Michael Simmelink outlines some helpful principles to apply for short term mission trips and the thinking process behind partnering with local churches in cross cultural situations.
Affirming the value of cross-cultural experiences, Simmelink maintains that adjustments in thought processes will make them smarter and more fruitful for everyone involved.
These sort of principles inform mgpc’s involvement with other churches.
In some cases the process of discerment can seem very slow, but since we’re seeking to serve others, and not our own needs, we’re growing in patience.
The provision of support aid should be understood as falling under one of three stages:
relief, rehabilitation and development. Relief is only given for a few short months, and usually only after a crisis when basic needs have to be met. Rehabilitation is the process of turning aid-provision over into the hands of the community. Development is what most long-term missions are interested in, and that means creating self-sustaining outposts where missionaries hopefully work themselves out of the job.
Providing aid at an incorrect stage leads to dependence, not empowerment.
Three considerations:
First, short-termers should only be doing projects that are in partnership with long-termers.
Second, mission teams need to recognize the type of aid they are giving and if it is appropriate for the setting.
Third, the community that is being served must be included in the plans.
Read all of How to Make Missions Trips More Effective.
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