3 Things You are Allowed to Slap Me for Saying When I Get Back to the States

For those of you who don't know, I went to Moody Bible Institute for my undergrad. Moody was a school primarily focused on mission work with the best of intentions (at least I hope so.). Going to a school so focused on missions, I was able to communicate with many people post mission trip. I would generally characterize these people as one on an emotional "I just came back from camp" high and in the middle of  "how do I justify my American lifestyle?" crisis. Many people speak of a mid life crisis, but in the evangelical missions world, we have the post mission trip crisis. My dear readers, I don't want to be presumptuous and assume I will not experience this crisis, but oh goodness, if I say the following, please slap me. 

1. "Walking down the cereal aisle was so difficult, I can't believe how many options we have here in America." 

I've read countless blog posts and heard countless stories of people coming back to America and experiencing a sense of guilt when going to the grocery store. I know options are more limited in other countries and the fact that we have literally a hundred different cereals to choose from is ridiculous. But this has been said before and doesn't need to be stated again. Consumerism in America is grossly out of control and we can learn life lessons from traveling to other places that are just as happy only choosing from 2 different cereals. Let's move on. 

2. "I came to [insert country name here] expecting to change the people, but in the end, they changed me." 

I was listening to my favorite radio show, "This American Life" in which Ira Glass was interviewing someone who works in the admissions department for a major university. Ira asked him what was the most common essay question response/the response he hopes he never has to read again, and this was the response! The admissions counselor told Ira that he cannot tell you how many students write about serving overseas in some third world country and talking about how the people changed them, even when they weren't expecting it. I was not surprised to hear this, because I have heard countless testimonies post mission trip about this very sentiment. I am a bit flabbergasted by this. This sentiment is not even noteworthy in my opinion. Of course you are changed by the people in which you are serving! You are living with people from completely different walks of life and spending the majority of your time with them. They are teaching you new ways of life, new outlooks on the world, in a completely different context. If I come to Peru expecting to radically change the lives of the people there, one would have reason to be concerned. And if I come back to America completely unchanged by the people I just spent the past nine months with, there is again reason to be concerned. I hope when I return to the States I can discuss the intricate details in which the Peruvians changed my life and we can rejoice in these changes, but not be surprised. 

3. "These people have so little, yet they are so full of joy." 

Again, why are we surprised that people with less material wealth are joyful? Jesus has strong words to say against the rich and very strong words commending the life of the poor and their virtues. It is a blessing to live with less and it is not a surprise that those that live with less wealth lead joyful lives. I am fearful that one will read this paragraph and assume and I am turning a blind eye to the immense struggles of poverty. I am not discussing or overlooking these struggles. I am only making a point that it shouldn't come as surprise that when one lives a lifestyle in which material wealth is not an idol (in which it often becomes an idol in America) of course the virtue of joy will be manifest, along with many other virtues. To put it simply, money does not equal happiness. 

 

...Maybe I'll come back from Peru absolutely needing to say all of these things, in which I will apologize for this presumptuous blog post and all of you will have permission to slap me.