OVERVIEW
Introduction to Mission Trips 101
Welcome to new adventures
and possibilities for life-transforming experiences in "going forth"
into short term missions. If traveling to sections of the developing
world that have large populations below the poverty level (formerly
called "third world"), you will most likely be in for some heart-wrenching,
and even temporarily depressing/emotional encounters with many suffering
children and adults. But you should also become "more aware" of your
potential to help others and more "alive" --or attuned to life, by going
out of your "comfort zone" and venturing into new areas of service in
ministry to others in greater need than you may have ever personally
experienced yourself! Imagine being greeted warmly by a whole village
of natives happy to see you!
SHOULD
you go on a mission TRIP? If so, what type of TRIP should you take?
Certain trips are NOT for everyone! Certain persons should RECONSIDER
even thinking about going with certain teams or trips. YOU need to ASSESS
for YOURSELF whether you can function effectively and BE A BLESSING
to the TEAM and to THE PEOPLE TO BE SERVED! DON'T put that decision
on your pastor, team leader, or others--whether you should go or not!
Maybe you need to consider whether your personality or outlook will
do more harm to the team and purpose?
Now,
on the other hand, you must also be willing to grow and change and be
willing to take on new adventures and challenges. So GOING on a trip
may be the BEST thing you could ever do to "recharge" your Christian
life and experience. This should be YOUR decision, with respect to your
Pastor and group leader, and your obligation to prove this to them,
BEFORE you are accepted for any particular trip! This course, if you
allow it to fully impact you, should prepare you to make a more informed
decision.
This
course should help you assess your gifts/talents, your ability to function
as a team member, the type of mission trip that you should consider--and
types of trips that you should NOT consider. You will also be able to
check your life views and certain attitudes that could be a hindrance
to understanding other people and other cultures. Many will even discover
that they have certain points of view on many topics that are very "uninformed"
and "outright wrong" concerning mission approaches. Whether traveling
with a team of friends, or with a group mainly from your own church,
or, if you are joining a group composed of persons from various churches
or professional backgrounds, this course should help to prepare you
to "roll with the punches" and sometimes "constantly changing" situations
that you may encounter in your mission experience. Hopefully, you will
acquire some skills and needed information that can help you with ANY
trip ANYWHERE in the world, and help you to grow in your faith and daily
walk with God.
What
you personally gain from your mission trip experience, and how you allow
it to shape your future life and service for God, will be determined
greatly by your own attitude and reactions to the new experiences and
environment and people you will serve. AS you freely give to others,
of yourself, your gifts, and sacrificed treasure (financially and otherwise),
you will be transformed.
Depending
on where you go and your personal reactions to what poverty/tragedy
you witness, you may return home with a sense of "hopelessness" for
the overwhelming needs that cannot possibly be totally met or easily
resolved. We hope to give you some helpful suggestions on how to overcome
"counter-culture shock" and how to convert it into productive response
that will truly do some good for those you "hurting" over and to help
you find greater fulfillment in your personal faith experience by it!
We
suggest this course for you, and for anyone who might consider going
on a mission trip anytime in the future. We also suggest that it may
be taken by veteran missionaries and ministers to give them encouragement
and more insight into the nature and purpose of mission trips. And we
suggest this course for ANYONE and EVERYONE who may be interested in
expanding their personal spiritual growth and to help expand and open
their minds to other persons and other cultures.
There
are exercises, tests, quizzes, and other valuable tools and tips--that
you will NOT find anywhere else, that can help you gain fresh insight
and vision for your daily Christian walk and for a renewed fervor and
devotion in service to God and others! For the
$30 donation receive a diploma--and just for this first year, I am offering
a Personal Christian slef-improvement evaluation and suggestions for
growth and type of team you should join--sent by e-mail or regular mail,
based on your final exam answers (worth over $75 in many organizations)!
Course
completion/diplomaWITH the $30 donation makes you an ABBA Associate
and entitles you to receive information on discounts for future ABBA
trips (non-transferable to anyone else). Tentative trip dates for 2007
are June 14-28, July 1--15, August 1--15, approximate dates. Trip costs
are $40 per day and include "combination" type of trip activities.
Groups may request their own dates throughout the year. Trips include
FREE DAYS with optional tourist activities included in the cost. Travel
arrangements to San Jose are your responsibility, but travel guidance
is available upon request.
GET
SIGNED UP FOR CLASS TODAY!
CLICK THE
LINK BELOW TO GO TO THE COURSE!
Live Seminars are available for self-improvement
(attitude transformation), travel guidance, and mission trip preparation
during authors U.S. Tour Dates! NO CHURCH OR GROUP IS TOO SMALL--ESPECIALLY
IF NEAR DESIGNATED TRAVEL AREAS!
ALL MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED & MAY NOT BE DUPLICATED
FOR PUBLIC USE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION BY AUTHOR!
