Loving the Unlovely

By Nikita ChintalapudiWhen I hear the word “missions” I think of traveling to a third-world country, rebuilding orphanages, or planting new churches. Perhaps you think of sleeping in mud houses, fleeing from four-inch cockroaches, or laying brick in 100 degrees weather. While these images are true, missions is not just a summer activity with your youth group. Rather, it is a mind set, a lifestyle, an every day action. My parents often receive letters from high-school students asking for funds to go on a mission trip. The kids talk about how excited they are to go and show the love of Christ to others. But when one looks at the lives of these kids, they are often the same kids who display no passion for Christ in their day to day living. Is that truly missions? If not, then what is it? “Missions” is living a life dedicated to Christ and doing his will, whether that is helping your pesky sibling, reaching out to the awkward kid at school, or traveling thousands of miles to live and preach amongst the tribal people. Missions is, quite simply, loving the unlovely.However, before we can get involved in missions we must have a mission mindset. In order to accomplish that we must de-compartmentalize our life. We tend to box our life into neat packages labeled: “personal life,” “work,” “missions,” etc. We keep them separate and allow very little interaction between them. If we truly want to be a testimony for Christ, we must break these barriers and integrate missions into every part of our life. Sometimes, living in a prosperous country like the U.S., blinds us to the plight of those living in third-world countries. Short-term missions provide us a window into the lives of those living in impoverished environments. Both my parents immigrated from India and without fail every time we visit, the reality hits me like a blast of cold air. The heartbreak of watching a child begging for money is indescribable. The children are filthy. They have dirt caked on their arms. They smell because they live in the slums and sewers. Their hair is matted into chunks and infested with lice. I vividly remember the time when I threw away a half eaten ice cream bar, only to see a child rush and pull it out of the garbage. It is in those moments I realize how enormously blessed I am and how much I take for granted. Although I wanted nothing more than to give that young Indian beggar a life’s supply of free food, I know that there is one who gives the bread of life. And that is the greatest gift I can give that child. Short-term missions gives us opportunities to meet the physical and spiritual needs of children such as these. It is quite easy to get involved in short term missions. Many churches go on mission trips with their church members. There are also numerous other organizations, such as Global Encounters, that encourage people to get out of their comfort zone and reach out to those in need.In addition to going on short term mission trips, there are other ways to get involved in missions such as praying for those who are already serving, providing monetary and material support, and getting involved in programs that reach out to the under privileged in one’s own community. With that goal in mind, I am interning with an organization called MPACT which offers free dental care to those who cannot afford it.In conclusion, we have all been called to be missionaries, whether at home, at school, or deep in the African jungle. Daniel Webster once said, “The greatest thought that has ever entered my mind is that one day I will have to stand before an Almighty God and give an account of my life.” What will I have to show for my life here on earth? Will it be a life focused on myself , checking off my “to-do” list? Or a life entirely dedicated to showing others the unconditional saving love of Christ? I pray that God will not find “missions” to only be an activity that I engaged in, but a lifestyle that I lived out. Then, perhaps, at the end of my life I will be able to say along with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”About the Author:Nikita has a heart for missions and is especially interested in going to places where people have never heard about the gospel or even the name of Jesus. She is home schooled and currently in high school. Nikita has honed her communication skills through participation in mock trials, competitions in speech and debate, and use of the Institute for Excellent in Writing curriculum. She currently volunteers with the local Teen Medical Council on the advisory board, helping young people deal with some of the important health issues teens face today. She will be serving on the Global Encounters Ecuador team this summer.