Why do overseas missions

Experience the vibrant culture and welcoming communities of the Pacific on a volunteer trip with IVHQ. Choose from a range of life-enriching programs, from preserving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and coastal waterways in New Zealand to teaching on the beautiful island of Fiji. Joining a mission trip is one of the best ways to step outside of your comfort zone, gain new perspective and give back to communities in need. Since , IVHQ has supported thousands of young people to volunteer around the world on our youth mission trips.

We offer safe and affordable volunteer opportunities for teens and high school students in 17 destinations around the globe. Instead of doing a study exchange, many are opting for a more meaningful form of international travel - one that is regenerative and makes a positive impact on local communities. IVHQ offers mission trips for college students in more than 50 destinations around the world.

The best part? Lots of IVHQ programs offer private room and accommodation upgrades at a very affordable price! If you have young children, IVHQ has great options that will give you quality time together while instilling the values of service. Our team of Volunteer Travel Experts can provide you with personalized family mission trip recommendations to match your budget and the causes you care about.

Learn more about how you can go on a mission trip as a family here. This means you can get away and experience a new culture without needing to take ample time away from your day-to-day priorities. Our short-term mission trips are designed for those who want to maximize impact in a short period of time and are perfect for students and professionals who are looking to take an alternative break. Summer is one of the most popular times of year to go on a mission trip, allowing you to immerse yourself in a new culture and interact with locals while soaking up the sunshine.

Got questions? Message our volunteer Travel Experts. We're here to guide you through an unforgettable volunteer experience. Get exclusive offers, program opening updates, travel inspo, volunteer stories, scholarships and competitions… Straight to your inbox!

Covid Find out where you can travel with no quarantine and free changes , volunteers since Join Jesus Christ. Some were trying to attract them [by offering] visas or money to change their religion.

In some places, accusing people of performing missionary work is a way to target Christian communities. In India, for instance, Hindu right-wing activists have accused Christians of being missionaries or attempting conversions , using this as a pretext to attack Christians. And missionaries themselves face danger in some countries. Last year, for instance, two Chinese somethings reportedly working as missionaries in Pakistan were kidnapped and killed in an attack claimed by ISIS.

In other cases, missionaries confront political and cultural barriers. She and her group shifted their focus to working with local church members instead. In the end, people choose the work over other options because they feel it gets at something fundamental. Skip to content Site Navigation The Atlantic. Popular Latest. The Atlantic Crossword. Sign In Subscribe. But since the very beginning, God has been in the business of pushing his people out of their current context and sending them into the wider world.

Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel are all notable examples. God sent Israel as a whole and Abraham, Moses and many others in particular. He left his own throne to live with us. But to what end? To the end of blessing the nations, of bringing the good news of his kingdom to the lost and broken kingdoms of the world. It will not do, then, to separate local ministry from global work, picking and choosing the emphasis that suits our purpose.

If we pray for global needs, we draw our attention beyond our immediate needs and might overlook the more obvious opportunities next door. Practicing generosity tends to foster a heart of generosity, which can spill over into all areas of life. Mobilizing fervent prayer for the nations can be an easy way to open hearts to local needs as well.

Quite apart from draining precious resources, global engagement multiplies our ability to engage locally too. Two years ago, I met a family who expressed their desire to move to the Middle East as missionaries.

The specific location on their hearts is one of the most difficult places in the world to reach; the odds of this family ever acquiring the skills to successfully live on mission in that context were nearly impossible.

At the same time, they shared with me that the Lord had cultivated their heart for this people by embedding them among a community of expatriates in their home city.

As we spoke, they told me story after story of individuals from this people group whom they knew at a deep level and with whom they would soon be able to share the gospel. The truth is that this family was having a greater global impact in their own city than they would ever have overseas.

It was once true that the only way to reach China, Pakistan or Japan for example was to physically move to these places, live among the people, learn their language and share the gospel in their context.

Of course, there are many people groups that still require this kind of engagement, but the distinction between local and global mission is becoming murkier by the day.

Today, it is most likely that your best opportunity to reach the unreached will come from getting involved in outreach within your own city or state. You may not have the opportunity to take the gospel across borders, but you certainly have the opportunity to reach the unreached in your backyard. Our God is never constrained by geography, and his singular mission requires both local and global engagement. Short-term mission workers offer key support to long-term mission strategies. They help fuel spiritual passion in locals and empower them to live a life of religious devotion.

Your exact role depends on what project you join and what your goals are. As you learn about the best mission trip organizations, look for those that put the needs of the local community above all else.

You have plenty of great choices, so do your research. You may even find the best mission trip organization for what you want to do right in your hometown! Church organizers put the trips together and the adventures serve as a way to more deeply integrate members into the faith, especially the youth. Ask around and make calls to see what trips are happening. You can also search for opportunities through a non-profit regional or national mission trip organization.

For instance, Maryknoll Mission Trips offers lay Catholics around the world the chance to serve as an ambassador for the Catholic faith while engaging in service work.

Through their volunteer mission trips, you can serve throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Additionally, know the mission. This way, you can understand if the trip will be fulfilling for you personally and spiritually. Religious mission trips very often focus on construction, teaching , childcare, and healthcare.

You should also know that you can participate in initiatives specific to a religious sect or join an interdenominational faith mission. The broader, interdenominational mission societies still commit themselves to bringing the news of God to locals. This will enable you to choose the best mission trip for you and have a truly transformative experience. With volunteer experiences available in 17 countries across South America, Africa, and Asia, Plan My Gap Year offers volunteer programs in the areas of childcare, medical care, teaching, wildlife preservation, and more.

Their programs range in length from one week to 40 weeks or more. Through PMGY , you could:. Do medical volunteering, work with kids, join an eco-agriculture project , protect sea turtles, or get involved with hands-on community development work. Maximo Nivel even has internships in fields like human rights , education, and medicine, giving you the chance to gain practical experience and do good.

Known for their affordability, transparency, and strong commitment to local communities, Love Volunteers operates in more than 34 countries. Established in , Projects Abroad has become a highly trusted name in volunteering abroad. They have projects across every continent. Through Projects Abroad, you could:. Alai International aims to empower volunteers to make a positive difference as they roam the globe.

Depending on your needs and aspirations, you could take a short-term, mid-term, or long-term mission trip. Length also varies depending on if you sign up for a religious or non-religious mission trip see details below. Religious mission trips have a specific structure. How long you stay depends on the organization and specific requirements of your religion.

With some mission trip organizations, you can serve for a few months or more. Long-term missions do exist and usually require that you stay at least two years. Do note that some denominations, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , have followers that commonly go on longer mission trips.

Those in the LDS church serve anywhere from 18 months to three years abroad. Mission trips for non-religious groups offer you a different selection when it comes to location, activities and tasks, and length of stay.