"The Cost of Short Term Missions" Reflection

(1Summarize what JoAnn Van Eugen is articulating in her article, "The Cost of Short Term Missions.") Jo Ann Van Eugen's main point in her paper was that short term missions are not the best things for the people in that country.

(2 What is your reaction to the statement, "Everybody knows that short-term missions benifit the people that come, not the people here.") When I read the statement about short term missions not helping the people there and then continued to read on, I never really thought about it in the way it was presented. I never thought about the workers in that country that could use the work or the money that we raise to go could last so much further there but in reality those are big issues. Many missions that go do NOT help the people of the country's lower class economy; they help themselves to a trip to another country and the country's rich with the money for the plane ticket.

(3 What was your reaction to the author's commentary on a visitor's coming to the United States and serving?) I really liked when the author switched the ropes and asked how we would feel. Often times being an American we do not think about the other side. We think "oh we are going to help the poor" when in reality they do not need temporary help. I would honestly be really upset if a group from Italy came to Hawaii and stayed in the nicest hotel and did nothing but stay in the hotel and talk with themselves. First of all I would feel bad for the investors that gave them money to come thinking that this group was going to help anyone and second I would feel bad for the group because they weren't going to get anything really meaningful out of their experience.

(4 What does the author suggesting that we do? Why is it important?) I think that the author is suggesting that when we go to these countries that we go as humble as possible. Instead of telling a native how to do it we watch. We should go from being the teacher to the student and instead of taking someone else's job to "paint a building" we should go as being there to learn as much as possible about the people, their lives, their culture, everything so that we can go back and share it and do more than just say "that experience was amazing". We should not be blinded with "look at how much we are helping them" and turn it into "WOW I really learned a lot while helping the locals." This creates less resentment and really helps both groups to learn about one another.

(5 After reading this article, why do you want to go on this trip?) My intentions for going to Guatemala are the same from when they started. Of course I want to help I mean who wouldn't but my ultimate goal was always to learn all I could about another culture and another group of people. I want to know the history of the land and of its people. Everyone has a story and there is nothing better than talking and learning their story. It not only shows that I care, but I get more knowledge and understanding of a specific time and person.