Short-term Missions

Working Together to Mobilize Our Future Missionaries

Mary Ann Anderson
Jim Craig

ACTION’s Short-term Missions ministry is a collaborative effort on the part of all of the ACTION Philippines missionaries designed to help further a potential missionary in the processing of their calling. All official short-term missionaries apply with an ACTION sending office and receive full logistical support in their short-term experience. This will include endorsements for financial support raising, transportation guidance and assistance, an infield mentor, if need be medical guidance, and numerous other perks.

While in the Philippines the short-termer will have an assigned mentor who will conduct an initial briefing, coordinate housing and meals, assist the short-termer in plugging in to their ministry experience, and conduct debriefing at the end of the short-term experience. Short-term experiences range from a week up to a year. Often Bible College students utilize ACTION’s Short-term Ministries as a means to satisfy project or internship requirements for their school. At other times missions pastors will bring a youth group, families come together to test the “missions” waters, or mission mobilizers come to gain the experience. Recently two youth from a church in the U.S. wanted to go on a short-term missions trip and their church’s retired pastor, at the age of 75, brought them himself. If you are serious about investigating the possibility of being a missionary then we can help.

The day started with early morning phone calls between the Short-term Missions Coordinator and her assistant trying to assess the likelihood of the intern from Moody Bible College and the two youth who were visiting ACTION Philippines being able to press on with their plans for the day. Planned for the day was a visit to one of the Street Impact Teams feeding sites where ACTION supplies the resources to feed up to 50 children yet the problem this day was a typhoon was pounding the northern Philippines and Metro Manila was experiencing heavy rain fall. Though the rains were heavy there was no wind and as the main funnel of the storm was passing to the north we realized that we will likely experience localized flooding but little chance of falling debris such as billboard signs or power lines. We knew that the feeding would take place regardless if we were there or not as the food was purchased and the stomachs were empty. As ACTION Philippines always works with and through local churches the workers that conduct the feeding were already there as well. It is now only a matter of the safety of the short-term missionaries; and they were gung-ho.

It was decided that if any flooding appears dangerous to look for alternative routes but make all effort to reach the feeding site. Thought the rain was constant and at times very heavy the journey was uneventful. At times the team had to pass through flooded areas but the route selected utilized main roads that are built to endure heavy rainfall and as we passed the flooded areas all one could hear was the clicking of the camera shutters of the short-term team. We indeed selected a safe route to travel yet it was as a longer one and upon arrival we were just in time for the feeding. The team was to lead in singing and the Moody intern was to tell a short story after which the food will be served.

The path going into the shanty village in the heart of the port district of Manila was a small muddy path with ladies sitting washing clothes anywhere there was no dripping of rain water through the rusted out roofing that overlapped the path. Large stones dotted the path that gave those trudging through a place to step out of the mud. At the small dirt floored church with walls made of bamboo strips and blue plastic tarpaulin the team found the mothers of the “children in need” in good spirits despite the rains and wind that was now starting to blow. With the increase in wind came a flapping of the tin roof and this caused the stirring of creatures hiding above from the storm. As the short-termers were leading the group of children in worship suddenly all the kids turned their attention and pointing towards a team member the young man, just a week removed from the comforts of his home growing up, turned to see the long whiskers and straight tail of our new guest. As the two made eye contact both jumped, the rat unto a pole and up and out of the service, the short-termer into the reality of missions.

To borrow a phrase from our Lord Jesus Christ; come and see.