Q:
My wife and I spent our Christmas holiday on a church-sponsored mission trip, helping build a school in another country. It really shocked us, because we'd never seen how people in poorer countries live. Is there any hope for them? What we did seemed so insignificant.
A:
I’m thankful you and your wife were willing to sacrifice your holidays to be part of this project, and I want to assure you it wasn’t insignificant, not if God was leading you. It reminds me of an old Gospel chorus we used to sing: “Little is much, if God is in it.”
After all, this project wasn’t insignificant to the people of this village. In fact, it could change their future, as boys and girls are educated and eventually become leaders in their community (and even in their nation). Hopefully this school will provide them with both the skills and the desire to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. How else will a village like this escape from poverty? The Bible says, “The Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy” (Psalm 140:12).
Your efforts weren’t insignificant for another reason: It brought hope and encouragement to the people in this village, especially the members of its little church. We often forget how isolated and alone people in countries like this feel. Hopefully your relationship with them will continue for years to come.
But your trip was significant for an even greater reason: it changed your lives. God is concerned about the needs of the whole world, and we should be, too. Remember Jesus’ words: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).