Do you want to change your life forever? Do you want to get a deeper understanding of ministry (in general & with kids)? Would you like to see how most of the world lives (vs. our privileged life in America)?
Go on a short term missions trip! I believe with all my heart that EVERY children’s ministry leader should go on a short term missions trip. It will change your life forever!
Hello from South Africa! A short term trip is exactly where I (Greg Baird) and my family are right now, in the northern part of South Africa. This is the second time for our family to be here, although this is a little bit of a different trip for us (see here). Overall, I’ve been blessed to lead 6 trips all over the world.
Every where I’ve been, there are several things that remain the same:
- Nowhere is does the standard of living equal what we have at home, and almost always it’s far below (you really cannot understand how they live until you see it first hand)
- Everywhere there are believers who are suffering, risking their jobs, home, families & possibly their lives for following Jesus (you simply cannot understand what this means until you talk with people in these situations)
- Always you will find people in these situations – impoverished and possibly in danger – who put the average believer/church in America to shame in their level of commitment, joy in the Lord and simple, true love of Jesus.
It is simply a wonderful thing to experience, and I am so blessed to be reminded as I visit these countries. For information on being part of a short term children’s ministry team, please visit our friends over at KidZ At Heart, International.
Please pray with us as we finish out our trip and, more importantly, please pray for these people. Here are a few pictures of our trip so far:
On Saturday we had the privilege of doing a day of children’s ministry training with these wonderful people!
Pastor Simon is the pastor from the church that hosted our KidMin training (with me & my Dad, who taught Simon in seminary)
On Sunday we visited another church (Pastor Johannes, who my Dad also taught) and my wife, Michele taught Sunday School. Here she is with the kids.
These are all orphans who were in Sunday School – all from this tiny little village we visited. It truly was heartbreaking.
After Michele taught Sunday School, I had the privilege of preaching and sharing the vision for reaching kids. This was my translator, Amos.
