What is the role of a short term team?
On average, a team comes for 7-10 days. Those days are usually full from morning to night. The pace is fast and the tasks are many. You blink and it's time to go.
Now, let's contrast that with the day-to-day rhythms of missionary life. Our work often feels slow, painfully slow. We juggle life's daily obligations with local realities. We manage the on-going logistics of immigration and residency in a foreign country. We try to balance the overwhelming needs with the scarce resources. We labor and at times it seems like nothing has changed.
How can the same place have two very different experiences?
It's LIFE! Think of your own day to day life. We all have those slow steady rhythms; the not so glamorous responsibilities of home, work and family. But we also have those moments of growth and impact when we make great strides forward.
Short term teams are those moments of impact that propel us forward. They provide the man power and resources to push the ministry forward. It is the a short term teams' role to come alongside the missionaries and the local church to be a catalyst for growth.
Both experiences are needed!
While our teams are here, we celebrate projects being accomplished, outreaches in communities, training received by local leader and NEW believers joining the family. After they have gone, we cultivate the seeds sown, we begin the patient, steady work of discipleship, and we celebrate the growth as we watch local leaders minister and put their new knowledge into practice day after day.
Missions is a team effort! It's the partnership of short term and long term ministry that makes the most lasting impact for the Kingdom!
Thank you for doing missions with us!
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