“Mission trips.” It sounds so boring or like no fun. Lot's of people wrestle with the idea of travelling for such a strange reason all the time. There are many different places to see, reasons to go, and lengths of time in which you can travel.
These all depend on not only what you are looking for, but what you are comfortable with.
Well, you won’t know until you try!
1. Change of scenery
There is more to the world than your own little community, your state, even your country. There are other people in this world, people who don’t have the same view on the world as you. It’s time to experience a new style of person, a new language, and new foods! There is more to this world than just our own lives.
2. Gain a new perspective
There are people in this world who don’t have the same opportunities as you do. There are people who don’t have the ability to drink clean water, have a decent education, or wear clean clothes.
Going on a mission trip can show you just how lucky you are to have the life that you do and the privileges that you do. The people that you visit will be grateful to no end that you took time out of your life to come and visit with them and spend your time paying attention to them.
It will make you more grateful for the things you have and make you feel special because someone else cares so much about your life, as they ask you questions about what it's like where you live.
3. Religion
You don’t have to be religious to go on a mission trip, even though most of them are organized through churches and youth groups. Most groups that go are religious, but welcome any and all who are simply looking to help better the world. I went with my church youth group and bonded with the members of our church through the work we did.
If you are religious, however, it can be one of the most eye-opening experiences of your life. It is important to keep in mind that you have your own relationship with Christ and that not everybody will have the same experiences as you. You may be completely moved by your journey, whereas someone else may not think much of it. Keeping an open mind is the most important thing of all.
4. A journey
If nothing I have said so far has convinced you that this is a worthwhile use of your time and money, then let me tell you my experience. I went with my youth group to Ecuador last summer and had the experience of a lifetime. We stayed in a hostel and had reflections every night, talking about what we thought was important from that day and what we were thankful for.
We worked with a local church helping the members of the congregation better their environments. We had mass every day, cooked together, cleaned the church and repainted the walls. We built benches, lead prayers and youth groups, and cried together. We visited the homes of the members of the church and cleaned them, delivered food, clothes, and hygiene products.
Each member of the church tried their best to speak English to communicate with us and tell us each their stories. A majority of the church's’ youth were either living with one parent or on their own and were essentially being raised by their youth director. The entire church was one big family who shared their love and homes with us and I could not have had a better time. Each day was a new adventure and a new journey to take. This was the farest I had ever been from home and I would happily do it again.
This is an experience I would recommend to anyone who is interested. It is a life-changing experience that opens your heart and your mind to all the troubles and challenges of our world.
It betters you as a person, without a doubt. Many people go their entire lives without seeing the corners of our earth; I don’t plan to be one of them.
