Go Geographic: Written by Brittany Norris As a Go Intern, one of the main things to look forward to in your ten-month experience is the annual Mystery Mission Trip. The Mystery Trip is always organized by Staff and Apprentices, while being kept completely under wraps from the first year interns.
Everything from airline tickets to hotels, to sight seeing opportunities and ministry sites are planned out thoroughly without even the slightest hint given to any of the interns. As a current intern, this whole experience has everyone a little anxious and excited, to say the least. We aren’t the only ones either; the Apprentices and Staff are just as psyched for us to find out where we’re going. It’s certainly been the talk of the office for the past few weeks, and I’m sure the excitement will only increase, as it grows closer to the time for us to finally experience the adventure set before us.
Some of the destinations of past trips include: London, England, Paris, France, Rome, Italy, Bangkok, Thailand, Manila, Philippines, Hong Kong, China, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia! During past Mystery Trips, they’ve created and implemented many different outreaches and ministry styles depending upon the culture in which they’ve found themselves. For example, last year in Cambodia the team met a woman who had lost her husband that week, leaving her to raise her children alone and provide for the family by herself. The woman explained that in their village, her sons would have to be raised in the pagoda under the influence of the Buddhist religion. She then expressed her desire to live near the Christian church where her sons could grow up learning about God.
Knowing that the distance was too far for her to make frequent trips to the church, the Go team got together and pitched in $200 for a house to be built for her and her family right near the church! This wasn’t a planned ministry opportunity, but it’s amazing what kind of difference you can make wherever you go, if you are open to listening to the needs of those around you. The team didn’t know they were going to meet that lady that day, or that their small amount of money could make such a huge impact in her life. It’s just an awesome reminder that even though we’re blind to things at times, and life may seem mysterious in some ways; God always knows what He’s doing.
God always has an awesome plan for every journey we take too, whether it is in our day-to-day lives or as we travel across the globe. Nothing can be a mystery to God, which is one of the main reasons we’re so excited about our trip here at Go! We know He has something amazing lined up for us, once we get wherever it is that we’re going.
Here are some of the pictures from the past Mystery Mission Trips I mentioned, and feel free to follow us on our journey @ www.followthemystery.com as we take our once-in-a-lifetime Go Mystery Trip 2011!!
Photos by: Katie O'Toole
