Living the Great Commission

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20

All Christians are called to be on mission every day, but Summertime and Spring Break are popular times for missions trips and a lot of opportunities start popping up. I was getting ready to head to Russia in a little over a week at the time that I started writing all of this and it got me thinking, so I decided to talk to some of my friends and family who have done missions and share with you all their experiences and advice in case you’re considering taking this step in your Christian walk. These are all young men and women that I have met through church, youth group, college, or along the way during my own trips. I asked them to answer three questions: 1) Where was/were the mission trip(s) and what types of things were you doing there? 2) Going into it, what did you expect to happen and experience? 3) What did you learn and what advice would you give to a first time missionary? Here are some of their responses.

E.H.

“My mission trip was 45 minutes from my house and it was a drive I made every day up to 4 weeks of the summer. My mission trip was at a ranch known as Strong Tower Ranch. I have done an array of things there. I have taken care of horses, worked for hours in the heat, done several trail rides, and taught lessons. I have talked to kids one on one as a counselor. I have swam in a lake for hours. Pulled weeds. Talked to strangers. Really anything they needed in the time I had there. Best of all I have led kids to God.
         Going into it my focus was on riding horses. Sure, I was gonna volunteer, but I wanted to work with the horses and I thought that's what I would be doing. Yes, I have done that, but I didn't expect to be working with kids just as much if not more. I also didn't expect all the little things asked of me or falling in love with being a volunteer as much as I have.
         I learned that missionary work is hard. Serving the Lord is beautiful, but not always easy. The blood, sweat, and tears are worth it though. Another thing I've learned is that you don't have to fly across the world to be a missionary. It starts at home.”

R.G.

“I've been on a few short trips but my primary(overseas) missions experience comes from the 4 months I spent in Nepal. My friends and I split our time there between making friends in the city, and hiking to rural believers teaching them to share the Gospel.
         As part of the IMB Fusion program, I had a lot of  training about what to do and what to expect. One thing I learned about expectations is never assume that you know very much.
         I would just remind anyone working for the Kingdom to remember that what we share really is good news. Our Jesus is alive, so don't be afraid to do all that you can.”

M.K.

“I did a program called Mission Bethalto. It was in Bethalto, Illinois. They split us into groups and gave is different tasks, and I was in the group that went and helped work at a community center for single moms. We worked in the garden weeding and digging and mulching. We moved boards, cleaned hallways, sorted donated food into the correct bins, and different stuff like that.

         It's kinda hard to remember, it was like 4 or 5 years ago. I think I was sorta in a time of searching, so I think I was hoping to feel God's presence, as well as learn what it's like to serve in a community of other believers.

         I learned to do hard things even when I didn’t feel like it. The point of sacrifice is to put someone else first at your own expense. Not at someone else’s expense, your own. It was a tough week, having to be split up from my friends and still having to work. But it was a good experience. I would say remember to be selfless. Service is not about you, it’s about Jesus and spreading the good news of his love and sacrifice for us.”

G.H.

“I have served in New Orleans/Baton Rouge Louisiana as well as a small village in Guatemala. During my time in Louisiana, I had the privilege of helping those who have been affected by natural disasters (hurricanes/flooding). Serving alongside Reach Global Crisis Response, I was able to help with deconstruction/reconstruction of the homeowner’s home, participate in prayer walks around the local ward, and be there for the homeowner in their most desperate time of need. At Reach Global, they are relationship focused: building lifelong friendships with the homeowners.  In Guatemala, I helped put stoves into the huts of the people who lived in the surrounding village, volunteered at the local youth center, and helped build a local mission facility to expand their ministry.

         Over my trips, I have learned to not have any expectations. The only expectation I have going into these trips is the LORD would use me to expand His kingdom and have divine appointments.

         Don’t go in with any expectations. If you place expectations on the trip & they aren’t met, you are going to be disappointed, and you are taking away from what God may have wanted you to do/learn that week. With not placing expectations, you are allowing God to have full control. Be open. Mission trips are what you make out of it. Be willing to go out of your comfort zone to try new things, be willing to meet new people in the community and are serving alongside, and be willing to be used by God.”

G.C.

“For six years now I've been traveling up to Northern Ontario to assist on First Nations reservations. We do a lot of school-focused activities (substituting, etc) and we do lots of food-related things as well. We serve the faculty of the school on the reservation lunch and we serve dinner. After school we set up a sort of Vacation Bible School-esque program, where we tell stories and play with the kids until dinnertime.

         I had no clue what to expect when it actually set in that I was leaving the country. I hadn't visited a reservation before, I was pretty ignorant to a lot of information that I find necessary now.

