STM Survey Results – 2018

Responses were received from 38.5% of those to whom the 2018 Summer Short-Term Missions Survey was sent.Here is a sampling of answers received, in hopes that they can be of help to those contemplating or preparing for an STM trip!

Sample responses to "What was your favorite part of the trip?"

ASIA:

• Being welcomed into the OP mission team there.

• Getting to know the local church.

HAITI - TEAM HAITI:

• Fellowship with fellow Christians who are my age, and enjoying the nature/weather of Haiti.

• Ministering to the Haitians and worshipping with them on Sunday.

QUEBEC - ENGLISH FOR KIDS BIBLE CAMP:

• Sharing the gospel and having children interested in hearing it.

• Working with brothers and sisters from other churches.

• Since I have been going for so many years, I love seeing the kids grow up.

• Having a meaningful way to teach the gospel.

• Seeing what God is doing in Quebec through St Marc's Reformed Church.

• I loved the Friday evening Spectacular. All of the kids were super excited to perform and they did an amazing job!

UGANDA:

• Learning about a different culture.

URUGUAY:

• Getting to know the missionaries.

• Making Uruguayan friends.

WILDWOOD, NJ - BOARDWALK CHAPEL

• Being at the Boardwalk Chapel reminded me of the power and importance of praying without ceasing. We did a lot of praying, and it reinvigorated me toward spiritual growth.

• Ministering through singing, and daily devotions with my team.

• Evangelism on the boardwalk.

• Seeing youth share their faith.

• My favorite part was learning how to naturally share my faith, and how to actually do that in a normal conversation.

• I loved how much we prayed! Pretty much every single minute you could look around and at least 1 person would be praying.

ZOAR, WI - MENOMINEE MISSIONS:

• Seeing the children to whom we ministered come to church on a Sunday morning.

• Seeing the love of the Menominee church for reaching children in its community.

• I always love connecting with and meeting the kids. They mean the world to me!

Some answers to "What is one way you grew as a Christian during your trip?"

• I grew in appreciation of the local church and rest on the Lord's day.

• I grew in my understanding of God's Law and application to my heart.

• I prayed a lot more on the trip than I normally do in the U.S., because my need for/dependence on God is more apparent while in Haiti.

• My love for the church universal has grown as well.

• I learned more deeply what it is to put others first and to serve rather than be served. It's still something I need to do a lot of growing in but being on Team Haiti really showed me that.

• I learned to be more patient and trust God's grace.

• Encouraged me to be more intentional in my community back home.

• I feel that the Lord grew me in leadership and service, and I depended on the Lord in prayer heavily through the week.

• Coming out of my comfort zone and taking to people about Christ!

• I learned a better/more focused way to pray.  I got to see God work in real ways through the Gospel.

• I learned the value of spending time in God's word daily, something I always knew but never really saw fleshed out.

• I learned to pray in groups, and for long periods of time, and I learned to evangelize, and how to encourage others better.

• The culture of prayer at the Boardwalk Chapel really helped me see how truly dependent we are on God in new ways.

• I have grown in my love of prayer and study of God's word.

• Certain situations forced me to spend time alone with God, and I was able to begin to understand a little bit more of how much of a best friend He truly is.

• I learned better how to share the gospel with those who have had no previous exposure to it.

• I grew in prayer, and I am happy to say I pray more than ever.