So you are thinking about joining a short term or international youth mission trips. Maybe you feel called to serve, or your youth group or church friends are encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and participate in something bigger.
By volunteering on local or international summer mission trips, you have the opportunity to grow spiritually and deepen your faith.
Volunteering on a local or an international mission trip involves exposing yourself to the unknown, which will impact the way you approach your life and how you want it to be, not just today, but for years to come.
Mission trips can teach you surprising things about just how little you can actually control.
What do we mean by this? Well, summer mission trips will involve a few snags and unplanned things. And one of the most valuable things you may discover is how to go with the flow and make things work, despite your best laid plans. Here are a few pointers to think about:
The weather – it might rain for the entire time, making your daily work and activities a real chore. Pack a raincoat and stay cheerful!
My teammates – someone in your group might really rub you the wrong way. Think of this scenario as an opportunity to learn to get along with people, and learn from them, even if you don’t like their behavior.
If I get sick – you may get sick or need to help a team member that isn’t well. This is part of being a volunteer abroad. Don’t let it get you down.
If I get asked to do things I do not enjoy – this one can be tough, especially if you had a certain idea of what you’d be doing on your youth mission trip but you will definitely learn new skills and discover humility, and maybe even a hidden talent you weren’t aware of.
Our trips are organized around 5-10 day outreaches. Each team gets involved in a vital construction project along with an outreach led by team members that communicate the good news of Jesus Christ. Hundreds have decided to follow Christ each year through Mission Discovery mission trips.
Since Mission Discovery’s beginning, over 30,000 students and adults have built schools, homes and churches and have shared the gospel with hundreds of people in the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Africa, and the United States.
If you decide to volunteer abroad with us, be prepared to encounter the unknown. You’ll have the ideal opportunity to learn, grow and serve.
