Not a Mission Trip
As I prepared to leave for my summer internship in Guatemala, I had many people say to me, "Have fun on your mission trip!" or "I'll be praying that your mission trip goes well!" While I am touched by the thoughts and prayers offered on my behalf, I always found these phrases slightly troubling, and after a lot of thinking and reflecting, I finally am able to put into words my discomfort. First, I do not define this summer experience as a mission trip in the traditional sense. Let me explain. Every time someone tells me, "I hope God uses you to touch the lives of many people in Guatemala" or "I hope you are blessing during your time there," somehow implies that the people of Guatemala need me in some way. Don't get me wrong, there definitely are deep needs here: financially, medically, and spiritually. However, I don't necessarily think that I am in the position to offer to the people of Guatemala what they are in need of. I am