Today I post a guest blog from David Michael, one of our elders.  David is a missionary kid from Columbia, South America, who recently became a reluctant participant on one of our "amateur" mission trips to Mexico.  Here are his comical, yet insightful words of reflection.

Just so you know, I have never understood the purpose of Short-Term Missions. My parents were the “Long-Term” missionaries. I always looked at short-termers the way that a serious hiker/camper views RV “camping”. I am a short term mission snob. When Todd asked me to go to Mexico on a short term trip, I scoffed. Out of my mouth spilled the list of why this was a bad idea:

 1. I have a baby at home.

2. I don’t have enough leave time from work.

3. What good could be accomplished in 5 days? How can you establish meaningful relationships in order to share about Jesus?

4. I cannot afford to pay for a trip.

5. Short term missions become a glorified vacation.

6. Short term missions become about the sending church feeling good about doing something globally without really becoming involved. (Go, build something, drop some money and never return).

7. I don’t want intestinal weirdness from eating native foods.

So, what do you think? Does this sound like good enough reasons to you? Sure convinced me. I am not writing this because I am trying to convince you to go. I am not writing so that you will think that I am some fabulous spiritual person because I went. I am writing to give witness that God accomplishes His work even with an unyielding instrument like me.

What opportunities are in my life to grow in faith? God put this trip in my path. I felt as though I should view it as an opportunity to walk in faith. I wish that I could say that I ask this question every day. Maybe I need to be more sensitive to the needs of my wife, kids or even co-workers. Maybe I need to share Jesus with someone, stop to help someone with a broken car, mow my neighbor’s yard, call someone when they come to mind. Maybe I need to go to Mexico? There is nothing mysterious about God’s call. It may not even be a heavenly voice. The deal is, what will you do with the opportunities that God places in your path?

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him”.

I went, and I find it difficult to describe the reward of listening to this call. I can tell you that it was worth it and God has used it to grow me and my family. The strange thing is that I now want more opportunities. (I did not expect that to happen. I figured that once I got off the roller coaster I would just be glad to be on firm ground again). I can tell you without blinking that God has used me for going.

In the end, I don’t have perfect answers to all of my short term missions reservations. God did take care of my family, my job and the expense of going. It was not a vacation, it was work—but it was the kind that restores your heart. The short relationships were rewarding like those of summer camp. I did get some intestinal weirdness, but this too shall pass. Maybe I will consider short term missions after all. Maybe, just maybe, God can use me “short-term” as long as I act in faith.