In March of this year I started praying about attending a mission trip with my church to Guatemala. After time in prayer, and waiting, I felt called to go and serve these people.

Since then, I have had a mixed response from those who I have told about going. (Below is a map of Guatemala, in case you are not aware of the location, it is south of Mexico.. My grandpa didn't know either!)

Please stop saying, "But people need help here."

You're right, people do need help here. There are people who are starving, homeless, addicted, and lost in our country. I KNOW this. I am not blind to the problems in our society at home. But, I am not blind to the lost people in other places as well. My serving of others who are not in America, is not the act of ignoring those who need help here.

The call was heard, the call will be answered as He wants.

Please stop saying, "But people need help here."

But, ones suffering can not be compared to another's. We can not look at one and say they are so much more worse off than the other. We can not look into their hearts, see their lives completely in their shoes, and decide that on our own- that is God's job. It is His power to decide where we are called, and what we are called to do.

Please stop saying, "But people need help here."

Because people need help every where, because people are lost, because people have never heard the word Christ. People deserve, they need, to be told about Him. As Christians, we need to stop saying but people need help here, and recognize people need help everywhere. Your next door neighbor, the new family in town, the addict, the homeless, the sinner- Everyone needs help.

Please stop saying, "But people need help here" if you're not going to help them.

If you see a need here, and you can fill it- fill the need. Stop asking others to do so, stop pushing the responsibility you have as a Christian to help the least of them on to others. If you feel called to go abroad, please do not let people stop you because they see needs here as well.

So, if you see that people need help here and feel the call- here is a list of things you could do

1. Hug those who need hugs

2. Keep Ziploc bags of things such as socks, feminine products, soaps, nutrition bars, quarters for phone calls or laundry, and other things to give to the homeless or needy

3. Pray for those who you see struggling

4. Visit nursing homes and visit with the occupants

5. Volunteer with local organizations

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'