Short Term Mission

Short Term Mission needs to be planned in advance and Global Mission Partners negotiates with our partners so that the mission experience is beneficial and valuable for all involved. This means that the opportunities are more limited in some settings and so timing and group size are determined by our global partner capacity. The Short Term Mission handbook attached below is a good resource for planning a short term mission team experience.

Expression of Interest forms for teams and individuals are also attached below. If you would like to know more contact the GMP office info@inpartnership.org.au or ring 08 8212 4446. 

Reflections from a Londua Team

My personal highlight was...

• to be part of a team that met together, shared together, journeyed together.
• feeling like I was "at home" returning to Londua.
• getting to  connect with the students on a personal level. We sang, laughed, did each other's hair and just talked. One of the best moments for me was getting to pray for a few of the girls during the Thursday evening Easter service. There didn't seem much hesitation for some of the students to come forward. I was more hesitant than them but felt so honoured that they would tell me what they needed prayer for. The Holy Spirit was so present in the chapel that night. I felt that God was reminding me that no matter what creed, colour, race, age or education, we all go through the same troubles in life. We can all pray for and support each other. It was such a privilege.

The experience that I struggle to most fully convey and describe to my friends is...

• how comfortable and at home I felt whilst there.
• the relationship with the community and the way they respond in friendship, giving, acceptance, encouragment and above all a genuine love for God.
• the beauty and peace of the simple lifestyle; the spirit of thankfulness, the focus and hope in God with which these Christians live.
• the feeling of peace and contentment with living so simply and being able to press into God.
• the goosebumps that I got every time I heard the students singing. It was unashamed worship from the heart; loud, soulful and beautiful. They were all so amazing and it appeared that they didn't even realise it. I can't begin to try and describe the sound of their voices in beautiful harmony, nor convey the feeling that stirred within me.

The greatest personal achievement of my time there was...

• the whole team pulling together.
• stepping up in leadership and facing my fear of speaking in front of people (e.g. doing devotions and singing upfront).
• handing everything over to God and seeing the many answers to our prayers.
• being able to give a sermon at Navitora Church in Bislama.
• feeling confident in front of the school and my friends during chapel and leading in singing. I felt God's comfort and peace with me. We were all there for the same reason - to worship our God.
• helping the teachers realize they have so much potential and great teaching ability.

The biggest change that is happening in me is...

• being more open to listen and do what God would have me do.
• an awareness of cultural differences and how much Jesus is a part of the people there.
• I have a different perspective in the way I view the world and people. I've learnt to stop judging people and being afraid of them judging me.
• more aware of time and money management; attempting to reduce excess waste and expenditure.
• a renewed desire to bring all things to prayer; to read the Bible more intently to find how it is talking to me; to rely on God for all my needs.
• reviewing my life at home; growing more in faith and reliance on God.
• I believe God has been telling me to 'step up' and lead others in worship. Taking those opportunities at Londua reminded me that my faith is enough, God's promises are enough, His love is enough. My complete contentment in God should be enough for me and I want this to be my daily decision.

The most disappointing thing was...

• the two weeks went too quickly. I would have liked to have stayed another week.
• feeling unwell during the trip and that I wasn't pulling my weight.
• I would have liked more time to learn more about each other as a team.
• coming home to discover my family had not had a good time while I was away.
• that one can't make the two weeks a perfect experience for everyone; and to accept that but then to just hand everything over to God for Him to take control.
• not getting to say a proper personal goodbye to the two students I connected really well with. They were both fairly quiet but had beautirul spirits; eager to learn and dream big. I felt sad and a little lonely even knowing that it would not be likely that I would ever see them again.

I wish someone had told me in advance that...

• even though it was a short trip that I would feel a connection to the people I met and when I returned it would be hard to leave them behind.
• it would rain so much!
• you're supposed to fish at night!
• coming home would be just as difficult this time as it was last time.
• living in another culture changes life for us.

The thing I am struggling with is...

• coping with the culture in my home country and the lack of compassion and love.
• I would be back in Vanuatu in a heart beat!
• bringing the trip (walking with God so closely and working with a close team) home with me.
• not getting back into complacency.
• accepting the differences between our two cultures and knowing that each of them is great in its own way, that neither is right or wrong, just different. I have just spent the most amazing two weeks with some of the most selfless, generous, caring and loving people that I have every met, only to come home to a very different situation. The students at Londua and people in the surrounding villages have hardly anything (in comparison) yet they would give you everything. Our priorities seem to be so mixed up; they seem to be so backwards. My new friends in Ambae know what's important - faith in God, church, community, family and love. I will miss it so very much! I hope to retain some of the new values that I experienced and try to re-evalutate my priorities.

