Why I love missions trips

We sent some 20 students on short-term missions trips this summer, to Guatemala and to the Dominican Republic. I am sold on these trips as amazing discipleship tools! Here is an exerpt from Claudia's myspace blog about her time in the DR:

"The best thing that happened was that we all went with the purpose of loving and serving the people of the Dominican Republic and teach them about God, which we did do, but the best thing was that they taught me about God and loved on me and served me. It's amazing the ways God chooses to show up in your life to teach you and show you something. While there, God showed me some things about myself and what He wanted me to change about myself and about my relationship with Him. Good thing He had planned for me to learn this in the DR...j/k. And now, God is definately still working, showing me and working with me in those things and it's taking time but it's happening."

Also, here's a picture of the Guatemala team from Fresno: