Comments on: Learning from the Aussies http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies/ Candid Talk from Christian Missionaries Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:06:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: joe http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies/#comment-3259 joe Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:23:48 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies#comment-3259 Maybe the people close by are embarrassed that people live in such a way near to them. Maybe the people close by are embarrassed that people live in such a way near to them.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies/#comment-18 Aaron Thu, 08 Jun 2006 03:48:58 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies#comment-18 Garrett, I think this relationship exists primarily because of the time and effort that gets put into a trip by the team leaders before anyone crosses the border. A mission trip overseas takes much more planning and preparation --which results in more prayer time-- than one an afternoon's drive away. Another factor would be cost. If you have a group of 30 people who have been saving for months --again, more prayer time-- for the opportunity to serve vs one who's members consist of those who chipped in for gas money on the way down, that can play a big role also. Some might point to culture as the main reason. They could say Southern Californians live a more rushed life than Australians, but similar, though less dramatic, lines could be drawn comparing groups from San Francisco and Seattle or Portland Oregon and New York. As far as changing the pattern, this may sound cliched and corny, but my advice would be to not make the mission trip about accomplishing a task at hand. Don't make blessing people a line on your check list. And don't come home with a PowerPoint presentation of Americans building a house. Do make it about humbly serving God. It's all about Him. The more everyone keeps that in mind the better the trip is going to be. Garrett, I think this relationship exists primarily because of the time and effort that gets put into a trip by the team leaders before anyone crosses the border. A mission trip overseas takes much more planning and preparation –which results in more prayer time– than one an afternoon’s drive away.

Another factor would be cost. If you have a group of 30 people who have been saving for months –again, more prayer time– for the opportunity to serve vs one who’s members consist of those who chipped in for gas money on the way down, that can play a big role also.

Some might point to culture as the main reason. They could say Southern Californians live a more rushed life than Australians, but similar, though less dramatic, lines could be drawn comparing groups from San Francisco and Seattle or Portland Oregon and New York.

As far as changing the pattern, this may sound cliched and corny, but my advice would be to not make the mission trip about accomplishing a task at hand. Don’t make blessing people a line on your check list. And don’t come home with a PowerPoint presentation of Americans building a house.
Do make it about humbly serving God. It’s all about Him. The more everyone keeps that in mind the better the trip is going to be.

]]> By: Garrett http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies/#comment-17 Garrett Sat, 03 Jun 2006 15:05:05 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies#comment-17 I'm interested to know why you think this is the case, and if you know of any ways this pattern can be changed within a group a person may work with. I’m interested to know why you think this is the case, and if you know of any ways this pattern can be changed within a group a person may work with.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies/#comment-14 Aaron Thu, 01 Jun 2006 04:59:35 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies#comment-14 Dear JD, Thank you for the comment. Yes, friends from other organizations tell me they have noticed a similar pattern with the groups they work with. Here's something equally as mind boggling; Every year we have more groups come to our orphanage in Tijuana from Vancouver, British Columbia, 1,400 miles away, than San Diego, California, a 30 minute drive. Distance seems to play a big role in everything from getting a congregation to commit to serve right on through the experience they have on a mission trip. Dear JD,

Thank you for the comment. Yes, friends from other organizations tell me they have noticed a similar pattern with the groups they work with.

Here’s something equally as mind boggling; Every year we have more groups come to our orphanage in Tijuana from Vancouver, British Columbia, 1,400 miles away, than San Diego, California, a 30 minute drive. Distance seems to play a big role in everything from getting a congregation to commit to serve right on through the experience they have on a mission trip.

]]> By: JD http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies/#comment-13 JD Tue, 30 May 2006 03:29:36 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/Aaron/short-term-missions/learning-from-the-aussies#comment-13 Very surprising to me (and sad) that you've found this to be a pattern. I wouldn't have expected it. I'm wondering if other organizations have found this to be the norm also? Very surprising to me (and sad) that you’ve found this to be a pattern. I wouldn’t have expected it.
I’m wondering if other organizations have found this to be the norm also?

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