Viewpoint

Rethinking Mission

Four things to consider before you go on a short-term trip.

BY DARRYN OLDFORD

Mission trips can be a great experience for those involved, providing an opportunity to learn about another culture, connect with people with lives very different from your own and develop a stronger faith. But there are also pitfalls to avoid. I offer the following perspective and suggestions after living in South Korea, Israel and Kenya, and studying best practices for charity work in the developing world, as part of a postgraduate degree in international development. 1. People are not props. Everyone, at some point in life, has had a terrible day. Maybe their house burned down, their dog died or a family member was just diagnosed with a serious illness. Now imagine a stranger approaching, asking personal questions about what they are going through and taking pictures to show their friends. The people you meet on your travels deserve the same dignity and respect you would like to be shown. If someone’s house was destroyed in a storm, or they need food rations, or they are in the hospital, ask yourself: “If it were me, would I want this moment captured forever?” If you’re not sure, ask. If you can’t ask, choose to put the camera down. Use Philippians 2:3 as a benchmark. 2. Don’t focus on the bad. A mission trip often revolves around filling a particular need, but a problem arises when we only see people based on their needs—we miss out on the rest of their humanity. When we only recognize poverty, we reduce people to one characteristic that is often beyond their control. Find out more about the people with whom you are working. What are their favourite songs? What foods do they like? What makes them happy? Many trips involve telling people back home about your experiences. Although the reason you went should be the focus of your report, don’t only talk about the negative things you encountered. Pray over Acts 15:4. 3. Remember you are a guest. When going on a mission trip, you are being invited into the communities, and often homes, of local people. You are not only representing yourself, but also the church or organization that sent you. If you were to invite someone for dinner and they spent the entire time complaining or telling you how much better their life is, how likely is it you’d want them to come back? The key is to listen more than you speak. Sit back and observe. Be generous, yet sincere, with your compliments. While abroad, you are an ambassador for all Canadians, so behave as such. Remember 2 Corinthians 5:20. 4. God is God. One of the most dangerous aspects of a mission trip—a byproduct of a colonial past—is to go with the mindset that it is your job to convert people. If it’s your personal mission to bring Jesus to Africa, South America or the Carribean, you are bound to be disappointed. He is already there and already at work. Those best equipped to spread the gospel tend to be locals who understand the language, culture and customs. Church may look different from what you are used to—including, but not limited to, four-hour meetings, incense and traditional songs—but if you quiet your heart and mind you will recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit. Instead of going with the thought of converting people, focus on making connections with other believers. Pray together. Share meals together. Open yourself to the thought that just because someone worships God in a different way, it doesn’t make their relationship with him any less powerful. Meditate on the promise of Acts 1:8.

Hebrews 13:16 says, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Not only is God pleased, but giving of ourselves also builds us up individually. Isaiah 58:10 claims, “If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your light will become like the noonday.” Whether travelling abroad on a mission trip or volunteering with a charity at home, helping others is a holy act. Remembering the dignity and worth of others while doing your good work, however, will ensure you are engaging with the right mindset and an open heart.

#EachforEqual

Seven ways to celebrate International Women’s Day.

BY CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK

The first International Women’s Day was honoured by more than one million people in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Now celebrated around the world, International Women’s Day on March 8 is an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements, while advocating for greater gender equity. Want to join in the celebrations? Here are seven ways you can get involved.

1. Be #EachforEqual An equal world is an enabled world, and it’s up to each one of us to make gender equity a reality. Check out the resources on www.internationalwomensday.com to plan your own event at your corps, workplace or school. You can also download activity cards and selfie cards to help you promote action via social media.

2. Be Inspired by Women in Scripture In a time when women were marginalized and persecuted, many fearless women stood firm in their faith and helped make a difference in God’s kingdom. Take some time to read the stories of the courageous women in the Bible—women like Ruth, who moved with her mother-in-law to a new country; Esther, who risked her life to save her people; Priscilla, who led the early church in Rome; and the five daughters of Zelophehad, who discussed land rights with Moses. Some of these women are well known, while others’ stories are found in less-read portions of Scripture, but all are inspiring and worth revisiting.

3. Learn About a Woman in History Women have helped shape history since the beginning of time. There are great biographies and autobiographies written about these inspiring women—women such as Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, Michelle Obama and even Catherine Booth. Pick up a magazine or newspaper and discover women making history right now—women such as the Governor General of Canada, Julie Payette, and climate activist Greta

Salvation Army personnel strike the #EachforEqual pose in support of International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the achievements of women and mark a call to action to create a gender-equal world

Thunberg. Celebrate these women by learning their stories.

4. Listen to a Woman’s Story And speaking of stories, women don’t need to be famous to have a story worth telling. By listening to a woman’s story, you are giving her a voice and celebrating her value. Call your mother, take your wife for coffee, visit a shutin or sit with a woman at the soup kitchen. Ask her what she’s most proud of in her life or what her most cherished memory is. And then be quiet and receive. Her story is a gift.

5. Ask a Woman for Advice Women are smart and are now employed in every societal role possible, with their participation in the Canadian workforce more than doubling in the last three decades. Still, women fill only 10.3 percent of seats on Canadian advisory boards, while a simple Google search, “Ask a woman for advice,” garners mostly responses that mirror the infamous “Dear Abby” column. Women are able to speak into a wide range of topics beyond dating and relationships and their voices need to be heard. In fact, a 2014 Statistics Canada report identifies studies from Canada, the United States, Australia and Europe which demonstrate that businesses with more women on their boards and in senior management outperform those with fewer women. So next time you need advice, try asking a woman.

6. Support a Woman in Business One of the best ways you can support gender equity is to support a woman who is living it. Do you know a woman business owner? Shop at her store or make use of her company’s services. Not sure where to start? Purchase something from Others—Trade For Hope and empower women around the world who are learning a marketable skill, earning a fair wage and transforming their families and communities. Find out more at www.tradeforhope.com.

7. Celebrate the Women in Your Life Whether it’s your wife, daughter, sister, mother, colleague or friend, it is important to encourage, support and celebrate the great women in your life. Thank them for all they have done for you, throw them a party, pray for them and support their goals and dreams. Honour them in love, not only on March 8, but every day of the year.