Hindsight is great but late, so better than gaining your own is getting someone else's hindsight before you need it!
This is a post for those things that, while we were away, we'd say, "Next time I do a mission week, I will....."
If you are going on a mission trip and making preparations, I hope this helps!
> Learn more Spanish.
Developing relationships with the kids and people you are working with is an amazing step. Speaking their language can only help with that! I had a little app (available at Amazon for Android) that would translate both ways - you could speak into it and it would respond. That was helpful but doesn't compensate for real conversations.
> Take more activities for the kids.
At the Manuelito Project we were given a lot of time to spend with the kids, often in small groups. Sports provided a great way to interact with many kids, but not all. Crafts, toys, song and dance is another way. Preparing some in advance (cutting shapes) is good.
> Take something for the first night.
We were tired by the time we arrived, after being up through the night, traveling then touring the place, and awash with emotion, there's not much energy for the first night. Not much is expected - after we arrived and took a tour, the kids at MP presented to us and then we hung about. This would be a great time for an opening night game or small party!
> Be prepared to lead a church service.
We were asked to do that on our 2nd day. We were able to hand the message part of that to Rob, a preacher on our team, but if we hadn't had Rob, we would have had to do it. Next time I'd take a lesson from a Sunday school class. We also had a great book of devotions and songs provided to us by World Gospel Mission so we had the hymns to sing. A CD to go with it would have been great!
> Take more of each item for the kids
We knew how many kids lived on the project, and we thought ahead to take something also for the child of the US missionaries. We didn't think about kids of the other staff that might live on site or visit a lot, or just general visitors, like siblings of any of the kids. So I'd take at least 6 to 10 more of everything.
Supplies: coming soon.
Anything else? If you've been on a mission trip and felt there was something you would take next time, what would it be?
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Being the light
We talk often of 'being the light in the world', or being the 'face of Jesus' to someone. To many people, they are just words, or something to try to remember but so often forgotten.
Tonight, the two recent mission teams from our church gave presentations about their trips. We talked, showed photos and we answered questions. Running out of time, I didn't get to share a story that reminds me to always try to be the best light I can be.
Maria is in her early 20s. She's studying to be a teacher, and volunteers at the children's school. Maria was once a street kid. At 3 or 4 years old, she would be sent to the streets to beg. She needed to raise $1.50 for her mom to pay the night's rent, and if they missed the rent, they'd spend the night sleeping on the streets. For years, this is how they lived. Maria's mom had more kids and Maria learned to take care of them.
During that time, when Maria was on the streets begging and looking for ways to make a few dimes, she would see a little girl walking to school. The little girl wore a uniform and she walked across the park each day, holding hands with her mother, going to school. For years, Maria watched that child and wanted to be that child. She wanted nothing more than to go to school, the same way that little girl did.
School isn't a 'given' where Maria lives. Less than 10% of the kids might get to 4th or 5th grade, if they even get the chance to go at all. Maria didn't get the chance. She started to ask her mother, could she go to school? But Maria needed to earn money for rent, so the answer was always no, she couldn't go to school.
Eventually, Maria heard of a project that would give her a home and an education, and after more begging, she finally got permission to move from her mother and go to school. By then she was a pre-teen and entering first grade. She worked hard, she got her sisters into the project with her and now, in her twenties, she is getting her own teaching degree. What a story!
But she remembers her inspiration, a child that she saw each day, walking to school. That young child grew up. They never met face to face so she never knew that she inspired someone and that inspiration changed someone's life. Instead of growing up on the streets, Maria had a home. Instead of repeating the life of others before her, having 4 or 5 babies by her mid 20s, she was in training and, helping others do the same.
We never know who sees us, who is inspired by us. It's important to always be the light even when we have no idea if anyone is watching.
[image source]
Tonight, the two recent mission teams from our church gave presentations about their trips. We talked, showed photos and we answered questions. Running out of time, I didn't get to share a story that reminds me to always try to be the best light I can be.
Maria is in her early 20s. She's studying to be a teacher, and volunteers at the children's school. Maria was once a street kid. At 3 or 4 years old, she would be sent to the streets to beg. She needed to raise $1.50 for her mom to pay the night's rent, and if they missed the rent, they'd spend the night sleeping on the streets. For years, this is how they lived. Maria's mom had more kids and Maria learned to take care of them.
During that time, when Maria was on the streets begging and looking for ways to make a few dimes, she would see a little girl walking to school. The little girl wore a uniform and she walked across the park each day, holding hands with her mother, going to school. For years, Maria watched that child and wanted to be that child. She wanted nothing more than to go to school, the same way that little girl did.
School isn't a 'given' where Maria lives. Less than 10% of the kids might get to 4th or 5th grade, if they even get the chance to go at all. Maria didn't get the chance. She started to ask her mother, could she go to school? But Maria needed to earn money for rent, so the answer was always no, she couldn't go to school.
Eventually, Maria heard of a project that would give her a home and an education, and after more begging, she finally got permission to move from her mother and go to school. By then she was a pre-teen and entering first grade. She worked hard, she got her sisters into the project with her and now, in her twenties, she is getting her own teaching degree. What a story!
 |
| Matthew 5:14 |
We never know who sees us, who is inspired by us. It's important to always be the light even when we have no idea if anyone is watching.
[image source]
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Post Mission Thoughts
We were wondering the other day, what did our 13 year old daughter get from the trip?
