Today’s episode is all about short-term mission trips! The $2 billion annual industry that takes 2+ million Americans on national and international trips each year. Why do we do this, and what (if any) are the benefits short and long-term?
At their best, short-term trips are powerful and transformative experiences both for those who are going, and for those who are receiving the team. However, at their worst they can be a tremendous waste of time and resources, and conduits for harm and exploitation. This episode details the differences between terrible and fantastic trips, concluding with nine check-list questions that every short-term leader and team member should work through before planning on going to serve:
- Do they have a respectful presence in the community?
- Does your work continue when you leave?
- Are you invited?
- Are you actually helping?
- Who gets to decide the need and the response?
- Are you stuck in emergency principles?
- Are you creating dependency issues?
- Are you (or your team) going for the right reasons?
- Are all levels of leadership employing best practice?
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