It's more than a trip...

"Are you going on the mission trip?"

My first thought and quick response, "I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world!"  My second thought, which I keep to myself, "It's so much more than a trip."

I looked up the word “trip” in the thesaurus.  Under the section entitled, Choose the Right Word and it read that a trip can be long or short, rushed or leisurely, or for business or pleasure.  Trip is not the right word...
expedition, jaunt, voyage?...not right either...journey?...closer...pilgrimage?...better, at least it describes a religious journey.  Perhaps words just won’t suffice.

I've had the privilege of going on many missions "trips," all of which have touched my life in a way that is so difficult to recount.  Mere words do not seem to give justice to the depth of the spiritual journey of missions.   Even the word "trip" feels so facile in comparison to the infinite possibilities this pilgrimage holds in its potential.  Mary Sue had a quote posted in her office which caught my eye:  “Life is a pilgrimage, but sometimes you need a pilgrimage to discover life.” You take a trip; a pilgrimage takes you.

My sister visited the YMO meeting a few weeks ago.  As an S.I.T. alum, she was asked what missions meant to her, and in her attempt to describe her experiences, she was brought to tears.  Janel said that she could give them a glimpse of missions, but to fully understand, they would have to wait and experience missions for themselves.

The YMOers will be asked upon their return, “How was your trip?”  Don’t be surprised if they pause as they try to convey their pilgrimage through words. 

To understand, you might have to just be still and listen to their heart.

:) Julie