Host families, a vital part of short-term missions experiences

Over the summer, a dozen families from the alliance of Pittsburgh churches volunteered to serve as host families of the members of the Latin American team of CCI professors. Here are the responses of some of the Latin Americans and a Pittsburgh host family.

Rixy points to where she recently served as a short-term missionary (9 months)
in Niger, Africa.

Rixy Leiva, El Salvador (recent short-term missionary to Niger)

In one month’s time, I have gone from abject poverty in Niger to the lap of luxury in Pittsburgh with these gracious host families.  I am enjoying both since they proceed from the hand of God.

Rixy at her going away party in Niger just prior to her arrival to Pittsburgh.

Rixy in the "lap of luxury"

Manuel and  Duglas were hosted by Mac and Susie McCabe

Victor Hugo, Gloria and Evelyn were hosted by Shirley & Jim Crawford

Gloria Martinez, Mexico "We are here in Pittsburgh with the folks who have opened their hands to give generously and have bent their knees to pray for us. This gives me a more complete perspective of God’s Kingdom work."

The sweet memories that Norma Lampersk had of her time with the Latin Americans: 

Things that took me by surprise: I was amazed at the fact that despite my lack of Spanish, we were able to communicate quite well with a dictionary, and hand gestures/ "acting out".

Moments we knew we were being used by God to help: 

Just the witness of the pure love and laughter which we shared during meals, quiet times, times of travel. 

The tears in my eyes when I said that final good-bye. :(.

The feeling of "no stress", hey this is fun!!!

The joy of seeing them watch a Latin movie on TV that we had rented.

it was a wonderful experience. Thank-you Henri Doren for the part YOU played in organizing everything.

Broadening our global perspective of God’s Kingdom work

Robert Bruneau, Lisa, Evelyn Umana, Carlos Baca

The atmosphere breathed excitement as I anticipated the arrival of our multicultural team of professors. This would be the first time all of us would be gathered in one room, face-to-face. For the last year, we had been meeting monthly via the internet, planning, preparing, praying for each of the team to get US visas (14 out of 15 got visas).

I breathed a prayer of gratitude as I saw them arrive with their host families, smiling, moving their hands and making great efforts to communicate.

Analu Cornejo (Peru),  Patti Salla, Norma Canales (Honduras)

Warms hugs, kisses on the cheek, loud greetings filled the room. “Finally, Karina (from Argentina) we meet face to face!” Oh Rixy (from El Salvador) “I haven’t seen you since 2010 when you traveled to Honduras for Lisa’s 50^th birthday! “Victor Hugo, wow, you are much taller in real life than on the screen, ha, ha, ha.” Just the greetings and introductions took 15 minutes!

Mimi Seigfried, Alvaro Cordero (Boliva), Walter Seigfried, Bob Sabean (Costa Rica)

I looked over the faces of the team gathered and tears sprang to my eyes. So many dreams were coming true in this moment. Here is one of those dreams:

This event is a landmark in the life of the association of Christian Camping International, Latin America  (CCI/LA) because it gives a group of leaders whose gift is teaching a global perspective of how God’s Kingdom works.

Pastor Manuel Cortez (Costa Rica) & Pastor Alvaro Cordero (Bolivia)

CCI/LA's curriculum for developing leaders in Christian camping

Manuel Cortez works year by year since 1974 with my fellow missionary, Bob Sabean, in the rural area of Costa Rica. He is a pastor and daily he labors to give his fellow pastors a vision for the power of Christian camping (the power of camp). When he travels from his rural setting to Pittsburgh he meets the churches that have been supporting CCI/LA through me and discovers that due to their provision, he has ample written material with which to do his work in Costa Rica. His eyes light up as he makes the connections. He says: I see this curriculum as a dream come true. Bob and Lisa envisioned CCI/LA's written curriculum long before it was published. I ask myself: What do we see 5-10-20 years from now? What vision do we anticipate? I believe our point of entrance is the church, specifically through the pastors. I recently saw how the vision of one pastor expanded when he took one of our CCI/LA courses.

The diagram below attempts to convey how Manuel's perspective is broadened. Starting from right to left, the circle represents Manuel's starting perspective and progressively expands as he critically reflects throughout his short-term missions experience in Pittsburgh. 

Diagram attempting to illustrate how short-term missions trips broaden one's perspective.

What experience have you had that broadened your perspective? Please share about your experience and how your perspective was broadened in Comments below.