Wycliffe Associates has authored an extensive feature story on "Vacations with a Purpose," which can be viewed at http://wfx.us/news/2008-0207.htm. Sub-sections of the article include:

• 50,000 Churches Participating 
• Disasters Changed Landscape 
• Baby Boomers Lead the Way 
• Advice to Those Who Want to Participate

Kim Hurst, the founder of World Tracks, a national training organization for short-term mission teams, and Chris Eaton, founder and president of Bridge Builders (www.bridgebuilders.org), an organization that assists colleges, churches, schools and other organizations in developing transformational service experiences, have written a book entitled "Vacations with a Purpose."

They suggest:

• Before the trip -- Read your Bible and "Vacations with a Purpose" to prepare your heart, your suitcase and your expectations. 
• During the trip -- Record your discoveries, thoughts and feelings. 
• After the trip -- Use it to debrief, evaluate your experience, and pursue further study on missions.

To "truly encounter the secrets of the land and its people is to serve them. By incorporating a short-term volunteer service or mission component into their vacation itinerary, 'travelers-in-service' can transform an ordinary excursion into a deeply meaningful travel adventure," wrote Dale Painter in Discipleship Journal.

"Don't limit your assessment to your professional skills -- often a change of pace from employment-related duties is important," Painter wrote. Manual skills or interests in gardening, building, outdoors or writing may represent valuable resources to service organizations.

"We can use anyone overseas or here domestically. Every skill is needed in the mission field and is especially valuable to Bible translators, who want to spend most of their time actually translating languages into Scripture. Folks should not worry if they have had formal missionary training. They are welcome and invited to come use their skills God has given them," said Bruce Smith, President and CEO of Wycliffe Associates.

Dale Painter did raise the question of whether it is it worth it to "waste" money on a trip, when you could be spending the money on missions.

"Most people agree that visiting a developing country changes you for life. You have real images in your mind: kids sharing beds; a home with cardboard walls; wires hanging from the ceiling with one light bulb powered by an extension cord stretched from another building. When you hear someone say that God supplies all our needs, you think a little harder about all that entails. You have more of a sense of partnering with God in bringing Good News to the world," he said.

The Powells, who have traveled to so many places with Wycliffe Associates, are a model for others wanting to use their talents. For them their vacation time spent going to help Bible translators is much more than leisure or adventure, it's the opportunity to experience life in a bigger perspective.

For more information contact:
Alex Coffin @ 704-364-2942
ACoffin@InChristCommunications.com  

© 2008 ASSIST News Service, used with permission