One of the challenges of participating in a mission trip, whether as a leader or a participant, is the distraction that being far from home can be. It’s easy to forget the moment and drift off to considering what’s happening at home, which in the case of being in Cambodia means being on the other side of the planet. I often tell team members early and often when participating in a trip, “Wherever you are, be all there.” The advice is as simple as it sounds, but the results are significant.
When you are on the other side of the planet thinking, worrying or focusing on what’s happening back home is detrimental on two levels: 1) It detracts from your ability to serve or work where you are; and 2) It’s a waste of time, since you can’t do anything about whatever may be taking place at home anyway. In several of the places I have gone on mission trips, I haven’t been able to access phone or e-mail. That has turned out to be a great blessing. When I can’t check my e-mail or make or receive phone calls it is far easier to stay focused on the task at hand. In my recent trip to Cambodia, I was able to FaceTime my wife, which was great, because the face-to-face interaction makes it almost like being there. At the same time, I had e-mail, which wasn’t necessarily great, because in one case I was able to access information that was a bit disturbing to me, then I was unable to do anything about it.
Such distractions aren’t fair to either those with whom you’re serving on the mission or work trip, nor to your family or whomever it is back home that you have the ability to communicate. That’s because you generally can’t “fix” anything from half a world away. In addition the distraction means you aren’t fully present to those with whom you are actually present. The principle of being all there isn’t just applicable to mission trips in distant countries. It’s true of all of life’s experiences. When we focus our attention on the person or project at hand, giving our full attention the results will always be better, and the relationships involved will grow deeper.
We live in a distracted world these days. The electronic devices that serve as ubiquitous points of connection, also serve as points of distraction from the present moment. It leads to the paradox of being always connected, but never present. When I was in Cambodia, I found it far easier to stay focused and to stay present, because for the most part my phone wasn’t distracting me, and I didn’t even have my computer. It may be a good idea to take such a trip if for no other reason than to remind ourselves of how important it is to focus on the person or project before us.
I had the opportunity to meet a little orphan boy named Thai during my trip. Nancy (my wife) and I sponsor Thai through SEAPC’s New Hope for Children Ministry. We have often thought of the little guy, and having only had a picture we imagined what he may be like, but it was impossible to know. When I met him the moment was priceless. I will always remember his smile. I took pictures and even a couple of videos to send to Nancy, but it wasn’t the same as being there. That kind of in the moment experience is available to each of us but only where we actually are at the moment. My hope for each of us is that we’ll avail ourselves of those opportunities and they are many to be all there. As we do that we’ll be better leaders and better people, too.
Here’s to leading better by being all there–today!