Mikkee on missions

Last week there was a blogversation about overseas short-term mission trips. As usual, it was Lane who stirred the pot, followed by Valerie, Elizabeth, and Corey (via Heather). I read them all, but I did not feel qualified to weigh in. I have never been on a foreign short-term mission trip (shocking, I know), and, similar to Valerie, my heart is with the forgotten in my own community. Mikkee, however, is more than qualified to speak up. She gives a little of her background below, so I will just say (for those who don't know her) that Mikkee is among the most compassionate and faithful people I know. This is why she is Asher's godmother; I can't imagine a better person to help shape Asher's faith. Anyway, she wrote a post about short-term mission trips, and since she does not have a blog of her own (though she really should) I am posting it here. Our very own Mikkee, ladies and gentlemen.

It was with much interest that I read the recent posts on the usefulness of short-term missions. I am a Missions and Outreach Director at a church in Nashville, TN. I plan and lead local and global missions opportunities, and in the past, I struggled with whether or not short-term missions are appropriate.

I have an MA in Missions and Intercultural studies, and in my final year, I had to do research and write a paper. I partnered with someone and we ended up writing a 100 page paper looking at the efficacy of short-term missions. Our conclusions, it really depends...who is leading it? who is the host? is there training? what is the age group going?

I always thought I would be going overseas long-term, and God kept shutting the doors and opened wide the door for me to work in the church. I really believe that short-term missions can be life-changing for both sides, or they can be detrimental, especially to the people you serve. Missions (local or global) is really a circular cause and effect, the more our eyes are opened in one way, most often they are just more open.

The first key in short-term missions is relationships! In my first year in my role, I spent my time developing relationships with our missionaries. I even went on a short trip over to visit some of them. Once I spent a year getting to know them, we had a trusting relationship that allowed us to develop strategic plans for short-term teams, and we wrestled with whether or not a trip was wise for their area. No decision was made lightly or without much, much planning going into it. I just got back from taking a team to Ireland. The Irish pastor and his wife wanted us back. It was encouraging to them to share the load a bit, and if we can encourage a long-termer, that IS huge in long-term missions. They need to know that people care about their ministry. Enough to come!

The second key is the leadership. I really don't think that just anyone should be a trip leader...I feel that it is important that qualified people go. If I don't lead a trip, I have a small, small group of people that I would ask, including former long term missionaries and people who have led and gone on many trips.

The third key is the training. If someone goes on a short-term trip out of our church, they must attend 4 training sessions prior to the trip, there is a team training each day of the trip, and a debriefing following the trip. You must train people to go, to train them to think that they are are going to partner with a church. We confront a lot of the ideas that they "need" our help. We do cultural training, etc, etc. I talk them all to death, I am sure:)

The final key, in my mind, is debriefing. You must give a team a chance to talk about their experiences and nudge them to the what next question. To see their community in a new light. I challenge my team members to find a place to serve when they return, if they do not already do so. If the 7 people's hearts were changed who just got back from Ireland, who may rethink things or find new ways to serve or simply pray for our Irish missionaries they meant, to me that is NEVER a waste.