Every June we have the opportunity to have college delegates come from all across America to participate in in the Our Generation Student Leadership Camp. Many of the students were invited while at their college, others are from our church, and some are headed to the mission field for a summer intern program with our organization. It is an absolutely awesome week.
I would like to challenge you to take your youth group, college and career class, or whatever ministry you may lead on the “World’s Cheapest Mission Trip.” Throughout the week we ate food from different cultures, visited religious sites, and held an outreach in a very ethnically diverse neighborhood. You may not be able to take a week with your group to go to a Mosque, Hindu Temple, Orthodox Church, or a Buddhist Temple. However, you could spend one afternoon taking them to one of these places and get a glimpse of what life is like for a large percentage of the world.
If possible see if you one of the missionaries your church partners with would be able to address your group by video or by Skype before you leave for the religious site. Here are some examples of the videos we had at the camp. Most religious sites will not charge you for a tour. So you can have people bring money to eat an international restaurant after the visit. (Example: Indian restaurant after a visit to the Hindu Temple)
Here are a few words of advice when making plans…
- Always make sure you have scheduled an appointment for a tour. Most places will be glad to have someone facilitate your group.
- Allow yourself about 45 minutes for the tour and 15 minutes for questions and answers.
- Prepare your group on how to appropriately ask questions. They need to ask questions and not make statements.
- Plan time after your visit to compare and contrast your beliefs with the belief system of the place you visited.
- Give out a fact sheet for them to study and pray over as they travel to the site. It should include how many people around the world are part of the religion you will see. Also, let them know what countries this religion in prominent in.
Thank you so much for providing this opportunity. My children were greatly stirred by it and are still talking about the different places. You guys did a wonderful job. Thank you!