It is sometimes said, "Christianity is better caught than taught." That is also true of global missions. For that reason, we participated in this trip as a family. Pictures and stories can only communicate so much information. To truly appreciate the work, you have to experience it. Meet the people. See the need. Hold the child. Serve the meal. Being a witness for Jesus in other lands can lead us to be a more faithful witness for Jesus at home.
Laura and I want our children to see the difficult conditions in another culture so they can better appreciate the blessings they enjoy in the US. And we want them to see in Guatemala how they can invest their life in other people so they might learn about true life in Christ. To this point in the trip (Thursday morning), we have: helped build stoves for families living in the landfill, seen adults confess faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior, taught and played with children at our partner school, and visited children at an AIDS hospital. And we have talked about what we have seen each day and what God is teaching us.
I have participated previously in global missions. But as a parent with young children in the home for most of our marriage, it has always been better for me to go alone. Leaving my family for 10 days to 2 weeks has always one of the hardest aspects of global missions. That's why it's such a blessing to be able to participate in this FAMILY mission trip. We do ministry together at home but this is the first time we have done it in another country. We left our 6 and 7-year olds with grandparents this week and brought our 12 and 14-year olds with us. Perhaps in a few years our younger children will be able join us on another global mission trip, learning together how God is at work in other parts of the world and watching, as a family, how God can use us as His witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Adam Harwood
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