         Now, through the years I have learned LOTS from this trip. When you go out onto the field, listening to people is one of the most important things. Ask questions. Learn about their culture and their history. Learn. Try to be the person that asks questions instead of the person that talks. Yes, we want to share Jesus with them, of course! But making actual connections with people is SO important and it makes it so people actually wish to hear you. So, if you're going into the field my main advice would be to not be too obsessed with the schedule. Mission trips in my experience have been really "go with the flow". Emergencies come up and plans can change. I would also tell you to learn how to pack your bag correctly. That makes a big difference. Good luck on your journey, friend!”

V.H.

“I first went to Cuba, and at the moment I live in Mexico as a missionary kid. In Cuba, we were distributing medicine and common supplies such as toothbrushes and soap. We also did skits and helped with the worship and outdoor evangelism.

         I expected to be the one helping and teaching others. I knew it would be tough work, but what I wasn't expecting was to actually receive more than I would give.

         Missions is a work that doesn't only involve you ministering and giving to others. Actually, you're the one that receives more and learns more through others. If while being a missionary, you feel like you're the only one putting effort and sacrificing for others, there's something wrong going on there.”

S.R.

“I went to Joplin, MO to help clean up after the tornado went through and destroyed the city.

         Going in I knew I was going to help pick up trash that was spread across the city but I didn't know that I was going to get sick in the process and have an extremely high fever that could have put me in the hospital.

         I learned on this trip to expect the unexpected because anything that can go wrong will.”

E.F.

“We came to Costa Rica this year just for my parents to really learn the language. After we finish fundraising we will come back here to start working on discipling teens.

          Going into it, I was nervous and stressed out because I was leaving everything and everyone I knew in order to basically start my life over again. When I got here though, I joined the international youth group called AMCA. The first few months, I was a student or consumer of the word at AMCA, but then in January I became a student leader. I wasn't just a student who could hang out with her group of friends, I also got to form some new relationships with others and get to know them better. I also had several other responsibilities that I shared with six other awesome friends.

         I wouldn't trade my time here for anything. Along with making a lot of new friends, I also learned to trust in God and his abilities rather than my own. even though I knew to do that when I got here it was more just knowledge I didn't really use. To the first time missionary I'd say don't be in a rush to learn the language, take your time and you'll learn. Also don't be afraid to make mistakes when you talk; it happens and that's how you learn. If you worry too much about it being perfect, then you won't learn also trust in God's plan for you. I know how scary it can be to move away from what you know and go into the unknown.”

A.S.

“The trip was to Peoria, IL. We spent the day working with Loaves and Fish. Our group of 15 was broken up into smaller groups. The organization works with poor and homeless people. They provide them with a meal and groceries, as well as shoes or clothing. Some of us served food. Others oversaw the shoe rooms. Some helped with the groceries. Personally, I was set at the door to welcome people. WE were there to make people feel loved.

         I expected a lot of really smelly people. I expected gratefulness. I expected a lot of cranky people.I was intentional about what I wore that day because I didn’t want people to feel like I thought I was better than them. I wore very plain clothes. I stood at the door and as I welcomed people, I was counting them with a clicker, as well. As people came in some would shy away. Many smiled back and said thank you. I got a lot of compliments on two things: my hair and my smile. I noticed no one paid attention to how I dressed or looked, but many appreciated someone treating them like an honored guest especially since most were not normally even treated like human beings. Many were sweet. There were a lot of handicapped people who came through.

         Don’t have expectations. Instead of anticipating, participate. Otherwise, you could miss an important moment. Do not forget why you are there. You aren’t there for you, you aren’t necessarily there for those people - you are there for God. Instead of thinking it is for the people, keep in mind that it is for God because if you are doing it for the people, if one of them does something that you don’t like or is rude or acts like your actions are owed to them then you may stop and lose motivation. If you’re doing it for God he is the one fueling your fire. Don’t let one mission trip be your make it or break it event for missions. Even if you have a bad time, don’t let that be it. Go again. Do it again. Go with different intentions. Go do God’s work, not man’s. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and talk to people. Even if there is a job to be done, let people take priority.”

E.B.

“I went to Haiti with a group from the school I was going to. We went to orphanages and taught and played with the kids there.

Going into it I knew God was going to use me and mold me. He did in fact as I grew close to many people on the trip and impacted one kid especially. His name was Loganson.

If someone was going on their first mission trip...mhmm... I would tell them to not expect anything short of God's hand in everything.”

T.T.

“For my mission trip we went to Haiti. For the mission trip we did a VBS, planted fruit trees for food, helped at an orphanage, taught some church lessons at school, and just got to learn about the country of Haiti.
         For the mission trip I didn't really know what to expect because I had never been out of the country. So this was a totally new experience for me that was very eye-opening. There is also a ton that went into preparing for the mission trip. Whether that was fundraising, collecting supplies, getting information from the mission organization that we went with, or anything else you can think of.
         I learned that we should all be grateful for what we have. I saw a lot of poverty and hurt. Like for example I saw people going through dumpsters trying to find anything that could be salvageable and I also saw houses that were made out of torn up tarps. They also have very limited electricity and even the electricity that they have it goes in and out all of the time. For a first-time missionary I would tell them not to expect everything on the trip to go perfect. There will be things that go wrong but you've got to keep moving along in spite of those things. So be flexible and be willing to learn. Also be prepared to see things that you have never seen before. Some of those things will be hard but they also will help you learn a lot and be more grateful for things that you have.”

