The Effect of Missional Travel on Young People

Introduction

Consider this situation: Dirt roads lined with innumerable rows of houses. The walls of the houses are made of scrap metal, cardboard, or any other material that was available. One family had no choice but to crowd together in a room tinier than the size of a bedroom of a child. The roofs of the homes were held down by weights that were also available and on hand, such as, bricks, rocks, or even old wheelchairs! If one were to venture out right after a storm one would find the men of the squatter camp, the name for this type of area made up of shacks, already on the roofs of the homes trying to repair what was broken, washed away, or blown off. In a more recently established camp, a home would be blessed to have a bathroom consisting of one toilet with three walls and a partial door, and a sink called a tap in the front yard. In other camps, there would be eight or nine public toilets shared between hundreds of families. The roads of these camps are bordered with garbage, broken glass, and wires. This provides at least some homes with electricity. This is quite a remote place to be imagined compared to a comfortable home in America. This is what met Emily’s eye as his youth group traveled to Costa Rica in 2012 for a mission trip. Previous to their travel, the youth went through training in which they were taught to see poverty not as a physical lack but rather as a spiritual lack. As Emily traveled through the squatter camp, he was determined to keep the meaning of poverty in his mind as well as to seek out hope. The first time he saw hope was when he first saw Leonard, who was an elderly man living with his wife, their adult son, and their younger daughter in the camp. Leonard was someone who shone light in the camp and believed that even in extreme poverty there is still hope, joy, and life. The group later went to another squatter camp where they played with the children there. Emily’s interactions ministering in squatter camps in Costa Rica contributed to his spiritual growth in a two-fold way. Emily had a determination to find hope in hopeless situations, and his heart was opened to serving and ministering to people (Bostrom).

The impact that missional travel has on young people can be observed in the story above. Emily traveled to Africa on a mission trip to serve those who were in need. It can be presumed that Emily went on the trip to be spiritually impacted to some extent. Emily had driven through the squatter camp and had crossed paths with the elderly man, Leonard who had exhibited unshakable joy. Because of the various events that occurred during her trip, Emily was able to encounter a larger and perhaps a more whole outlook on life. The mission trip that Emily participated in developed a mindset of altercentrism within her, after submerging herself into serving those who were in the squatter camp. Her experience on the trip opened her mind to a more meaningful way of living. The concept of altercentrism relates well with civic engagement and the mission trip opened Emily to this idea also. It was after Emily discovered altercentrism that she also encountered civic engagement. Emily may not have been involved in any volunteer work before her mission trip, but perhaps, after returning home from her trip she began volunteer work. The trip could have propelled Emily later in life to continue in her volunteer work and perhaps be involved in other aspects of ministry. Becoming civically engaged, finally, leads to spiritual growth within Emily. Observing the condition of living in the squatter camp showed Emily there was a larger need than she was aware of. She was able to grow spiritually by seeing the need, desiring change, and serving. Perhaps, spiritual growth also occurred in that Emily began to seek to strengthen her relationship with the Lord. Emily’s missional work story is just one instance in which missional travel is seen to affect young people. Missional travel has significant effects on youth including the development of altercentrism, civic engagement, and spiritual growth.

Review of Literature

Development of Altercentrism

It is expedient that people remove themselves from the mindset of self. More importantly, it is necessary to expose youth to the idea of altercentrism, to be concerned with other people instead of yourself. By ingraining missional or volunteer work into young people early in life, engaging in said activities will be second-nature later in life. Brian Ballard explores this idea as a pastor and goes further to say that taking part in altercentrism is not only necessary but is a call from God. Ballard says, “Walking in the joyous wonder of God’s life-shaping presence of grace, STM [short term mission trips] participants — both those who journey and those who receive them — might embody God’s mission of reconciling embrace” (Ballard 284). Because God has commanded this of us it is paramount to any other evidence that will be given in this section.

