As the Youth Group coordinator at Grace Presbyterian Church outside of Washington DC, I greatly desired our youth group to go on a mission trip. But I wanted it to take place somewhere different than our homes and home church. I wanted to see the group serving or evangelizing—focused outwards on others and their needs. I was also excited to see relationships flourish as we spent time together through service, as a mission trip uniquely encourages. However, it was already late spring 2023, folks had their summer calendars decisively parsed, and honestly, I didn’t really feel like I had the bandwidth to lead a group of youth for an entire week as we were all out of our comfort zones. Mission trips are not something I myself have been a part of very much and I was intimidated by the planning required and the energy necessary for a far-away week-long trip.