We have more photos to share from the Duggars' trip to Central America which they returned from just days before Christmas. December mission trips to the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have become a holiday tradition for the Duggars.
They have also visited during other months of the year, but this annual trip is unique because they are able to bring Christmas gifts to and share the Christmas story with residents of remote villages.
Photos are property of duggarfamily.com and may not be used without written permission. To view the family's full Central America 2018 album, visit their website.
They have also visited during other months of the year, but this annual trip is unique because they are able to bring Christmas gifts to and share the Christmas story with residents of remote villages.
Jim Bob Duggar
Michelle Duggar
Michelle Duggar, Johannah Duggar, Jennifer Duggar, Jana Duggar, Jordyn Duggar
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
Group photo
Photos are property of duggarfamily.com and may not be used without written permission. To view the family's full Central America 2018 album, visit their website.
If that's where they went, that looks like a church with a sound system and everything. Why would they need to "share" the Christmas story with a church? A church and its congregants would already know all that stuff. These missions are never fully explained and they remain puzzling.
ReplyDeleteEllie,
ReplyDeleteAny baby yet? I am praying for a smooth and safe delivery. Have you been feeling well going into the last days of the pregnancy?
Hi Sarah,
DeleteNo baby yet, but thanks for checking in. I'm feeling pretty good, although I'm ready to meet him and have labor and delivery behind me. Hope you have a wonderful New Year's!
Ellie
Awe cute kids. Michelle looks nice
ReplyDeleteThey handed out yellow bags that had "If you died tonight, would you pass eternity in heaven or 'the inferno'" printed on them. How is that an appropriate thing to say to an innocent child living in a dangerous country? That's not an uplifting message for a child, that's scare tactics. I don't believe in trying to bring people to any church through those means.
ReplyDeleteDo they leave the safe tourist space and travel to these remote villages, or do the villagers come to them?
ReplyDeleteHave there ever been studies about how much of these mission trips "stick" with the locals? How much conversion actually happens? Or do the locals happily accept the handouts and then go right back to life as usual after these people leave? Also, is this a cost-effective way to do things, to take large groups down at great expense for...what sort of return? Or is it better to donate to groups that are focused on making tangible differences in living situations (new wells, new homes, dentist work, doctor work, etc.)? I've always had these questions about some of the church mission trips, and seeing these pictures only raises those questions again.
ReplyDeleteSo this is just from my experience, others may have different opinions, but typically when a church/youth group/etc goes on a mission trip, there is already a mission group set up that’s run by missionaries who actually live there and are helping/working with the people in the area, and it’s normally funded by the church/group coming. The group that goes will normally bring more supplies and if it’s Christmas time many will bring Operation Christmas Child boxes that their church has been collecting for the little kids. IMO, the trips are good for getting a visual update on how everything is going, and when youth groups go down it gives the teens a chance to see if mission work is something that they would like to pursue. Groups like this also typically go every year, and, once again from my experience, the kids living wherever the church is visiting love it.
Delete3:15 It would be more cost effective to have the supplies shipped directly and donate the money that would have to be raised to send these youth mission groups there.
DeleteA team will be going to support and encourage the missionaries in that locality, like Jill & Derick who were long stay missionaries. It enables outreaches to the locals, strengthens relationships with local community, helps the missionaries with any practical tasks needed doing i.e. Repairs or simple building work... And as mentioned above bring in supplies such as school items.... Coming alongside the long term missionaries for a couple of weeks is a huge encouragement to them and not to be underestimated!
DeleteNo offense intended Anonymous @5:45, but having close friends working with AIM for 25 years and a friend whose daughter and family have been missionaries in Africa for 7 years, I have to take issue with your statement that Jill & Derick were "long stay missionaries". Jill & Derick spent less than half of their 2 year term, boots on the ground, in Central America and Jill required the local women to come to her in the guarded compound for fellowship activities. I fully concur with the remainder of your post, however, as long stay missionaries do welcome both the support (emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial) and fellowship of visiting teams and it does give the team members a chance to see firsthand what missionaries actually do and the people they're ministering to.
Delete5:17, you seem to have missed my point. There is already money being constantly donated throughout the year by the churches that do these trips. At one point in time in the year, they do trips like these with money that is typically raised by the youth group who will be going down. A lot of these teens decide to do trips like this, rather than go to summer camps, go on vacation, etc; and use the money that they would have used to do those types of things and go on the missions trip instead. So the money spent funding their trip is not money that would have been donated in the first place, it would have been spent on some other type of summer experience. If that is what someone choses to do with their money, then it’s not really for you to say they should be doing such and such with it instead.
DeleteYes, 10.50pm it was a poor example using Jill and Derick as long stay missionaries although that was their intention when going out to Central America not short term missions (still not sure why they withdrew so quickly after spending months learning Spanish) - I was trying to make it relatable to the original post'er. I too have many missionary friends from China to Mozambique to Peru who have been there many, many years. MayGod strengthen them in the challenges they face Blessings
Delete5:45, I think they left so quickly because Jill was already seemed upset being there with Israel, and then when their friend was murdered it was too much.
DeleteShipped items would never arrive. They would be stolen en route.
Delete@11:27 I thought they had found out about the friend after they got back? In any case, we never did hear another side to that story, like if that person had been involved with trouble before or what.
DeleteJust something I noticed-Looking at the online photo album there are several families that have been showing up for years as they have had their picture taken with the Duggars almost every time.
ReplyDeleteIt is inspiring to see the Duggars going to Central America. God Bless them.
ReplyDeleteJoan Marion and Marilyn
Love the pictures! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe reason you want churches to encourage short term missions is because it creates a desire for participation in long term missions. Eventually the pool of candidates would get really thin without younger energetic Christian's getting a opportunity to actually hit the mission field. Do you not really understand how human nature works? I am a football fan, when I wanted my son to watch the game with me he would just kinda sneak away, but when he played the game he become a fan of the sport and would ask me to watch games with him. Simply it cultivates interest.
ReplyDelete