This week, as I was scrolling through my same-old Instagram feed, I came across a rather triggering post. I follow a humorous account that posts different things sure to make the Christ-follower laugh. However, this post was anything but funny. The post read: 

“Most Short-Term Missions Trips Are Just Vacations That Make You Feel Better About Yourself.”

This thought made me nervous. “Do people actually believe this? This must be entirely satirical.” Yet sadly, many people in the comment section entirely dismissed the importance of emotional human connection and even more importantly: the severity of the need to spread the gospel of Christ. We here at Connect 2 Ministries would hope that short-term missions would never stand as, nor be understood as, just “painting a house” or “playing with orphans.”
If you have ever had a child who has faced the definition of neglect and abuse hold you tightly and desire your attention, you know that changes you. It changes them. It helps a child, who has not been exposed to proper love and care, gradually learn how to trust. It shows them that they are worthy of real love, which in turns points them to our Heavenly Father. 
One commenter of the post shared his thoughts, in agreement with the post, by advising believers to:

“…just give the orphanage the $30k.”

This is the mindset that money and materialism are the answers to everything. Money doesn’t solve or magically take away problems, and it for sure doesn’t magically solve third-world poverty. This was seen when America attempted to aid the country by sending money to Haiti after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010. They funded the country in need with millions of dollars after the earthquake. However, with Haiti’s government being led with corruption, the generous donation by the American government did anything but help. The money went straight into the pockets of the wealthy leadership of the government and made living more expensive for the average Haitian.

This exemplifies the importance of human connection through the power of the Holy Spirit. Missions is being the hands and feet of Jesus as He no longer walks our Earth. Missions, both long-term and short-term, is serving in the name of the Lord and allows for all involved to be impacted by the Holy Spirit, whether that is in your backyard or 5,000 miles away from the place you call “home.”

Personally, I hope that comment section is not a representation of the common idea of what short-term missions are actually like. Have there been numerous short term missions trips that were led ignorantly and without intention? Absolutely. But here at Connect 2 Ministries, one of our greatest hopes and expectations for our short-term team members is that they would understand that their trip is not just going and giving a child a craft to do and snapping a picture for their Instagram feed. For the people behind that post and in the comment section to blanket statement short-term missions trips as “emotional vacations” is to make a grievous mistake. 

We firmly believe and lead with the understanding that there is great importance in missions, both short-term and long-term, just as it is important both locally and internationally. Matthew 20:28 tells us that Jesus Christ Himself, came to serve, and I do not believe for a second that if Jesus Christ had been born into the twenty-first century that all He would do is write a check.

Our own Founder, Greg Barshaw, had this to share on the founding of Connect 2 Ministries and his personal desire for the short-term teams that would serve with us:

“Connect 2 Ministries started with a passion for the local church. We believe the heart of Jesus for His Church was that they would become like Him. In Colossians 1:28, Paul communicates that his goal was to “present every man complete in Christ.” Again, in Ephesians 4:13, Paul shares that the goal is to reach the “fullness of Christ.” Jesus said that He came to seek and save those that are lost. We believe that the church has lost its central purpose, which is to be salt and light to a lost world. One of the ways that we believe that this passion can be reignited is by going on a short-term mission trip and seeing true lostness. So, Connect 2 Ministries takes teams overseas to expose them to lostness with a hope that they will go home to their own churches and reignite the local church for the lost community that they live amongst.”

With this, we value so greatly all the teams that have joined us in Haiti since we began doing our part of ministry amongst the world back in 2009. Your support is immensely treasured and invaluable. So, thank you to our short-term team members! Your ministry to us and to the people of Haiti reflects and glorifies our Lord!