{"id":407,"date":"2020-04-23T11:59:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/cshb\/?p=407"},"modified":"2021-03-08T05:11:25","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T05:11:25","slug":"helping-or-hurting-considering-the-lasting-impact-of-short-term-missions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/cshb\/2020\/04\/23\/helping-or-hurting-considering-the-lasting-impact-of-short-term-missions\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHelping or Hurting? Considering the Lasting Impact of Short Term Missions\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Megan Sands and Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, EdD<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by yousef alfuhigi<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You hop off the plane full of wonder and excitement, eager to change the world.  Everything around you feels beautifully unfamiliar; the different smells, language, and horizons draw you in.  You look out the window and see the children running towards the car, laughing and grinning ear to ear.  They have been awaiting your arrival.  For the next several weeks you play, sing, and dance, bringing joy to so many faces.  You connect with the people and the culture in an inexplicable way until the van returns to take you home.  You\u2019ve been forever changed by the things you saw and the people you served, ready to share your story, to tell the world what this has meant to you.  You post about it on Instagram, you share your stories with family and friends.  In quiet moments, your thoughts wander, filled with hope that you might one day visit again.  But what fills the daydreams of the children in this story?  What are their hopes and dreams?  Do they dream of the day when you will visit again?  Or, possibly another team?  Or, maybe they dream about the day when they might get to ride away\u2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you participated in short term mission or service trips?  We hope that you have, because it can be an amazing experience for both those serving and those being served!  What about the moments and days after the trip?  Your world was likely impacted in so many ways.  What is often not considered is the way in which those whom we serve, or host communities, are truly impacted by our service, interaction, and presence.  Serious consequences can follow our exciting short term visits.  A rise in \u201cvolunteer tourism\u201d presents concerns of very possible dependency and exploitation of host communities (Hartman et al., 2014).  Hartman et al. noted that popularity in these international short term service programs has created a market of selling these experiences as a commodity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Steve Leisher<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Certainly the intent of such trips, in a variety of different forms, is \u201cdoing good.\u201d  However, unfortunately some challenges can occur when acts of service are seen as \u201cunquestioned good.\u201d  <\/strong>Some responses suggest that the risk to host communities is simply too great, no matter how well intentioned.  While others argue against these concerns with the attitude that \u201cat least we care,\u201d \u201cwe are doing something, what are you doing?\u201d or \u201cat least we are trying to help.\u201d  So what\u2019s the right response?  Is there a space for short-term service and engagement?  Can the goals of service be advanced while also safeguarding against risks to vulnerable populations?   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the concern of protecting vulnerable populations, Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson (CBU), Dr. Amanda Howard (Samford University), and Nicole Wilke (Christian Alliance for Orphans) have developed Principles and Practices for Just Engagement: An Evidence Based Curriculum for Short Term Missions and Service with Orphans and Vulnerable Populations.  <\/em>This online curriculum combines scientifically-informed guidelines for and alternate models of best practices in engagement.  The mission of the project seeks to provide access for churches, nonprofits, and university-based programs to educate service providers and reduce risk for host populations.  The curriculum provides an alternative perspective and approach to short term service and mission work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n