Deep Justice Journeys Student Journal

Moving from Mission Trips to Missional Living

So you’re fired up, you want to make a difference, you want to change the world…but how? Signing up for your church’s mission trip or service project is a great first step, and you are definitely going to make a difference in someone’s life. But are you ready for the different cultures you may encounter? How are you going to really connect with the people you serve? And what about when you come home—how do you make sense of all the things you’ve experienced? It’s easy to forget your experiences in the mission field—especially when the people around you haven’t had those same experiences. And it is easy to go back to living your life the way you were before—but if you really want to change the world, you have to change, too. The only way that is going to happen is if you spend some time before, during, and after your service preparing for and processing your justice work. As you use this journal you will start to think about— • the people you are serving • your relationship with your teammates • how God factors in to your service project • the impact your experience has had on you • how you can continue to make a difference in the world around you If you think you’re fired-up for service now, just wait! As you complete the creative and fun exercises included in this journal, you will be energized for justice work, you’ll learn how to apply this to your own life, and nothing will be able to stop you.