Have you ever felt that you have more to offer the world? Have you ever been frustrated with “normal life” and have found yourself thinking, “there must be more to life than this…” Well, you might just be being called to an experience that you can only get on a short-term mission trip.
Short-term trips are truly impactful. However, the impact is two-fold. The work that you do on the trip certainly impacts the local community. Trips have a primary focus of building, medical or teaching associated activities. You will engage with locals, develop friendships and have an opportunity to leave their lives just a little bit better than they were before you arrived. It can be as dramatic as with a new home, a new cooking stove, new teachings that they can use and share or even witnessing the pain that they were living with taken away by a simple over the counter medication that they previously did not have access to.
However, the more subtle impact of a Hope Ignited short-term mission trip might just be with you. The change begins when you leave everything that was once familiar and comfortable. Then it continues as you travel into a foreign culture of need. The sights and sounds and sometimes the inconveniences of third world travel begin to make you aware of the disparity of those that have and those that don’t. Then over the following days, you’ll work with your team to build new friendships. You’ll have new conversations about new observations you will have made. You’ll gain a sense of connectedness as you also begin to build friendships with local children and adults alike. Your heart will grow and break and the same time.
Time and time again we hear that the most difficult part of a short-term mission trip is actually leaving the people and the country. The growth you will experience in the way you view yourself and your place in the world will be some of the best time you have ever invested in yourself.
Yes, short-term trips are impactful. Are you ready?
