Short-term opportunities to serve God in the global church

Have you ever played the human knot? It takes teamwork and communication to untangle without letting go of each other’s hands. (Trisha Festerling)

Rebekah Janssen is a member of Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hartland, Wis. This spring, she served on a short-term volunteer team in Egypt caring for the missionary kids of the LCMS Africa region. At home in Wisconsin, she works as a registered nurse. Outside of work, she enjoys packing her days to the brim with activities. On any given summer’s day, she might be found gardening, sailing, reading, baking, hanging with family and friends and studying God’s Word in community.

By Rebekah Janssen

What are MK short-term trips?

An MK (missionary kid) short-term trip is an opportunity to provide care and activities for the children of missionaries while their parents are participating in a retreat. I was blessed to participate in such an opportunity this spring in Africa. While the missionaries gathered for worship, continuing education, rest and fellowship, our childcare team came alongside to provide a safe and fun environment for the children.

Not all are called to be missionaries abroad. Not all are called to move their families to live in a foreign place, learn a new language and be immersed in a culture that is very different from their own. Yet all Christians are called to share the Gospel and support the sharing of the Gospel near and far. We all have the privilege of praying for and supporting our missionaries. Serving on a MK short-term trip is one way to do this.

What was my experience volunteering?

Some of the kids enjoyed kicking the soccer ball around during our outdoor time, while others enjoyed hearing a story in the shade. (Trisha Festerling)

Our volunteer group consisted of first-time volunteers like me as well as returning volunteers. The three-and-a-half-day retreat consisted of three morning sessions during which the volunteers spent time with the kids while the adults had continuing education. Before we broke off from the adults, there was morning worship with liturgy from Lutheran Service Book. Some of our musically talented missionaries accompanied our hymn singing with ukuleles and a compact keyboard. What a joyous way to start the day rooted in worship of God together!

Our time with the kids went too quickly and felt short to me, yet it overflowed with fun! Each volunteer brought unique ideas for activities and games. We brought supplies in our luggage for some of the activities we had planned and then adapted the activities based on the interest of the kids.

The kids varied in age from early elementary to high school. There was also a toddler who had the one-on-one attention of one of our volunteers.

There was great variety in the activities and games. We had paper airplane competitions and collectively finished a large sticker puzzle. We played bingo for pre-wrapped prizes and displayed art creations on an “art wall.” Games such as musical chairs, Frogger and Duck-Duck-Goose were received with eager participation. We roamed out of our indoor space to a grassy area (there were lots of plants growing in the desert thanks to gray water plumbing) to kick a ball around and run a bit more freely.

During our time outdoors, we allowed the kids to divide into an older and a younger group for Bible study discussions about Baptism and our identity in Christ.

What opportunities did God grant to be His witness?

In the afternoons, we spent time at the pool. This was an optional time when some volunteers made themselves available to supervise the kids for a two-hour block of swimming. Since we were at the pool at the same time each day, I was able to befriend an American couple that has been living in Germany for the past decade. They were vacationing at the hotel with their family, and their children played in the pool with the MK children.

The American expats were surprised to hear so many English-speaking people since most of the vacationers at our hotel spoke Russian. They curiously asked about our purpose for gathering, and I was able to encourage this once Mormon couple about the truth of God’s Word, the Bible and the reality of our hope in Christ’s return as told in Revelation. (The Book of Revelation happened to be the focus during the adult sessions that weekend.) I am always amazed at the opportunities God provides for us to witness.

On long plane rides and layovers, in a country that is predominantly Muslim, I had opportunities to befriend and interact with those who do not know Christ as their Savior. Sometimes there is an uncanny freedom to speak deeply to strangers during travels. As I cited the mission trip as my reason for traveling, it naturally led to conversations about faith.

Did I always leave the conversations having articulated my thoughts in the exact way I had wished? No. However, I can rest in peace, trusting the Holy Spirit to stir hearts to the truth of the Gospel. I know that His Word is effective to accomplish His will because He has promised it is. I felt renewed encouragement to devote time to Bible study and prayer so that God’s Word might be written on my heart and ready on my lips for future conversations.

How many Bible stories can you spot? Our tour guide’s favorite painting is that of Jesus raising Lazurus from the dead. (Rebekah Janssen)

Are there Christians in Egypt?

I also had the opportunity to meet believers from other church denominations, specifically the Coptic church. The apostle Mark brought the Gospel to Egypt in the first century, and the Coptic church has existed ever since, even amid persecution after the introduction of Islam into the region.

While touring the local Coptic church, we were able to ask questions about the life of the church and the doctrinal beliefs of the Coptic church and gaze in awe at the beautiful paintings that adorned all surfaces of the interior of the building.

The paintings vividly portrayed the story of God’s Word from Creation to Christ’s return and were footnoted with Scripture quotes in Arabic and Coptic. The openness of our guide to share about his faith was encouraging and widened the scope of my understanding of God’s continued work through His Word in the living church.

How can I continue to serve God in the global church?

As I write this, I have been back home in Wisconsin, following my normal life rhythm, for almost two months. I have returned to my vocations as daughter, sister, friend, church member and floor nurse in a community hospital.

I thank God for the opportunity to see more of His work, more of His church, more of His glory and goodness. I have renewed energy to serve Him in this corner of the world and a better ability to pray for missionary families serving in a very different corner of the world.

While our daily lives and work look very different, we are united by His Spirit toward a common goal: that Christ would be known and that God would be glorified. We are united in one hope and faith as we worship the true, living God, confident of His continued work to bring life out of death and restore what is broken.