T.C.

“The first one was to Mexico and I was in sixth grade. We did street ministry and my team went door to door telling people about Jesus. It was scary and I was shy. When I was sixteen, I went to Trinidad where we hung out with kids in orphanages and schools and did skits for them. There, whites were minorities and a lot of the kids had never seen a white person before, so they wanted to touch our hair and our skin. We did skits a lot, and I got to eat shark. Then I went to Switzerland and Paris. In Switzerland we did a camp for missionary kids from all over the world at the base of the Swiss Alps. It was really pretty. They wanted us to paint a church in Paris, but only about five of us were needed. It was kind of sad that we didn't get to do much. Finally, I went to Belize this year and got to spend a lot of time with kids. We colored and talked and played. It was a lot of fun, and I would go back tomorrow if someone gave me a plane ticket.

         The first mission trip I went on, I didn't expect much of anything because I had no idea what to expect. In Trinidad, I expected to hang out with kids a lot and I did. For those two, I would almost say I was too young to actually appreciate what was going on and what I was doing. When I was in Switzerland was when I really learned that the people you meet actually make a lasting impact and you make relationships that last forever. One of the girls from the camp is my friend on social media to this day and invited me to Spain for her graduation. I couldn't go, but it was really cool to be invited. Belize was by far my favorite and most impactful trip I've gone on. We didn't expect to do as much as we did in the village and so we got to spend much more time with the kids than I would've been able to otherwise. I ended up playing "catch" (which we call tag) with the kids after passing out flip flops with them. I met a little girl named Emeli who latched onto me and didn't leave my side much for the rest of the week. My name was hard for them and she was the only one who was able to remember it, all the rest of the kids just called me "Tab". We made popsicle stick and yarn crosses one day and that was the day I got to lead Emeli to faith in Jesus Christ. She turned bright red when everyone got excited and started clapping when they all found out. By the middle of the trip, I had gotten sick from something I'd eaten and we played hand games like patty cake. Before we left , we got to dance and sing together. I miss those people so much and I would go back right now if I could.

         Through all of this I learned to always be ready for anything. Because when you expect one thing to happen and that it would all go smoothly, God will take it and turn it upside down. We didn't use half of the skits and such we'd planned, because God had a different idea and it turned out so much better. Prepare to be uncomfortable. You are rarely going to be in situations you're comfortable with. Your skills, patience, and shyness are all going to be pushed, stretched, and tested. There will be culture shock. The world doesn't live like us. There are cultures around the world are way different than ours. Now when I say shock, I don't mean omg and passing out. But you'll notice how happy someone is who has nothing and while we worrying about how to pay for the next greatest thing and they're sacrificing their prize chicken to say thank you to you. Ministry is two-sided - you are going to minister to others, but if you go with the right attitude you will be ministered to just as much if not more than those you're going to serve. Listen to God, the leaders of your trip, and your callings. Never stay behind. Satan is going to push your limits too. He is going to try to pull you out of the situation so you can not be used. Don't give in to him. The flesh gets really tired and wants to rest, but don't stay back. Stay present. My advice for new missionaries is to respect whatever culture you're in. Americans often think we have the best ways of doing things, but most of the time we find that it's better to just shut up and go with the culture.”

M.R.

“My mission trip was about an hour and a half's train ride outside of Moscow, Russia, and my job there was to break the language barrier of the campers by talking and forming relationships with them. It wasn't the only thing I did though, since I also helped improve some of the leaders' English, participated in sports, and assisted with the set up and take down of various activities. Going into it, I'm not too terribly sure what I was expecting (though I can say that I tried to suspend my expectations until I got there and actually experienced it). The food was different, the people were different, the structures and land were different, and I knew it would be so I was like "God? I'll let you form my experiences there, and I know that you will use me. So I won't worry about anything."Though I guess I can say I had one expectation, and it was that it would be a really cool time.
         While there I learned that our country is, for a country, uncharacteristically free for Christians to spread the gospel. In Russia, it is against the law to have any kind of unregistered missionary activity, while America doesn't have any kind of law against going door to door, or talking to strangers in public about Christianity. And we are, in many ways, wasting opportunities that people in other countries either don't have, or are risking imprisonment by taking. I also learned that Russians are generally nice people, it isn't cold and snowy 24/7, and that the ice cream there is better than most of what we Americans eat.
         The advice I'd give to first time missionaries is this: don't become so worried about your actions, or non actions, that you don't allow God to work through you. Pray, seek His guidance, and allow Him to work through you.”