I've been on quite a few mission trips over the last few years, and i know from experience that when the people can give thanks to someone face to face, it really makes their days a little bit brighter. They know that the money they are recieving isn't just some leftover money that someone put in an envelope; they can visibly see that our service is meant in a genuinely caring way. When we went to Ecuador, there were so many native people hugging us and thanking us for just being there that I actually started to feel ashamed. It's hard for me to imagine ever being that excited about a group of random foreign people coming to my city and building me a church. I think the problem is that as Americans, we can be so focused on how much our culture has to offer that we don't take the time to appreciate those that come from another country; if we do appreciate them it is only because of their funky clothes or their exotic foods. The church that we built was just a small cinderblock building with no accoutrements or decorations, yet to them it was the most priceless thing that in their possession.
Interpersonal mission work affects the people on both sides of the trade-off. Those who are being helped can feel as though the money isn't just a show, and the helpers have developed an understanding of why touching the lives of other people is necessary for our enrichment. I don't believe in going into a mission thinking about what I'll get out of it, but in the end I think the person who receives the best side of the bargain is the one who's life is changed by helping people who need them.
Maybe because we have so much we've lost some of our ability to appreciate the meaning behind a seemingly small gesture?
ReplyDelete