabas for adults". We went to serve folks in the area of Rivne who are invalids. What an amazing group of people. Their love and joy definitely rises in front of us all. What arrogance to think we go to give, when these people gave back so much love, hope and faith to us.

We had two massage therapists, a cosmetologist, a "professional" gardener, a teacher, and myself and my teenaged daughter. I have picked bugs, rubbed shoulders, weeded, helped stack wood, tried to help rake hay, and prayed and prayed.

The second half of the trip was serving as the main attraction (yep, as in 3 ring circus) for an English Camp/VBS. I got to work with little children for about 5-6 hours a day. It was terrifying (yep--they speak no English) and fun (little kissy bug girl stole my heart!). It was also humbling to be served food in rich abundance when you know for many of these people, this is a feast they would not necessarily see everyday, let alone twice a day. The food? Yummy!

I got to pray for the pastor's wife. What a gift that was for me. I don't know what it meant to her, but I hope and pray that she remembers these dumb Americans came over to be part of the love and encouragement that the true Christian church should give to one another.

Many, many more memories: The World War II museum, walking up Nicolyev Street in Kiev, laughing with our hosts at dinner while I tried out my Ukrainski, laughing with my daughter over understanding the camp mother who told her to put the toad down RIGHT NOW! (And probably also to go wash her hands immediately), the fear of my daughter being out at night when I couldn't find her in a foreign country, the appreciation to my teammates who loved, understood and prayed for us while we all had this experience together, the tears of sorrow to think of two young men being headstrong and leaving behind their faith.

Thank you, Jesus, for this gift of time and service.