Family & Missions: It’s About Time

If it’s true that time flies when you’re having fun, what does that say about the start of our family mission trip last summer?

Weighted by endless “are we there yet?” nonsense in an overcrowded minivan littered with snack wrappers, sibling battles over sleeping arrangements, air mattress malfunctions, and whiney wondering about why they got to serve there (and why we had to serve here) the first 30 hours had dragged. It was Monday night, and I was scared. Afraid that it wasn’t going to happen.

You see, I know how it works. During my first summer leading mission experiences with YouthWorks, I had seen expectations shattered during the first 30 hours immersed in a new community. And each week, I watched God take complaining, Monday-night teenagers and transform them into willing, Thursday-night foot-washers. I knew God used YouthWorks to change lives.

Fifteen years, a husband and twin 9-year olds later, it was our turn for life change. My family had invested precious summer vacation time to serve together in Duluth/Superior. We had carved out space amidst summer baseball, family gatherings, work, kids’camps and gardening. We dreamed of walking away from our YouthWorks experience transformed into a super-serving family, loving Jesus together. But, there just wasn’t time. Our family trip would end Wednesday morning and there was no way things could turn around by then. We needed the whole week. The compact convenience that drew us to the family mission experience was destined to fail.

Fear nagging at my heart, our family entered day 2. And things started to change. My husband smiled more. My son complained less. My daughter dove into the day’s work. I even relaxed. While Monday’s service started with bathroom duty and just our family squeezing lemons for fresh lemonade and remembering the past with the elderly, Tuesday brought heat and hard teamwork landscaping on the shores of Lake Superior along with a good, old-fashioned dinner crew.

That evening, while the sun set at Wisconsin Point, my family lingered by the campfire and talked slowly about where we’d seen God at work. We had time to process together how simple moments with others and time invested in hard work for others could make a difference in this world. Our two days had been enough time. Or at least, it was the right start.

Because of this short time together with YouthWorks, we share stories of how amazing it was to serve together. Somehow, in hindsight, my kids don’t think those first 30 hours were all that bad. We talk more. We help more. We listen more. Mostly, we take more time with one another. And really, it’s about time.

Amy Runion serves alongside a multicultural movement of people as Children’s Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in South Minneapolis. While this was her first family mission experience with YouthWorks, she served in Cohoma, MS for her first time as summer staff back in 1999.