The Mission Trip to San Pedro 2
- Fiction
- Publisher: Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2021
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Publisher's Description
Youth pastor Ken Barker's theology doesn't allow him to believe in omens. But his anxiety on the eve of leading First Church's first week-long mission trip out of the country proves well-justified. Their travel agent, understandably confused by the names of two similar-sounding airports, sends him, a chaperone and nine youths to the wrong village. Their original destination is a village two hundred miles away, where they were to paint the local church and run a Vacation Bible School. Two churches (one evangelical, the other Catholic) in this second community are unprepared for these strangers but nevertheless take care of them. Ken cannot get a phone signal and let his pastor know where they are. Nor, because of local flooding, can they return to the airport to try and reach their original destination. Lacking any Spanish skills, the group is stranded and unequipped to do any meaningful ministry. Ken and his group increasingly realize how ill-prepared they are to do any good in San Pedro, practicing "parachute" mission work. The novel critiques and pokes fun at this approach, and how the aspiring helpers become "the helped."
Endorsements (7)
“Through humor, satire, and an uncanny knowledge of Latin American cultural nuances, Gordon Jackson has captured the essence of the debate over the purpose and value of short-term mission trips for both the receiving countries and the participants from the sending countries. . . . It should be read by all mission committees, youth groups, and short-term teams at the beginning of their planning and training stages and would also be a valuable teaching tool in university courses on mission or missiology.”
“To all coordinators of short-term mission teams, a warning: Don’t go on a cross-cultural mission trip until you’ve read this book! Gordon Jackson’s story includes almost every mistake, challenge, failure, and (by the providence of God) positive outcome that can be part of our well-intended but poorly prepared for efforts in short-term mission trips. The book will force you to evaluate your motivations, your training, and your team’s readiness to serve.”
“It’s hard to imagine more things going wrong than what happened to the team headed to San Pedro! At the same time, it might have been the best thing that could have happened to this group. The Mission Trip to San Pedro 2 provides a chance to think about what it means to receive as well as give, why we travel, and how we might think about service, wrapped in a page-turning story.”
“A hilarious and eye-opening look behind the scenes at a feel-good mission trip that goes horribly wrong. Or does it? Gordon Jackson strikes at the importance of getting international missions right and challenges the motives and methods of the sending church today.”
“This engaging story delivers a much-needed assessment of the inherent weaknesses of all too many churches’ short-term mission efforts. But it also is a good reminder that our hosts are amazingly patient and gracious, Western church leaders’ intentions are usually good, and people really can learn and improve. This book provides an entertaining way to open the eyes of short-term leaders to truths we all desperately need to understand.”
“Gordon Jackson offers a timely challenge to the Western church in how they see and practice mission in the twenty-first century. . . . This is a must-read for any local church missions board as they seek partnerships abroad to effectively bring gospel hope to communities rich in spirit, but poor in resources.”
“Gordon Jackson masterfully draws readers into the conversation around best practice regarding global missions and issues of international development. The irony and the humor will entertain you as you turn the pages, while serious dialogue and the arc of the story will make you consider the nuances and complexity of serving or working internationally.”
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