I understand that they’re all in good spirit and have good intentions, but I don’t understand why people have to go to third world countries to help out when there is poverty and trouble in our own community? A part of me thinks it’s all for show which kind of defeats the point. Also many, many, many of my friends on facebook who go on these mission trips to third world countries post all these pictures of them with the poor children… I feel like they do this in a way to brag? To show in some way that they’re closer to god? I just find it funny because in the bible says:

Matthew 6:2-4
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

I don’t know.. I just feel like it’s all hypocritical. Mabey I’m missing something? I don’t want to sound like I’m bashing peoples beliefs in anyway, I’m christian also, I just really want peoples feed back.

I did seven months in Cameroon when I was at Olivet Nazarene University as part of my Christian studies. It was really rough…seven months in a tent with no running water, electricity, etc. It was heartbreaking at times, but you also get a sense of accomplishment from helping.

Do I think there are many people here in the states who need our help desperately? Yes, I do.And I’m sure I could have done just as much good in rural Appalachia here, if I’d have been given the opportunity to go there with a group.

But Cameroon was one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. You see how people in other countries live (and, unfortunately, die). 80% of the world lives on less than $2 american a day.

I will be honest and say I’m no longer a Christian (for reasons totally unrelated to this question) but I have never forgotten what I saw in Cameroon or the children there…especially the two and three years olds dying of HIV in their mother’s arms.

As for bragging…I’ve nothing to brag about. I did nothing that another person couldn’t do…and I did much less than I should have done.

Now, I do not agree with church policies in sub saharran Africa. As I’m sure you know, the Catholic charities have taken over in that region and it has been a death sentence. They are of course discouraging the use of condoms, and that’s in a region where four million are dying per year of HIV and where 87% of the women contract the virus from their own husbands, but yet they are not allowed to use condoms to protect themselves from their husband’s virus.

I still want to help the poor, but now I give to secular organizations like UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, SHARE and OXfam. They feed the hungry and supply aid and medicine WITHOUT trying to convert the starving to a doctrine in exchange for a bowl of rice.

I’m entirely serious about moving to Japan after graduation. I want to be able to get familiar with some of the areas, as well as the people. I’m also very spiritual (Christian, I guess), and so a mission trip to Japan sounds like the best thing for me.

I’d also be fine with a long term (a few years), if there would be a way to be enrolled in a high school (I’m an upcoming junior now).

Do any of you know of free/low rate or scholarship-available mission trips to Japan? I would be able to do bible studies, work with kids&teens, I will hopefully have an okay knowledge of the language (so maybe a little kid english teacher?) and can cook, do work, etc.
Oh, the main financial issue would be the plane costs :\

No free trips for short-term volunteering, sorry.

Funding Your Volunteering Abroad Trip
http://www.coyotecommunications.com/stuff/fundingabroad.html

Volunteering abroad
http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volunteer/international.html
Includes links to databases of study abroad/volunteer abroad programs

They just left on their private plane, I was laughing as they flew off but now I’m kinda worried.

North Korea is Best Korea. Justin Bieber tours Best Korean because he know it is the BEST Korea. Send your friends to best korea.

I want to do something next summer (or during the school year, doesn’t matter) and get involved in international outreach mission work. Next summer I’ll be a junior in highschool, so I don’t know what’s available to me or how to find a organization. I know I can get better information from my church and everything, but right now I’m just sifting my options and figuring out how to find a group or organization to go with, where it’s going, and what I’ll be expected to do… be it relational, physical or aiding. I’m in southern Oklahoma/texoma area, if that helps.

Find one that actually goes to help people, not just as a religious selling tool.

I want to do something next summer (or during the school year, doesn’t matter) and get involved in international outreach mission work. Next summer I’ll be a junior in highschool, so I don’t know what’s available to me or how to find a organization. I know I can get better information from my church and everything, but right now I’m just sifting my options and figuring out how to find a group or organization to go with, where it’s going, and what I’ll be expected to do… be it relational, physical or aiding. I’m in southern Oklahoma/texoma area, if that helps.
I homeschool so I am not connected with any school.
Price is no deterrent… neither is whatever labor is involved. God will send me where he wants me, regardless of the details.

you really will find the best information at your church. I’m going on my church’s high school mission trip this summer. keep in mind that they are expensive though. I’m going to one in-state and it’s over $300. you will be expected to build houses, feed people, etc. sometimes groups may do stuff like put on a VBS for the kids. good luck!!

*edit* Joel Osteen’s church is called Lakewood Church, but it’s in Houston. Lakewood, Texas is near Dallas

I need to raise a few thousand dollars for my India mission trip. any good sponsors that you can think of? thanks for all your help
Yes i do believe Christ died for our sins. I believe Christ is the only way to salvation. I belong to a Bible church and serve with the kids. the India Mission trip i am going to be apart of is helping with the Asian Christian Academy doing VBS and Backyard Bible Clubs.

If your trip is for a genuine and charitable purpose, several Christian Missionaries are there to come forward to sponsor your trip. A search with raising your intention amongst the society will be helpful to you.

im 14 years old and i really want to go on a missions trip to africa. but the problem is i dont have the time to go this year, so i would like to go in 2011 in july or august. but don’t i have to start planning it now? i cant find a mission trip planned that far away….i dont know what to do.

Ask this group for help: http://www.ntm.org

Here is their contact information: http://www.ntm.org/quicklinks/contact.php?page=contact%20us

They do trips to Africa as well as around the world

No don’t worry about getting killed
.
It’s the disappearing thing that keeps happening
.
That you got to worry about
.

Lately, I’ve become extremely interested in participating in a mission trip, but I have no idea how to go about it. I’d be open to any location. The only problem is, I’ll need subsidy. My family is going through a rough time, and I just don’t have the money to go on a mission. If anyone knows of any mission trip organizations that offer financial aid, please let me know! It’d be a great help! Thanks in advance.

I think that most churches that offer financial assistance or who cover the cost of the trips require one to be a member of that church or at least that denomination. I’ve always gone to a small, non-denominational church, and the people going on mission trips from our always had to pay their own way.

I know it sounds bad but I do not go to church very often and am not particularly affiliated to one. I went on a medical mission trip to honduras with my grandmothers church and loved it, but would like to try and find something new. My boyfriend would like to go on one with me, he is catholic i am christian… what do i go through. We mostly just want to help people out.

Thank you!

Yes, of course you can. Contact the Red Cross. Or offer to go with a church mission you both agree on, MOST churches are glad to have the help. There are other missions that the medical community sponsors…check with them…just search medical missions to look.

There is, of course, the Peace Corp, who are always willing to take people who can help others. Unicef is yet another.