#missions trips

[glassslippers-and-tinywhiskers]

"Called, Not Qualified: Part 1w/ Jamie Wright and Emily Worrall of Barbie Savior" from Failed Missionary by Corey Pigg on Apple Podcasts

Who is called, and who is qualified?  Contents: 00:00 - General Housekeeping02:06 - Intro04:46 - The Lies We Tell Ourselves11:16 - Listene

Anyone interested in the Duggar’s or Fundies in general should check this out

[livingtoliveforhim]

short term missions

Recently, I felt called to go on a short-term missions trip. One of the girls at the Christian Fellowship Club at school shared about her summer in Bangladesh serving in a girl’s orphanage. It really stuck a chord with me so I decided to actively look for ways I could serve God’s Kingdom this summer. I think that serving young girls in Bangladesh might be something I could be really good at. I also looked into a trip to Ireland and a couple others. 

Please pray for me as I try to figure out where God wants me to serve this summer.

[concordiairvine]

From the President

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we approach the end of our 40th academic year, we are thankful to our good and gracious God for His abundant blessings. Many things have changed at Concordia since 1976 when we began the school year with one building, 36 students and five faculty members. We are now a university of over 4,500 students, taught by 155 full-time faculty members on a beautiful main campus with over 20 buildings and on two nearby satellite campuses.

What hasn’t changed for 40 years is our commitment to providing excellent academic programs of study while remaining faithful to our Lutheran heritage. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ and preparing students to “make disciples of all nations.”

These commitments are realized in the 41 excellent academic programs offered at Concordia and through the interaction of faithful faculty members with students, a rich campus ministry program, a great variety of theology courses, and multiple mission and service opportunities on and off campus.

To Him be the glory for allowing us to serve with excellence and faithfulness for 40 wonderful years.

Kurt Krueger, PhD President

The President’s Letter and more news about Concordia University Irvine can be found in the CUI Magazine, Spring 2016 edition. Click here to receive print copies of CUI Magazine.

[curamericasglobal]

So here’s a hypothetical conversation between you and us...

You: I think your photos are beautiful and would love to take a few of my own while on a trip. But I’m worried about a few things. Who can volunteer?

Us: Hooray. We would love for you to go on a trip with us.  Anyone can be a volunteer!  The projects you can support are varied and the needs are great. 

You: So you’re saying I don’t have to be a doctor?

Us: No way!  Students, retirees, administrators, IT professionals, entrepreneurs, financial professionals and all other types of professionals have volunteered with Curamericas Global.

Health professionals are always welcome and can provide direct services along with educational trainings for our partners.  Health education is our number one contribution from volunteers because knowledge leaves a long-lasting impact. No matter your profession or experience, you can provide valuable support.

Each volunteer will be matched to a project based on their skills and desires as they match with the needs of our partners, to create a mutually-beneficial and high-impact experience.

You: Are there any language requirements to volunteer abroad?

Us: Yes we want you to speak every language ever. JUST KIDDING. There are no language requirements abroad.  Spanish language is ONLY required for individual volunteers who are not part of a group or who are participating in long-term expeditions.  The national language in Liberia is English.  Sufficient interpreters will be provided for volunteers to Guatemala (Spanish, Chuj, Akateko), when the trip option is available, Haiti (French, Haitian Creole, Spanish).  The more language skills you have, the deeper your interactions with our partners and beneficiaries and your experience can be more fulfilling.  Start studying!

You: So if I am doing all of the work, why should I pay to volunteer for you?

Us: Good question. your program fees cover essential expenses. These aren’t administrative costs to pay for pencil pushers like in the movie Office Space. Your fees cover all in-country travel costs including three square meals per day plus water and snacks (we, at Curamericas realize people get hangry), lodging, transportation including airport pick up and drop off, and activities plus interpretation service and a tag along handy dandy Curamericas facilitator (if your group requests one). These costs are not a burden we want to place on locations that have dilemmas of their own.

You: Well that makes senses (We thought so) Are my payments at least tax-deductible?

Us: Of course. Curamericas Global is a 501(c)3) organization and contributions are deductible to the full extent under IRS regulations.

You: Well now I’m super excited. (We thought you might be) Can I have help fundraising for this trip, I’ve never done this before.

Us: Sure, sure sure. It’s kind of one of our favorite parts because fundraising is an important part of the international volunteering experience. By sharing the passion you have with family and friend who can help you raise the funds necessary for your trip is vital. Contact us for more info on how to raise funds for your trip. 

[glohrie]

I need to raise a little more money to get to Belize... Would you guys help me in anyway if I got ads or idk anything like that ??