Studying abroad has been researched and there have been findings that when a student who is studying abroad is supported by peers they will have a more fulfilling experience. Birte Siem looks at this and goes into detail explaining what implications play a part in studying abroad. He says, “When international students came from culturally similar countries, empathy was a motivator of domestic students’ helping intentions and behavior.” (Ballard 284). Empathy was found to be a motivator and with that would come a focus on finding commonality between the study abroad students and the people they encounter. The objective is to be meaningful about being focused on others rather than yourself.

The training and preparation for a mission trip has a constant impact on the effects of the trip not only on the host country but also on the youth who go on the trip. Meaningful preparation enables students to fulfill the main purpose of a mission trip, and that is to serve. The composition of a well-prepared mission trip is studied by Terence Linhart, “the adult leaders taught the students about factors associated with cross-cultural missions and allowed time for students to practice their dramas, meet in small groups, and work on other tasks in preparation for the trip”. He later goes on to say, “this focusing continued daily…” (Terrence 261) He is examining a specific group and the way in which the preparation affected the mission trip itself.

Civic Engagement

Missional travel is an aspect that encourages civic engagement or volunteerism. When a young person embarks on a mission trip, their heart and mind are open and they desire to be a part of something bigger. This often leads to more volunteerism or serving people in general. When civic engagement is neglected within young people it can lead to a decline in their desire to serve. This is studied by Rodmir Mitic as he explains that, “this disengagement with higher education’s civic mission has led to an emphasis on empirically studying civic learning in college” (Mitic 544). Mitic also examines a study that discusses, “a longitudinal design to test the relationship of volunteerism in college with the hours per week in volunteer or community service work…” (Mitic 544). The findings of this study showed there is a sociodemographic link between civic engagement and volunteering.

Engaging in volunteer service while in high school is often shown to be connected to civic engagement after college. When a young person is exposed to serving, it will then become something normal which leads to participating in various forms of service throughout one’s life. While volunteering is beneficial to you and those whom you serve, volunteering is also beneficial to the way in which you think. Three authors who deeply study this idea are Kraig Beyerlein, Jenny Trinitapoli, and Gary Adler. The authors say that missions are not only long-term, overseas trips, but the word “mission” is also related to many aspects, such as, “worshiping with local populations, learning a foreign language, studying the local culture of a destination, sponsoring summer camps for young people, painting homes…” (Beyerlein 781). Their list continues, however, the focus is that missional work has a strong relationship to civic engagement.

The pledge to civic engagement and service in anyone’s life, more specifically, a young person’s life, will alter the way in which they think and live. Civic engagement and volunteerism are lifestyles to which a person devotes their life. This may look different in individual situations, for example, a person may be civic-engagement-minded and decide to have an occupation in that area, working at a homeless shelter and serving in a full-time capacity. Another person may be a realist who is also civic-engagement-minded, but this person volunteers during their free time and is a long-time Habitat For Humanity participant. Civic engagement is connected to missional work in many areas and can be accomplished in many ways.

Spiritual Growth

Personal spiritual growth is something that occurs while on a mission trip and must take place in order to serve those in need in the best way possible. This spiritual growth is necessary and frequently sought after by those who partake in missional work. Although spiritual growth is necessary there are different stages when it may take place in a person, occurring while serving on the mission field as well as after. These moments of spiritual growth, maturity, and development are what propel youth later on in their Christian walk to continue serving. Kathryn Tuttle speaks to the aspects in which growth may take place. She says that the spiritual growth, “primarily documented increases in behavioral aspects such as prayer, monetary support, and future return to the mission field” (Tuttle 124). In addition to these aspects that Tuttle mentioned could take place, others to look for include compassion, humility, and being intentional to find commonality between you and the others around you.

Such spiritual growth can only be given or imparted by God, for He is the One who touches our hearts. Missional travel can speak to a person’s heart and tell them to seek after God or to seek after the mindset of servanthood. Kathryn Tuttle investigates what spiritual growth takes place after a mission trip and she concludes that young people grow spiritually along, “with the development of a Christian worldview through exposure to missions” (Tuttle 124). If or when this development of a Christian worldview occurs, spiritual growth will have also occurred because young people have grown from looking at the world with their own eyes to looking at the world through a Christian lens. This new lens contains many areas, for example, prayer and fellowship.

