How to help your friends go on a mission trip

“Often times I’ve heard the challenge offered, “Where will you go?” [M]y challenge to you: ‘Who will you send?'”

Sarah Davis

God asked me to stay so this year I’m sending

I wanted to go on a mission trip this year. I was ready to apply, but God surprised me. I was ready to return to the United Kingdom for a third year or to try a new Reading Week opportunity by going to another location, but when I went to apply, God told me,

“No. I want you to stay in Ottawa.”

I thought at first that I had maybe misheard him.

“Really God? I’m ready to go! Like in Isaiah 6:8, ‘Here I am! Send me!’ and you’re asking me to stay??”

I almost applied anyway.

But I knew deep down that it would be disobedient for me to apply. So, I’m staying in Ottawa and this year’s impact in global missions is going to look different for me. This year I’m sending.

Can you really change the world without going?

Yes, that’s right, I am a world-changer by helping send students to the world (and you can be one too!).

I think sometimes there isn’t enough emphasis on just how important sending is, or at least it doesn’t feel like the importance of sending is discussed. Often there is an emphasis on physically going—which is good, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t physically go—but sending is only mentioned as an after-thought.

Sending is crucial.

The only way people ‘go’ is when the people who stay (as well as others who are going) choose to support them in prayer and finances. Saying, “Hey, I believe that what you are doing is great and I want to help change the world by helping you go”. You see, we’re both helping to change the world. You can’t really have one without the other.

Will you hold my rope?

It reminds me of a story relayed about one of the very first missionaries to India, William Carey. After hearing an account of the spiritual needs of India, someone in the meeting remarked: “There is a gold mine in India, but it seems almost as deep as the centre of the earth. Who will venture to explore it?”

“I will venture to go down,” said Carey, “but remember that you must hold the ropes.”

Those who go are those who climb down the rope into the deep centre of the earth, but the rope must be held fast by you and me.

No money = No mission

A few years ago I went on my first mission trip. I applied to go to the UK for Reading Week to share Jesus with British students. The only reason I was able to go was because friends and family prayed for me and donated money so that I could go. I didn’t have extra money to pay my way (tuition is brutal, is it not?). If no one had supported me, I wouldn’t have gone. Period.

Prayers were spoken, donations of varying sizes poured in and I was able to help share Jesus’ love in the UK. Without prayer and financial supporters it would never have happened, and I would never have realized the heart God has given me for missions and Britain.

Your friends need you

Maybe you’re staying because God has asked you to stay. Maybe you’re staying because you have other commitments, like co-op this summer. Maybe you’re staying because you were scared to apply. All of these reasons have been my story at one time or another. But as I said above, when I was a “goer” it’s only because of financial support that I was able to go and share the gospel; which allowed my supporters (my “senders”) the chance to change the world with me. Pretty cool, isn’t it?!

Now, maybe you’re thinking, “This is awesome! I can change the world by sending, but what’s the next step? How can I help send?”

3 Practical ways to send your friends

Here are three practical ways to being a world-changing sender:

1. Be Praying Daily

The only way God can move across our nation and our world is if we ask Him to. Pick one of the partnerships that we have and daily ask God to move. Starting today, pray that Canadian students who are preparing to go would receive all the money needed and be filled with the Holy Spirit; that the intended nation’s students would have hearts open, and receptive to hearing the gospel; and that God’s Spirit would move in big ways this summer.

“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”

Max Lucado

There is no uttered prayer unheard. My own experience is that God answers our prayers. It was incredible for me to see the answered prayers of not only myself but also my supporters as I ministered to students in the UK.

2. Be Locally Supportive

Do you know that there are students from your campus who are currently needing someone to hold their rope? Ask for their support letter or the link to their online giving page.* Tell them that you are interested in helping support them.

Don’t know anyone personally? Ask around. Email your staff to ask who you can help.

*Hey Goers, give your support letter to your peers and share your online giving page with us!!!!  WE WANT TO SUPPORT YOU!!!!

3. Be Mission Specific

Was there a mission trip that God placed on your heart before the application deadline? Was there one where you thought, not this year but maybe next year? Why not consider helping support a student going on that specific trip?

Again, if you don’t know anyone going to that place, you could ask your staff: “I’d like to support a student going on this specific trip. Do you know anyone who I can help?” You could also ask an upper year student who you know has gone on mission trips in the past if they might know a friend of a friend going who you could support.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Mark 12:41-44

There is no amount of money that is too small; watching my donations come in (from $10 gifts to $1000 gifts), I was amazed to see how God provided such a large amount of money for me from so many different people.

Are you ready to send labourers to the field?

Often times I’ve heard the challenge offered, “Where will you go?”

Senders, this is my challenge to you: “Who will you send?”