[laustindiary]

39 out of 50

I am not a person who easily asks people for help. I am a firm believer that I can do the things I sign myself up for on my own. I have a terrible idea that what I can do can get me through, solo, on my own and that is not the case.

We are made to be relational creatures, and a part of that is recognizing our weaknesses and asking those around us for help, even when we are too proud to ask. So here it goes, my current weakness:

I love people. People give me hope and joy and happiness, but they also cause me immense sadness. A year ago I finally burnt out. I had given anything and everything that I am to be there for people, to encourage them, to support them only to find when I needed to lean, I only had myself. People didn't care what was happening in my life, and I finally stopped caring about theirs.

I haven't been keeping up with people, which means for the past year I have become even more distant from the people who were already distant from me (if that was even possible). So now I am turning to strangers and even a few friends that follow me on here (I think) for help.

The past two summers I have gone to Kumasi, Ghana, West Africa for missions. I cannot (and I have tried) to put words to what that place means to me. The culture of that country, the love and grace of those people brings me life in a way that I cannot experience over here in America. There is something about being there that awakes something deep within my soul, and I miss it. I miss it so much that often I find myself crying when I think simply on the memory of the smell, the feel of the sun on my face, the laughter of children, the vibrant colors that are constantly around you while you are there. I miss it and this year I don't get to go back.

The Ebola Virus kept our school from sending any students to any part of Africa (a decision you can imagine I didn't agree with at all). So instead after being approached and asking for more leaders I am now leading a missions trip to Lautoka, Fiji. Now you can imagine that I have gotten many questioning looks when I tell people that I am leading a missions trip to Fiji. I often get the remarks of "Don't work TOO hard". People put an emphasis on the TRIP and forget the most important word in front of it, MISSIONS. We are going to minister to the Fijians and assist with building and helping different facilities that long term missionaries currently maintain and minister through there.

I could go on and on about what we are doing in Fiji, but you have already read this far. I am attaching two different links that both give an understanding of what we are doing there in Fiji, and if you could please help me raise 39% of my funds by the end of this week, and pass this on that would be wonderful anything helps. And please continuously pray for the people of Fiji, the missionaries of Fiji, the countries around the world, and all the missionaries that spend their life serving others.

Thank you.

http://www.gofundme.com/getlaurentofiji

http://hereiamlordsendme68.blogspot.com/

[ilmachia]

So this morning I was the grumpy atheist being dragged to church, except I looked fabulous courtesy of Express and my new found love of lipstick. But my gears were really grinded this morning because of an upcoming missions trip to Honduras. This might be the third trip there at least, and I shudder to think of all the money being spent on what is literally just a glorified vacation for Christians. Like I really hate missions trip because like I said, it's a fucking vacation. Thousands of dollars dumped into sending a group of pithy church goers to a foreign country, and to do what? Personally deliver medical supplies and maybe build facilities that the locals are capable of building themselves? There is honestly NO REAL REASON they need to send half the goddamn church to Honduras. The funds would be put to better use stimulating the economy and improving the infrastructure, or employing locals to do the exact same fucking work. But no Christians want to go over and take pictures with little black kids and set up churches and do bible studies and hand out used clothing. The patronizing tone of these missionary trips is what is the most dangerous in my opinion. It's what drove the colonization of Africa, that and power. And today's mission outreach programs are just a different way of shaping power dynamics in favor of the Christian Western world. And then they come back with stories about the locals there and how bizarre their customs and how little they understood about Christ but ohemgee they do! It reminds me of the last bit of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart when the commissioner is thinking about the book he'll write about "bringing civilization" to the "savages". And it shows how completely dehumanized and patronized people in impoverished countries are by Christians. Like the Commissioner reduces the complex character Okonkwo to a fucking paragraph in his book about the "adventures" he has in Africa to give to other westerners to read so they can marvel at the drama of his misfortune. That's what literally happens after missions trips where the team members come back and tell stories about these poor impoverished kids in Honduras but what a positive fucking impact THEY had on those kids. And it's all for the sake of an experience for them. Like fuck you using people in an underdeveloped nation as a way for you to titter over "how happy they are despite having so little" as they try to strip their dignity away and pity them all while being a fucking white savior like skdbeksnfkekddkdbd I fucking can't. I fucking hate missions trips.

[revolver-ocelot-official]

A big step today.

Today, very soon, i will be the liturgist at my church. It's definitally a huge step for me, considering it's also the day we commision my dad off on his missions trip to Cuba. So, yeah. A big step for me today in leading my congregation.