This aspect of looking at things differently is typically most associated with the word “missions” or “mission trips”. When a young person goes on mission trips for the Christian religion, they may or may not anticipate a renewal to take place in them. They feel God touch their heart and in turn find purpose in serving. Missional work and serving, in general, will enable Christian people to seek after God in some way. After one comes home from a mission trip their eyes, mind, and heart are opened to an enlarged purpose for their life. Spiritual growth also brings spiritual maturity, maturity on the outlook of life. I chose spiritual growth to be the final topic discussed because it is related to both of the topics above, connecting all three in such a lovely way.

Discussion

Development of Altercentrism

There are numerous beneficial outcomes of living a life of altercentrism. This topic has been researched and discussed by a handful of people. The individual findings of the impact that altercentrism can have on a person’s life and lifestyle are fascinating. Rodmir Mitic discusses a study that reveals evidence connecting undergraduate students partaking in study abroad opportunities to volunteering later on in life. Although Mitic does not also connect missional travel to these two aspects, study abroad and altercentrism, For the purpose of this paper, the two topics that Mitic studies will be connected with missional work. Within his study, Mitic finds societies that have a high number of people who engage in volunteerism or other ways of civic engagement, are more suitable or prepared to address issues like economic inequality, social tensions, and environmental issues. When a societal group, especially the young people in that group, have studied abroad, the society is then better equipped to address issues within their own society. It is immensely beneficial for young people to study abroad and experience missional work because they will then experience points of controversy and discussion, what works well in that country or city, and be more equipped to address these items in their own home and society. Study abroad as well as missional work can influence a person, more specifically, a young person to discover altercentrism as a part of their daily life. Mitic discusses in his findings that he did not encounter many studies examining the relationship between study abroad and volunteerism, however, he did find studies that examine the connection between study abroad and civic engagement. Conventionally, humans have thought that building both skills and knowledge during college years will cause an individual student to become more productive and willing to engage in impactful conversations.

Making connections and patterns between altercentrism and missional work are quite simple because the two have been found to be directly connected. It is beneficial to look at Mitic’s study above as study abroad and altercentrism are related, as well as missional work. When a young person opens themselves up to these opportunities, they will be directly impacted and, consequently, willing to engage in every area of their community. Like missionary work, studying abroad introduces a person to an uncommon lifestyle, a selfless one focused on other people. Missional travel then comes into play, in that being an altercentric person guides people to a life of service. Another element that can be brought to life in connecting both altercentrism and study abroad is volunteerism. Volunteerism encourages civic engagement in young people as well as later on in life. Whether a person is a volunteer at a senior living home or serving in a soup kitchen inside of a homeless shelter, the young person will be impacted and likely be drawn to some level of altercentrism. Volunteerism and missionary work equip young people to live a life encompassing various levels of altercentrism. Birte Siem studies something similar to this as he discovers when a domestic young person develops a relationship with an international person, they will gravitate to living a life of altercentrism (Siem). He looks at the relation of domestic students encountering and developing a relationship with someone from a different country and finds that doing this greatly encourages altercentrism. Young people are at a great advantage and this will prepare them well for the rest of their lives while they engage in the innumerable outlets of altercentrism.

