a few weeks ago i mentioned a change in language about our not taking missions trips, but going on missions experiences. since that time, but not spurred by my posting ariah has gotten into some great discussion over short term missions. it reminds me of dixon’s deconstructing of the short-term mission trip which was and is an excellent read. he destructed them & then restructured them, so it is fairly balanced. of ariah’s most recent, a letter to returning members of short term missions, post this sticks with me.

What was never said to me, and what I want to say to you now is that
that tugging at your heart, that current impassioned disgust with our
consumeristic culture, that feeling that you should drastically change
the way that you have been living, all of that is the Holy Spirit
instilling truth in you. They are truth’s that you won’t hear preached
from a pulpit, it won’t be the topic of a Youth Group Bible Study, and
you will find very few leaders, mentors, or peers in your life that
will encourage you in your new found convictions and passion, but don’t
give them up. The Holy Spirit has placed a great stirring on your heart
through the unique trip that you have gone on and it would be a shame
to let others snuff that out.

i would like to think of myself as one of those people that does not put out those fires. they are too important. i would hope that i am a person who helps to stoke those embers into fires. maybe though, what i do not do is seek out more firewood….

update: seems more folks are talking about short term missions trips. matt has two postings here on how they suck & more on how they suck, via rethinkingyouthministry folks.