Missions Training

I spent the last few days at a training for United Methodist Mission Volunteers. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I had the germ of an idea that I could use my interest in learning Spanish to help others somehow.

As I searched for non-profits to work with, I was disappointed to find that many organizations charged significant fees to get involved with their programs. I thought about working with my church (the United Methodist Church, or UMC), but I knew that I didn’t want to make a years-long commitment to serve as a missionary. I kept looking for a way to get involved, and I learned about a program called Mission Volunteers that allowed for placements that were a little shorter — as little as two months. 

The application process includes an interview and a background check, and then I received an invitation to attend the Mission Volunteer training. The training begins with a beautiful worship service led by people from the ELCA — the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The training was unique in that it was shared between the UMC, the ELCA, and two other denominations: the Disciples of Christ, and the United Church of Christ. We heard stories from people who were serving all over the world — Nigeria, Milawi, United Kingdom, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, Ecuador, and more. I was surprised to hear that there were so many projects in the United States. They are all over, from Alaska to Florida. 

What do Mission Volunteers do? It depends on the site, but some examples include teaching English, working with preschool children, doing the financial work for an organization, providing medical care, or helping to get a site ready for a church group to come and work. Every project has different needs, and one of the challenges is finding a volunteer with the right skills for each placement. 

So why, you may ask, am I doing this? One of the other pastors in our group said, “To the rest of the world, this must seem pretty weird. We have to pay our own way, we aren’t in charge, and it may not be comfortable or convenient. All we are doing is trying to follow Jesus.” I feel a sense of calling to do this, but I really don’t know why. I do know that as we went through the training and learned more about the program, I felt that I was in the right place. Our discussions focused on topics that I care about: how do we know we are not harming the local population? How do we make projects sustainable? And what is a success? Our answers were sometimes long and convoluted, but wrestling with the issues was satisfying. 

To the rest of the world, this must seem pretty weird. — A Mission Volunteer Trainee

The Bible studies that we did over the last few days were some of the most interesting that I have taken part in. Others brought new perspectives for me, and I even learned about new Bible translations. We worry about what to pack for Mission work, and Jesus sent people out telling them to take nothing with them. It isn’t enough to say, “Well, that was a long time ago.” Nothing is still nothing. Why did he give that instruction? And what does it mean for us as modern day missionaries? I’m still chewing on that one. 

I don’t yet know exactly where I am going to serve, or what I will be doing. I’ll get more information from specific sites over time. I have narrowed my options to locations where Spanish is the primary language. The only thing I really know is that I feel called to serve. I’ll keep you updated on how it is going.