Though mission’s trips are an impactful experience, ultimately, the goal of a trip for the participant is to leave the experience being ON MISSION for Christ in their everyday lives!
So how does that happen?
On a trip, participants will work together to medically assist locals in a variety of ways. They will serve those in pain and discomfort and bring healing and relief to their bodies and souls. Watching these transformations will often cause feelings of “being on fire for God!” When people return from mission’s trips, they experience a high that often fizzles out as they distance themselves from the experience. But those who remain “on fire” or are able to see a transformation within themselves are the ones who don’t just let their experience end on the last day of the trip.
Here are a few tips to apply what you’ve learned from a mission’s trip:
1. Make time for intentional debriefing.
In the article, Experience 4 Phases After A Mission’s Trip, we walk you through how to debrief, process, navigate through, and take action after the trip. Proper debriefing will allow the lessons learned to stick and make an impact to the fullest extent.
Here are a few questions from that article to think through:
- What experiences stand out?
- What parts of your trip do you want to capture and remember?
- Why did those experiences stand out?
- What have you learned about God?
- What does your new normal look like?
- How do you want to impact the people around you based on your experience?
- What change do you want to implement into your life?
- What impact can you make as a result of your experience?
2. Stay in close relationship with God.
During a mission’s trip when the central focus is on God, it’s easy to feel connected and to make a difference. But when you jump back into your everyday life, culture, and overall busyness, it’s easy to forget about the one who sustains us. If you want to apply what you learned from your mission’s trip experience, it’s important to stay in close contact with the Lord. Look for ways to express gratitude. Look for those in need — not just physically — but those in need spiritually. You will only notice a spiritual need if you are in tune with the Holy Spirit. Some needs aren’t as obvious as the ones you will see each day on the mission’s field, but they are still needs nonetheless. Allow God to use you and to shift your perspective to see wherever you are as your mission field.
3. Think about what stands out about the trip.
During your debriefing period, take notice of what stands out to you about the trip. Maybe it was the relationships built. Maybe it was the children playing all around you. Or maybe you preached one night to the mission’s team and that experience was something you’ll never forget. More than likely, the experience that stands out to you the most tells you something about your strengths. If you enjoyed the relationships, you can know that it’s important for you to build similar relationships on the other side or to maintain the ones made on the trip! If you enjoyed the children, find a way to continue working with children! If you enjoyed speaking, maybe you can tap into this gift more and more upon your return! Choose to apply what you’ve learned about yourself after the trip has come to an end.
Your life may feel easier when you get back to regular life, but the work you did on the trip shouldn’t end when you get off the plane. It’s important to learn how to translate your experience and continue the mission God has called you to! We hope these tips will help you do just that!
