In my mid 20s I went to Thailand on my first mission trip. It was a life-changing experience! I saw rich and poor living side by side, smelt the stench of poor sanitation, tasted some amazing food, heard the sounds of strange animals at night and felt sweat dripping off me almost all the time – it brought all my senses alive!
I travelled on motorbike taxis, learned some of the language and even had a go at planting rice. I stayed with several missionaries who were enduring difficult conditions in order to live amongst the locals and tell them about Jesus. I returned to the UK with a huge appreciation for the sacrifices they had made, a fascination for different cultures – and a desire to see more of the world.
Over the next couple of years I helped deliver Bibles in remote parts of Mongolia, visited children’s projects in South Africa and toured schools, prisons and churches in northeast Brazil.
Missionary talks were no longer just boring slideshows, they really came alive and I could imagine the assault on their senses as they went about their lives amongst people of a very different culture.
I am always keen to encourage others to visit somewhere very different to our comfortable homeland, and have supported those who have chosen to do so long-term. So when the opportunity came up to spend 2-weeks in Zambia, I jumped at the chance!
Mission Direct have planned a ‘dads and kids’ trip with CVM and when I mentioned it to my 9 year old son, he was excited about it too! Why should he wait until he has a gap year to experience the sights and sounds of cross-cultural mission?
We will be going to Lusaka in Zambia for the last two weeks of August, helping to build part of a school. This school is giving children their only chance at getting an education.
The trip is open to any dad, grandad or uncle who would like to bring one or more children over the age of 7 – it will be the experience of a lifetime, something you will never forget. I’m really looking forward to my son and I working together and having this shared experience – why don’t you join us? Just be ready for an assault on your senses!
More info at cvm.org.uk/epic-adventure
This 1-minute video will give you some idea of what we’ll be up to!
