I’m home from a life-changing mission trip. Now what?
A short-term mission trip is an intense experience, in more ways than one. In the space of a week to 10 days, you’re immersed with a new group of people, develop a routine and learn new tasks and skills. You’ve also been thrown into (and pulled out of) a culture that may have been completely different from your own. Along with these practical changes, you’ve also probably experienced a range of emotions, from frustration to encouragement, to heart-wrenching realizations and encounters with God. Your values and assumptions about life may even be in flux.
When you land back at home and suddenly find yourself dropped back into your old life, it’s easy to feel a bit lost or let down. In fact, we find there’s a bit of a pattern to the routes people take with what they learned on the mission field once they come back home.
We’d love you to choose option 3!
That being said, it can be hard to know where to start. The life you were experiencing “on mission” is so different from everyday life. But, we feel sure that you can use this trip to let the Lord teach you how to live your life on mission. Here are a few ideas for how you might begin that process.
Did you realize you had a new skill or gift that you can put to use serving in your own church or community? Was your perspective changed, perhaps on poverty, ministry, or what your role is in the world? Did God ignite a passion in you for a particular issue? Take time to reflect on these changes and invite God to tell you more in prayer.
How could you apply some of these new passions, interests, or new knowledge to your life at home? Is there a cross-cultural ministry or nonprofit you could volunteer with? Did you discover you love working with kids? Perhaps you could volunteer at a school. Was your perspective changed on money? Take a look at your budget and invite God to show you where you should make changes. Taking action, really applying the lessons you’ve learned to your life will help bring the experience and opportunity of your trip home with you.
It’s imperative that you communicate with your other team members after you return home. You had a unique and intense experience together, and no one else in the world will understand what you experienced as much as your team member will. You may want to schedule a reunion or get-together a few weeks after you return to process your trip together and enjoy your new or strengthened friendships. You and your team members will need each other as you continue the process of returning home and living in the change God has brought to your life.
Sharing your experience with others can both help them grow by hearing about another culture, and how God has been at work…and it can help you grow by processing what happened aloud, and drawing lessons and plot points out of your week away. Knowing where to start can be difficult. As you’re coming home, we encourage you to think through 1 or 2 stories that capture what God did during your trip. Think about how you would tell it in 1 or 2 minutes, and what you might say when your friends or family invite you to share more.
Many community development programs require ongoing support to be sustainable. This could be through prayer or child sponsorship. If you feel God calling you to invest even deeper in the location you just returned from, know that you can continue doing that even when you’re back home.
In his book You’re on a Mission: A 31-Day Devotional Around the World, author Joseph L. Williams said this about finishing strong:
“You have a story that others need to hear. The events, struggles, and triumph of your life will bless and encourage others. You can also share about what the Lord is doing around the world. From one-on-one to your Bible study group to your workplace, sharing with others doesn’t need to be some formal speech or take place at some official event. Everyday life is where sharing most easily happens.”
The most important thing you can do is to remember that God does not want to STOP using you just because you’re back at home! In fact, His plan for your mission trip may have been more about the other 51 weeks in the year…not the 1 you spent away. Keep praying, and keep asking him to show you what he’s teaching you, how you can serve, and who He is growing you to be through this experience.
God will help move you forward into the life He has called you too. We can’t wait to see what you do next!
Letters are vital to raising support for your mission trip. If you have to choose between letters and events, choose letters. Here’s why: They work. People love to see others serve, and they will respond. Even if they might not go themselves, they can be a part of your experience.
Looking For Joy? Have you ever felt like you were on a hunt for joy? An 18-year-old boy was surprised to find it surrounded by people who had very little. He found it where you’d assume you’d find sadness. He went on a trip unsure of what he would experience
This blog is a part of an ongoing series on Forward Edge’s Pearl Partners. Check out our highlights on Cuba and Haiti and enjoy this interview with Jane Wathagana. 20 years ago, Jane Wathagana was a successful businesswoman in Kenya, the Director of Animal World Safaris and Elangata Luxury
Tim Ainley, CEO of Forward Edge, recently shared an inspiring message at a graduation commencement ceremony that is a timely and impactful message for us all. But, especially for recent graduates, young adults, and teens, these words could be the guiding principles you need as you step into a world
6 yrs. old
Entered the program: July 2025
Celine lives with her grandmother and three other young relatives whom her grandmother is also raising. The family lives in a rented two-room brick semi-completed house, which is divided by a curtain and has a dirt floor. They use a single-bulb electrical unit for lighting. There is an outdoor kitchen built of mud and sticks and cooking is done with firewood. The property has a rudely constructed toilet facility which contains a bathing area. Water is fetched from a community borehole and when they cannot afford to pay for it, they go to a spring quite far from the house. The family also raises some chickens and looks after a few goats that belong to the property owner.
Celine was abandoned to her grandmother's care and she is the sole provider, making bricks as well as working as caretaker for the property they live on. Life is difficult for them.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
