I remember well my first trip to Haiti. Our team prepared and prayed together, met with missionaries to help us get an understanding of culture, planned and packed ALL of our donations...and the whole time had the attitude of, "It's not about me, I'm going to serve...to share Jesus with the people of Haiti." Please hear me out. I know some of you may not agree, but I'm challenging you to see short term missions (STM) in a different light. Maybe STM really are all about you. And guess what? That's OK! When we arrived in Haiti, I was overwhelmed by the number of people smiling at me and asking me if I knew Jesus. Here I was, thinking that I was going to be sharing Jesus with them! And over my first 10 days in the country, I saw a lot of joy, love and faith. I learned a lot from these strangers about relationships and family and what is important in life. Craig returned the next year and learned even more. He realized that the work he was doing (with a servant's heart) was actually putting Haitian's out of a job. It's hard for organizations to come up with enough money for the projects that need to be done and to hire Haitians to do the work. However, teams are willing to raise thousands of dollars to come and do the work themselves. What would it look like if these people would raise money for a trip and then send the money and not really go? If it really isn't about YOU, wouldn't that be ok? BUT - I do believe there is a purpose in STM. If Craig and I never would have gone on that first trip, there is no way that we would be living here today. So what should it look like? I don't claim to know all the answers, but I do want to share what I've learned. - Come to Haiti. Visit. Be a tourist. Learn about its culture and people. Stay in one of the nice hotels, spend money...boost the economy!
- Keep an open mind. Let yourself be challenged and changed. Just a little word to the wise...the first world doesn't know how to do everything the right way...we can learn from others too!
- Don't bring a ton of donations from the States...raise money and buy things here in country. Yes, you can find almost ANYTHING here on the island that you would donate...toothpaste, soap, shampoo, medicine, sandals, underwear, etc. Most just don't have the money to purchase them. And...when you bring those donations from the States, you're putting the vendor down the street out of business.
- Never do for the poor what they have (or could have) the capacity to do for themselves.
- Financially support long term organizations and people who you believe in so that they have the resources they need to help empower the local people.
- IF you feel led...find ways to invest long term into the people of Haiti...empowering them to rebuild their country. So many who visit Haiti leave with part of their heart still here. These people love their country even more than we do...so let their visions, not ours, become a reality.
"Contrary to popular belief, most missions trips and service projects do not: empower those being served, engender healthy cross-cultural relationships, improve quality of live, relieve poverty, change the lives of participants [or] increase support for long-term missions work." - Robert Lupton Toxic Charity
Click here to read more "Think critically about cross-cultural engagement. Be convicted if you are harming the church in other cultures. But know that in the end, God is still on his throne, and his work will be accomplished." - Darren Carlson The Gospel Coalition
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