“Why spend all that money and go half-way around the world when folks here need help?”
I've had a lot of people ask me why I went on a mission trip.
The answer is both simple and complicated—and it started with God. First and foremost, I felt like God wanted me to go. I felt drawn to people in other countries. It wasn’t as simple as hearing an audible voice. It was much more like a yearning, deep inside.
The second reason is totally selfish. I felt totally ineffective in my own spiritual life. I was insulated in our culture—sacred and secular. The time had come for me to experience the way the rest of the world lived.
As much as I looked forward to my trip, I was totally unprepared for the results . . . in me . . . my family . . . my community.
I experienced a personal revival. My entire way of looking at life changed and I was deeply moved by how easy and blessed my life was. I experienced—for the first time ever—how truly wealthy we are in America.
I had the unprecedented opportunity to reach out to loved ones in my family and share the love of Jesus in a different way. This resulted in not only a strengthening of my faith, but theirs as well.
Finally I’ve had opportunities to reach out and impact my community.
So was it worth it? Absolutely.
How about you? Have you had the opportunity to experience something similar? How has it affected your life?
