I visited Africa a few times before it occurred to me that I should try to do something more than just being a spectator. Just going and visiting people who are living in poverty, so that you can tell people about it back home, makes you feel righteous, but are you actually doing anything to make a difference, or are you just an unwanted onlooker deriving entertainment from viewing other people’s tragedy and debasement?
Although there are many good reasons to go on a missions trip, there are also many reasons not to go. The people you are visiting will be taken away from their normal work while you are there. Your lack of local knowledge will probably result in some damage, and there is no guarantee that the good you do will outweigh the damage. Your desire to have a good story to tell when returning home may result in unwarranted claims of successes.
However, I believe that there is a lot to be gained from a well-planned missions trip. Possible favourable outcomes include: leaving the hosts richer rather than poorer for the experience, accomplishing a project which you set out to do, enriching the worldviews and faith experiences of the team members, and establishing lasting cross-cultural friendships and faith partnerships.