Are short-term mission teams a good idea?
The following are a series of entries on www.theveryworstmissionary.com, a blog written by Jamie Wright, an American mission worker in Costa Rica. Her comments often have a satirical tone and are intended to be provocative. While you might not agree with everything Jamie says but she certainly helps us to think more carefully about our attitudes and motivations regarding short-term mission. It can also be worth reading the comments at the end of the blog to get a sense of the reactions and perspectives of others.
Sorry, poor people, it’s not about you
Can we say that the purpose of a short-term mission is to change the heart, life, perspective or values of the person going and isn’t really about the ones being served?
Mmm... No, it's not "all good"
Can we say that if any good comes of it, even if it’s just for one person, then it’s all good?
Using your poor kid to teach my rich kid a lesson
Can we say that the purpose of a short-term mission is to teach us to be grateful for what we've got?