I would like to recommend that everyone take part in a Mission Trip, even if it is in this country or in your own community.  It will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life and you will be blessed!  In 1999 Liz and I were part of a Short-Term Mission Trip to Kaliningrad, Russia.  Our church choir was invited to minister to some of the local orphanages there and perform a couple of concerts to raise money for the orphanages.  Kaliningrad had been closed to western tourists until just a few years before our trip.  There were posters all over town promoting the concerts and the Russian people were very excited and so very warm and gracious… nothing like the “evil empire” we were taught to fear back in grade school.  In the concerts, Liz and the choir performed in these sparkly, sequined choir dresses and the people loved the worship music!  The choir members themselves were treated like celebrities.  After the concerts, young Russians would surround them all, asking them to autograph their concert programs.  My duties were to document the entire trip with photography.  And a funny side story… on one of the days when we weren’t working in the orphanages and performing concerts, we had the opportunity to do some sightseeing.  Some of us were visiting the Amber Museum (Kaliningrad is the amber capital of the world).  Outside the museum, the side walks were lined with people displaying and selling amber jewelry and souvenirs on small tables.  While Liz and the others shopped, I found a nearby patio table with an umbrella and just sat down by myself in one of the empty chairs, and enjoyed watching the people go by.  And along came this small group of young Russian men and women strolling by, and they saw me and stopped.  One of the very attractive young women in the group came over to the table where I was and sat down in the chair right next to me.  She leaned over toward me and looked back at the others in the group and smiled.  I looked up and one of them took out a camera and snapped our picture.  Without saying a word (I wouldn’t have understood her anyway), the young woman got up, rejoined her companions, and they all went on their way.  I didn’t know what was going on, but I guess she just wanted to have her picture made with an American.  But somewhere in Russia, there is a picture of me with a beautiful young Russian girl.  So if the KGB ever come knocking at my door…            

I concur!!!  Sherron and Erin went on a mission trip to Paraguay several years  back and they both came back highly recommending it.  A local tribal chieftan wanted Sherron to stay and marry him.  He had a house with a light (singular)  and a bed on a frame, as opposed to a mat on the floor.  Not sure why she passed that up.  Everyone should experience giving to others and especially in other countries which are less fortunate.  You will come back with a renewed appreciation for what we have. 

Today was the first day of our Annual Missions Festival at church, which will go through next Sunday.  It is my responsibility to photograph the many activities of the festival, beginning today with a Parade of Nations, Special Guest Speakers, a Children’s Festival, and an International Reception with exhibits and foods from around the world.  We sponsor missionaries to Cambodia, China, Cuba, Honduras, Hungary, India, Kenya, Liberia, the Middle East, Romania, Russia, South Africa and Uruguay.  Most of our missionaries are here at home for the festival.

The recent earthquake in Haiti and the publicity surrounding all the orphans there takes me back to our own Mission Trip to Kaliningrad, Russia in 1999 to minister to orphanages.  My job on that trip was pretty much to observe and take photos of events and activities, but it is very hard not to be touched and become emotionally involved, especially with children.  I remember one day in particular when we were working at one of the orphanages and some of the little ones, mostly three or four year olds, were out on the playground, accompanied by orphanage staff and a few members of our missions team.  The children seemed so sad, and very seldom saw male visitors of any kind.  As I walked around taking photos, this little girl named Katcha (Kate), came directly to me calling me something like “dodja” which I learned was a Russian term of endearment, sort of like “uncle”.  She grabbed me around the legs and hugged me.  I could tell that she just wanted to be held and loved.  So I sat down and put my camera aside, and let her sit in my lap.  We just sat there awhile quietly, unable to communicate because of the language barrier, but she seemed perfectly content.  I guess the language of love is the same all over the world.  When I finally had to go to attend to my photography duties, the staff attendant had to come and take her away.  She cried and cried, and it was very hard for me not to cry myself.  I sometimes think about Katcha and wonder how she is doing.  She would be a teenager now probably around 15 or 16. 

A mission trip is a special experience and I highly recommend it if you ever have the opportunity, but the whole world is a mission field… even here at home… in our own neighborhood and our own family.