The Mission

No, I am not talking about the location, as in where I attended high school, where the best burritos in the city can be found, or where I've been jumped while defending my friends. I'm talking about a different mission...a mission trip.

Growing up, I always heard about people volunteering their time, traveling to a third world country to share about God. My old skool thinking gives me the mental picture of some older, white nuns in their flyaway habits tending to some of the poorest people while trying to preach the Good News of God to them. Later, I noticed that missionaries around the world were being killed by non-Christian groups and I remember thinking, my goodness, is it really worth it to put your own life in danger for such a mission?

Last year, a co-worker of mine traveled with members of her church to Thailand on a two-week mission trip. While she was there, she worked with children, shared stories about Jesus, and helped quite a few non-believers convert to Christianity. Hearing about her trip was so inspiring and I could easily tell that her life dramatically changed in that short amount of time. In fact, her and her husband got the call from God to go back to Thailand. The only difference this time around is that there would be no church group to travel with- if they were to go, it would be on their own. It was a decision that had many factors to think about- could they afford it? would it be safe? where would they stay? how would they get around? what supplies would they bring? And the list goes on. But with the monetary help from supporters, they were able to go to a small village in Thailand and they've been there since Christmas.

Just recently, we were informed that their safety has become an issue. The mission they have undertaken is two-fold. During the day, they work as volunteers in a school where most of the children are orphans. Both husband and wife have experience working with children and so working in a school was a no-brainer. But what makes this school so unique is that these orphans are also former child-prostitutes who were forced into the industry. Apparently in this Thai village, child prostitution is a huge problem and many people are working to put an end to it, my friends included. Unfortunately, while they are "rescuing" these young girls, you can imagine that there are some angry pimps out there. While I may not know all the details, all I do know is that they are thinking of cutting their trip short.

Missionaries are truly some of the world's unsung heroes. In a faithless world, it takes so much courage and heart to go to these countries in hopes that their testimonies will touch someone's life.

I thought I heard the call to go on a mission trip, but I ignored it. I ignored it because I know that I am not ready to do something of that magnitude and plus, I'm scared. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I don't think I'm willing to put my life on the line just yet, but perhaps, when my faith is stronger, one day I will.

Yesterday on our way back from City Hall, a man on BART asked me how many kids were in my class. We struck up a conversation about children, teaching, and from there about the field trip we just went on to just talk about San Francisco. Really, the entire exchange lasted only two stops. Anyways, he commented that he was from Colorado and was only in the city for a day because he would be on his way to Ecuador the following morning. I asked what was taking him there and he said that he was going on a mission trip. I told him about my friends in Thailand and he had this eager look in his eyes as if he couldn't wait to get started. It was so awe-inspiring to see that! It was time for us to go and it didn't hit me until we were walking back to school (the 30 minute trek...) that I should've asked for an email address or something like that so that we, at school, could pray for him. Hmmm...would they even have Internet access? Our friends in Thailand did. Well, I did wish him luck and commented that there should be more people like him doing the kind of work that he'd be doing...and it's true.

For sure, I'm keeping our friends in Thailand in my prayers and hoping for a safe return back to California...and adding to that, just missionaries all around the world, BART dude included, for all the work they do in the name of God.

If you were called on a mission, would you go?