Civic Engagement

Although the component of civic engagement is connected to, and an outcome of missional experience as mentioned in the section above, it is deserving of its own section and will be discussed more in detail here. Civic engagement is valuable and perhaps necessary for young people to encounter in their teenage or young adult years, so that it may propel them to continue civic engagement throughout their life. Civic engagement is discussed also by Mitic, as he makes a strong correlation between attainment in college and being civically engaged (Mitic). He finds that civic engagement is linked to the attitudes and civic experience of college students, such as civic activity, volunteer plans, or civic values, rather than the tangible assertion of behaving in a civic way, like volunteering. When a student or young person discovers ways in which to think civic-mindedly, that is of the highest importance. Actions such as volunteerism or mission trips may appear to be, at surface level, of the highest value, but being civically minded truly is of the highest value to all people, especially young people. Although volunteering and mission trips are valuable to the one serving, if that person continues in these actions and is not impacted within their lifestyle, it is considerably more beneficial to simply have a mindset of civic engagement and to live it out in one’s daily life. Mitic looks at studies that suggest that there are dissimilarities in civic learning. He gives an example from his studies that if a college student goes to a private college institution they will likely be more geared towards civic engagement. The major that a college student takes is also directly related to their civic engagement.

Becoming civically engaged when a person is young will better prepare them for the rest of their life. When a young person strives to make a difference not only in their community but also in far-reaching ways, they will encounter values and motivation that applies to their whole life. Kraig Beyerlein, along with his colleagues in this study, found that young people who engage in cultural, devotional, and organizational dimensions of religion, including views that are faith-grounded, like mortality and private prayer, are significantly set apart as being civically engaged later on in life versus those who are not (Beyerlein). This study discusses the necessary link of civic engagement and short-term mission trips, which is extremely neglected. When a young person has had missional experience, they are more likely to take part in civic actions. Although the connection between short-term mission trips and civic engagement is noted by the author to be neglected, there is an obvious need for the topic to be studied. Beyerlein goes on to research and shows that engaging in missional work as a young person will place a commitment in them to continue participating in misional or ministry centered activities throughout their lives. Beyerlein also comments on how short-term missional travel has subtly reshaped the essence of relationships between domestic and international communities. Conclusively, participation in civic engagement is exceedingly beneficial to young people because it will then propel them to continue the various outlets of civic engagement in years to come, even into adulthood. Missional travel is one beneficial outlet of civic engagement, having notable results on a person.

Spiritual Growth

In this portion, the impact of Christianity and Christian missional work in Africa will be discussed. There has been significant spiritual growth and formation among people in certain areas of Africa, including young people. Matsobane Manala focuses on the growth in sub-Saharan Africa. This region includes various countries and areas, including Angola, Liberia, Namibia, Ghana, Rwanda, Mali, Ethiopia, and several others. It can be noted that sub-Saharan Africa is quite large and contains many people groups. Manala explains that Christianity has been looked down upon by rulers of the region, including Sékou Touré who ruled during the nineteenth century, was very harsh to Christians and the Christian religion (Manala). Despite the persecution, Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa has been triumphant and continues in its growth throughout the area. This evidence alone should be encouraging to the reader, specifically, a young person. An additional person writes about ways in which Christian missionaries are ministering well and also ways we can improve in ministry. Conrad Mbewe is the pastor and overseer of his church, Kabwata Baptist, in Lusaka, Zambia. He takes time to give guidance to missionaries from America including, learning the culture of Zambia, seeking partnership with the churches of Zambia, displaying biblical churchmanship, and ensuring justice and fairness are present in the church body. Although all of his topic points are helpful to American missionaries, I think that one point sores high above the rest: learning the culture of Zambia. This can be applied to any missionary work because wherever a group goes, they must be prepared and well-trained to tackle the issues at hand and serve the spiritual needs and growth of the people. This can be obtained by speaking to people of another culture in a way that will fuel this growth.