If you were to ask her, she might get a little self conscious, wondering what kind of answer you expect and not wanting to be 'wrong'. Her real answers come during chats in the car or from under a fitting room door as we shop for back-to-school clothes. She explains that she doesn't want to waste her chances and opportunities, she looks at the future of some and then at her own, and she realized how much she has ahead of her. Doesn't want to miss a chance that God puts before her.
I have also been asking myself the same question. I was already very aware and compassionate about the poverty in the world. I have a bleeding heart for the unfortunate, and an anger for the corruption, and though I believe that much of life is what you make of it, there are many victims in the world who just don't have the ability, strength, vision or know-how to change anything.
I questioned how some things never change. Modern methods taught - faster, cheaper, easier - yet people resort back to what they know. In a country where 90% of the population don't have get beyond 4th grade education, is it surprising that the toll of poverty makes people seek comfort in their old ways?
What vision is there for 1,800 people who live in a garbage dump? Not just visit the dump, but live there. What do they know of outside and the potential opportunities that await them? What do they know other than the dream of being the garbage truck driver - the best option they see in life, instead of being in one of the gangs that run the place? That is, if they live to see adulthood.
A crippling law in Honduras is that it is almost impossible to own land, even if you 'buy' it. It all belongs to the government. You can own a house but not the land it is on. El Sembardor (a school and farm) was set up in the 1940s and grew to be a 2,000 acre farm that has educated thousands of children that would have otherwise had no education. For decades, they struggled with the fact that they couldn't have full rights of the land. They frequently battled squatters that would try to take hundreds of acres at a time.
It took about 50 years to be granted full domain rights by the government. The most shocking thing about this is that when the government changes, those rights are taken away again and the application process (and money!) begins again. This is so for everyone in the country, rich or poor.
These are the kinds of things that gave me a greater understanding of how difficult it is to succeed in a country like that, even if they wanted to. A better grasp on why they cannot always help themselves.
Before I went I was already aware of my blessings and how fortunate I am. But what it did was make me aware that I don't make the most of them. I am not always a good steward of what I have. My time, energy, health, opportunities allow me to do much more than I actually do. Only my focus, attitude and priorities stand in my way.
I feel God's nudge frequently. It's that voice that tells me, why aren't you helping? Or, go over and talk to that lonely person. Or, I gave you a blessing, why aren't you using it?
Sometimes our fear of man strangles our fear of God. We become more afraid of what someone will think of us instead of what God thinks of us. More afraid of being told no than thanks. More afraid of our friends questioning us with what are you doing? I have been guilty of that more than once. I repent of my fear of what the world thinks, and promise to try to only fear what God thinks of my actions and my outreach.
If you were to ask her, she might get a little self conscious, wondering what kind of answer you expect and not wanting to be 'wrong'. Her real answers come during chats in the car or from under a fitting room door as we shop for back-to-school clothes. She explains that she doesn't want to waste her chances and opportunities, she looks at the future of some and then at her own, and she realized how much she has ahead of her. Doesn't want to miss a chance that God puts before her.
I have also been asking myself the same question. I was already very aware and compassionate about the poverty in the world. I have a bleeding heart for the unfortunate, and an anger for the corruption, and though I believe that much of life is what you make of it, there are many victims in the world who just don't have the ability, strength, vision or know-how to change anything.
I questioned how some things never change. Modern methods taught - faster, cheaper, easier - yet people resort back to what they know. In a country where 90% of the population don't have get beyond 4th grade education, is it surprising that the toll of poverty makes people seek comfort in their old ways?
What vision is there for 1,800 people who live in a garbage dump? Not just visit the dump, but live there. What do they know of outside and the potential opportunities that await them? What do they know other than the dream of being the garbage truck driver - the best option they see in life, instead of being in one of the gangs that run the place? That is, if they live to see adulthood.
A crippling law in Honduras is that it is almost impossible to own land, even if you 'buy' it. It all belongs to the government. You can own a house but not the land it is on. El Sembardor (a school and farm) was set up in the 1940s and grew to be a 2,000 acre farm that has educated thousands of children that would have otherwise had no education. For decades, they struggled with the fact that they couldn't have full rights of the land. They frequently battled squatters that would try to take hundreds of acres at a time.
It took about 50 years to be granted full domain rights by the government. The most shocking thing about this is that when the government changes, those rights are taken away again and the application process (and money!) begins again. This is so for everyone in the country, rich or poor.
These are the kinds of things that gave me a greater understanding of how difficult it is to succeed in a country like that, even if they wanted to. A better grasp on why they cannot always help themselves.
Before I went I was already aware of my blessings and how fortunate I am. But what it did was make me aware that I don't make the most of them. I am not always a good steward of what I have. My time, energy, health, opportunities allow me to do much more than I actually do. Only my focus, attitude and priorities stand in my way.
I feel God's nudge frequently. It's that voice that tells me, why aren't you helping? Or, go over and talk to that lonely person. Or, I gave you a blessing, why aren't you using it?
Sometimes our fear of man strangles our fear of God. We become more afraid of what someone will think of us instead of what God thinks of us. More afraid of being told no than thanks. More afraid of our friends questioning us with what are you doing? I have been guilty of that more than once. I repent of my fear of what the world thinks, and promise to try to only fear what God thinks of my actions and my outreach.
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