I wish I had been able to...

• spend even more time with the students and get to know more of them on a more personal level.
• be more prepared for staff training and offer more resources to equip staff.

My thoughts about the future are...

• living every day and breathing every breath for God.
• I would like to be involved in more teacher trainging and equipping. I think this is the key to an effective trip - working with the students and the staff so that they receive the motivation and encouragement to continue doing their job when you leave.
• to be a prayer warrior for the upcoming trips.
• to be in any supportive role that I can be.
• that more teams will be able to experience what i've experience.
• I would love to return in the future and see how the school has matured.

God was most real when...

• every day, in all the little things and especially during Chapel.
• we really made contact with the students and staff.
• when prayers were answered when we needed direction and answers.
• during worship and singing.
• He prompted me with needed devotions and provided practical needs for my classes.
• having time without distraction or excuses for clear and open reflection and openness with God.
• seeing the innocent happiness in the students faces and to see those go forward to let Jesus come into their lives. To see Chaplain Valerie with tears of joy for 'her students' who had made this commitment.
• we had no choice but to fully rely on Him and His plans and power. Our prayers were always answered, we were always cared for, fed and sheltered, loved and needed. God was so real to me the entire trip because we were so plugged in to Him. Everyday we sat with Him, prayed to him, worshipped Him and relied on Him.
• the whole time - in everything!

Qld to Ranwadi

A team of nine from Whitehill and Fernvale Churches of Christ in Qld went to Ranwadi Churches of Christ College in Vanuatu to help with maintenance and ministry. Below is Rachel’s story of her experience as a 16 year old on Short Term Mission.

Door of Hope to Londua

What do rats, spiders, no fridge, no running water, long drop toilets, no meat, no showers, no beds - sleeping on the floor, heat, humidity, 8 seater planes, grass airstrips, no mirrors, bathing in the sea, mosquito nets, hard work AND generosity, passion, commitment, contentment, spiritual maturity, friendliness, appreciation, beauty, creation at its best have in common -  VANUATU.

On Sunday 7^th September ten people left Australia to travel to Vanuatu for a “God Adventure”, an “out of your comfort zone experience” and to serve others who need assistance with projects in their own country.

Sunday night saw us taking part in the Santo church evening service which was a very moving experience. Passion, enthusiasm and harmonious singing touched our hearts and gave us a taste of what we could look forward to in the next few weeks. 

On Monday morning 9 of us left on an 8 seater plane to travel to Ambae to the Londua Training School. One more came later on the afternoon plane. So our real adventure began! We settled into our accommodation, checked out our surroundings, were a little taken back by the kitchen facilities and planned our work week. For the next two weeks the program for eight of our team was taken up with maintenance and renovations at the Londua school. During this time we completed over 300 hours of work which included painting, rendering walls, making new bunk beds, shelving, completing the new home care room by the installation of windows and doors.

The other two team members concentrated on boiling water, cooking and going to the market to get fresh fruit and vegetables. This was made so much easier due to the generosity of many of the ni-Vanuatu ladies who came by with gifts of grapefruit, beans, pawpaws, mango, limes, cakes, bananas, coconuts and various other island foods. 

In addition to the manual work the team were able to take turns in leading school devotions each morning and evening. Evening services were held at Navatore and Londua. Sunday morning we shared in a combined Churches of Christ service at Navatore. What an amazing privilege it was to listen to the melodious singing from the children, the enthusiastic delivery of the children’s talk, the heartfelt preaching of the Word of God and after the service the wonderful lunch provided for us. At the school, the team held a Girls and Boys Night. These nights were arranged so that we could have lots of fun but also express God’s love to them in a tangible way through hand and foot washing, gift giving and sharing with them God’s desire for boy/girl relationships. 

It was a real honour to be asked to visit a local village. This was a 10 km return walk which allowed us to see how a village operates and to meet some of the local people. In the evening we were invited to take part in the village Bible study. Once again we were able to witness the passion and sincerity of their faith.

Overall, each team member experienced a God Adventure, a time of trusting God, an awakening of the needs of others, a realisation that ‘things’ are not important and a strengthening of the bonds of friendship between team members and the people of Vanuatu.