The concept of spiritual growth relates well with missional travel. Additionally, this section of spiritual growth is a compliment to and encompases both altercentrism and civic engagement. Going on mission trips has become increasingly common among young people, for example, going on summer missions trips with a church group. Missional experience has become a visible area of spiritual growth and development. Often, a young person will go on a mission trip seeking spiritual clarity or a deeper relationship with the Lord and after serving on the trip they are impacted in a matchless way. Kathryn Tuttle researches this idea and studies the effect and spiritual growth maturity had on college students after a short-term mission trip. She discusses various benefits that coincide with short-term mission trips, including, the encouragement of a global worldview, participatory mission experience, a surge of prayer and giving towards missions, viable recruitment of long-term missionaries, and the potential of spiritual growth (Tuttle). After reading the benefits of short-term mission trips, it is perceptible that the idea of spiritual growth truly does connect to both altercentrism and civic engagement. Tuttle later goes on to discuss the training beforehand that goes into missional travel. It is when the participants in missional activity are well-trained that they are able to better serve and in turn receive the greatest spiritual growth possible. She indicates this training is key to encouraging the success of short-term missional work. Tuttle’s study and experiment endeavors to inform the readers of a combined understanding of possible spiritual growth outcomes of short-term missional work among young people, specifically college students.

Conclusion

The subject matter discussed above all relate to one another in a clear and conclusive manner. Living a life of both altercentrism and civic engagement while a person is young will impact their spiritual growth and set a continuation of this lifestyle into motion. This can occur in a young person who involves themselves in volunteer-related activities such as giving out hot food and warm clothes to those who are homeless or preparing food at an organization like Feed My Starving Children. Both events are capable of unlocking the knowledge that there is food depravity overseas and also right here in our own cities. Being involved in the volunteerism listed above can launch a person to continue in this throughout the rest of their life, with the goal of one-day eradicating food depravity. Altercentrism is essentially the concept of coming to a place within yourself where you are other-centered and this is a lifestyle worth living. Living a life of altercentrism is beneficial for both the receivers as well as the person living this way. The lifestyle of altercentrism is specifically beneficial to Christians as we keep in mind that we are here on this earth to serve others as Jesus did. A lifestyle that is focused and purposed on living to serve others rather than self is the greatest life that can be lived.

Subsequently, civic engagement is vital to a flourishing and growing community. Just as altercentrism is a mindset, so is civic engagement. Living a life of civic engagement is a commitment that is worth taking in order to enter into a lifestyle that is uncommon to many. Being civically engaged can include a variety of activities and ventures. While voting in a general election and being a part of a recreational soccer team perhaps appear to be unrelated, both are exertions of civic engagement. By civically engaging oneself, a person is seeking out commonality with the people and community around them. Gaining knowledge and abilities and developing your own voice are all outcomes of being civically engaged. Each of these outcomes, among others, are beneficial to both the person exhibiting them and the receiver; again this is similar to altercentrism. Civic engagement may also be referred to as civic participation and I believe that this is a finer way to display what engagement encompasses. Participating in life endeavors, society, and the community is being a civil participant. Additionally, civic partnership may be another way to refer to civic engagement. We partner with our community in various outlets in order to be engaged in society. Becoming civically engaged can prepare and even cause a person to take part in ministry. More specifically, becoming civically engaged can introduce a person to being involved in missional work.

Finally, to connect all three of my points together, spiritual growth is the single thing that relates to both altercentrism and civic engagement. Spiritual growth takes place after becoming altercentric and civilly engaged. Encountering spiritual growth may occur in a wide range of ways, including, a person reading and studying their bible, volunteering at a women’s and children’s homeless shelter, embarking on an overseas mission trip, and participating in other missional activities. Each of these areas are able to cause spiritual growth in a person, especially in a young person. Spiritual growth is directly related to one’s Christianity, perhaps more than the other aspects. Spirituality is a continuing occurrence in the lives of Christians. As we grow in our Christianity we also grow spiritually. A common yet highly relevant area in which spiritual growth often occurs is while a young person goes on mission trips. Missional travel is capable of opening a person’s eyes, mind, and heart to the ever-increasing need to share the message of Jesus with people all over the world. A person may grow spiritually when helping and ministering in several areas during a mission trip, including serving orphans, helping people living in homelessness, aiding in programs to heal malnourished babies, as well as witnessing a living space like a squatter camp. Missional travel has three notable outcomes in young people including the development of altercentrism, civic participation, and spiritual development.

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