I Went on a Mission Trip and Didn't Share Jesus

Well, it’s not entirely true that I didn’t share Jesus. In actuality, we did share Jesus, it’s just that it's illegal to openly evangelize in the country I went to, so we had to be careful about it. For the safety of the Christians serving there, I won’t mention the country. 

This mission trip was unlike any other I’ve participated in, because of how little we spoke God’s name. It actually reminded me of the book of Esther. Did you know God’s name is never mentioned in the entire book? Despite the absence of God’s name, his presence is felt all throughout the events of Esther. 

Just as God’s presence is felt in Esther, God’s presence is felt in the country we served too. We came to serve impoverished refugee children through reading, science, and sports camps. But we experienced God’s presence through the local missionaries working to see their faith become desirable to the people group they serve. We felt God’s presence when we observed one local missionary volunteer as a school teacher serving all day only to follow her students home to help cook and clean the homes of these students' families. 

There were so many more ways we experienced God’s presence but this trip taught me three important lessons: 

1. God's Church is Big

The teacher I just mentioned volunteers in a one room school with no air conditioning because she wants her students to know Jesus. When we were at an Indian restaurant praying over our food, our waiter excitedly approached us to tell us he was a Christian and that his brother was also a pastor. The teachers at the international school encourage their students to connect with their community to talk about Jesus. 

My point in sharing these stories is that we were not bringing God to this country. God is already there. As a part of the church in America, God sent us to this country to further the work of the missionary families there. We got to strengthen and encourage them with the knowledge that there are people back home praying for them and the salvation of the people they serve.

2. Gratitude Makes Horrible Situations Bearable

As I mentioned earlier, the people we served were impoverished refugees. They ran from genocide in their home country to a place they couldn’t access citizenship and healthcare in their new country. And somehow, the students we served were grateful.

If you looked into the faces of these children, you might expect to see despair and hopelessness. These children have plenty of reasons to hate God and the world. And yet, when we looked into their eyes, gratitude looked back at us. These children are grateful for the opportunity to have access to education, and community. They are grateful for what they do have and hopeful for what they could obtain. Despite the horrors of their situation, their gratitude made it bearable.

3. Friendship and Fun Are a Language of it's Own

We didn’t speak the language of the students we served. But through games like “One Fish, Two Fish” and Futsal, laughter and smiling brought together groups of people who shouldn’t get along. By the end of our trip, we didn’t want to leave, and the students didn’t want us to leave them.

God's Name, his Mission, and You.

Unlike my experience in a country across the world, we can freely share Jesus' name here in America. You don’t have to go across the country to experience the presence of Jesus. But maybe you should. God’s mission is not a matter of the country you’re in, but of the posture of your heart.

If you’re a Christian, God calls you to engage in missions and care for the lost here at home, and around the world. 

Maybe it’s hosting a dinner for someone who is an outsider in your community. Maybe it is offering to help a single mother around her home. Or it’s drive your neighbor’s kids to their practice in the evening so their parents can go on a date. Through these actions, you are opening the gate to gospel conversations with someone who may not know Jesus. All throughout scripture we see Jesus loving others and serving them, which is how we should be living our lives as well. If you're interested in learning more about how you can take a step of faith in the mission of God, a team member from my church would love to connect with you. Email us at info@greenhousechurchnc.com. As the book of Esther says, perhaps God is sending you to live on mission, for “such a time as this”. 

Leslie Ayers is a member of Greenhouse Church in Greensboro, NC.