Have you ever thought that missions is just a whole lot of hard work? Or that maybe it’s really boring and mundane? Before coming to DTS at YWAM North Cascades, I had that mindset. I think that sometimes, as Christians, we can tend to think that missions is boring, and filled with a lot of hard stuff, like food poisoning, maybe going without food for long periods of time, being hot and sweaty, or going without a shower for weeks. Though these things may happen, I discovered that missions is so much more than just hard, boring things.
1. The people you get to meet
One great part of doing missions is the people you get to meet along the way, the people who also have chosen to take the risk and step into missions. I have gotten to meet some incredible people since being here at DTS. My fellow students have become like family to me, and they always seem to make everything fun, whether it’s cleaning toilets for work duties, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or vacuuming a mini golf course (which is strange, I know!). You can guarantee that we’ll be making it enjoyable with some music and weird dance moves.
2. Divine appointments
God is incredible at making divine appointments happen with the people we have encounters with. I’ve met some awesome people when we go out to do local outreach at a campus nearby. After a 10-minute conversation, it could feel like we’ve become best friends already. I love that God is all about the people and relationships as well; it’s what He created us for—to be in relationship with Him, doing life with Him and each other, and being able to enjoy it.
3. Partnering with God to do His work
Missions is also about partnering with God to do His work. God’s work can be as practical as painting a church, helping someone move houses, and even mopping the floor of the facilities that we’ve been given. It’s not always BIG things, but the everyday things as well. And doing all those things brings so much joy.
I know that we’re not on outreach yet, but I know for certain that even if we do all get food poisoning, we stink because we haven’t had a shower in a week, and it may be really hard at times, we’re going to be able to find the joy in all of it. We’re going to be having fun while doing missions, because ultimately, God is there with us—and I’m fairly certain that He has a sense of humor. So I want to invite you to open your heart to the idea that missions can be an amazing, fun adventure. It is so far from boring and mundane!
Written by Brittany McBride
