You’ve just spent a week serving alongside your friends, and now you’re returning home. The mission trip is over, right? It
doesn’t have to be. Before Jesus returned to heaven, He handed off His earthly ministry to us, to Christians. We are called
to live out our faith every day of our lives in the same way Jesus did. We want to encourage you to use this mission trip
experience as inspiration for serving your own community in the same way. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
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What's Next
PREPARE YOUR STORY
Take some time on your journey
home to pray about what you will
share when you get there. Sharing
your story can be powerful, but it’s
helpful to be prepared. Some people
will want to hear about every second
of your trip - what you ate, who you
met, what the bathrooms were like.
Some will want to hear just a couple
of highlights. We suggest picking one
moment or story that you can prepare
to share well with those who ask
about your trip.
SERVE EVERY DAY
So much of the ministry in which
you got to participate during your
mission trip can be imitated in your
own community. The amazing thing
about Jesus and His ministry is that
it was rooted in daily life. Challenge
yourself to do something to serve
another person each day. Sometimes
the smallest acts of kindness can
mean the world to people! If you are
struggling to come up with a way to
serve, your church is a great place
to start. Invest yourself in a ministry
there. Your church may also be able
to connect you with other ministry
opportunities in your own community.
KEEP GROWING
It’s likely that something impacted
you during the mission trip. Maybe
you encountered God in a new and
exciting way. Now that the mission
trip is ending, don’t let your personal
growth end with it! We suggest jotting
down three areas in which you want to
keep growing after you return home.
These can be anything ranging from
something personal, like becoming
a better friend, to something more
spiritual, like developing a more
consistent prayer life. When you hit
the one-year anniversary of your trip,
look back and pay attention to how
the Lord has grown and stretched you
in those three specific areas.