16/06/2025
“With” not “For”
“Wouldn’t it be better to just send the money? More money could be sent if people didn’t pay for airfare, hotels, food, etc.” This is a question/argument I’ve heard a few times. On paper it makes sense. If you look at it from a financial standpoint, the logistical cost of sending a team from the U.S. to Latin America could appear to be an unnecessary expense.
What we tend to forget is that the finances are not the only component involved in mission work. As the Field Coordinator for VISA (Volunteers in Service Abroad) teams in Latin America, I have the privilege of connecting churches from across Central and South America with churches in the U.S.
Mission work is relational, not transactional. When short-term teams come from the U.S., our goal is to work “with” the local church, not show up and do something “for” them. It takes intentionality and hard work to connect with someone from another culture, but that is exactly what we aim for during these cross-cultural trips.
Most recently, I had the chance to spend time with Heather and Jonah Teed (from Hastings, Michigan) in the city of Barrancabermeja, Colombia. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the project changed prior to arrival and our work schedule continued to change even while we were in Barrancabermeja. If we had been focused on the project and “what we came to do”, it could have been disheartening. However, because of those changes, we actually had the chance to spend even more time with our new friends in Barrancabermeja. I watched as Heather and Jonah rolled with the changes and simply served wherever they were most needed during their time there. That willingness allowed them to connect on a deeper level with our brothers and sister in that area. I love watching churches from different cultures interact because it’s a glimpse into what Heaven is going to be someday as believers from all around the world are unified into one church body.
This trip was a reminder to me that if we choose to work “with” what God is already doing instead of creating our own goals, we’ll avoid a lot of shattered expectations. The mission of the Free Methodist Church here is “to partner ‘with’ God in the restoration of Latin America”. I don’t think we can overstate the importance of working “with” and not just “for”.
