Why Should I Go to Ethiopia?

Have you considered going on a mission trip or serving an internship, but aren't sure if it’s right for you? If you ask anybody who has done so, they'll most certainly tell you that it is a life-changing experience and one of the most rewarding things they have ever done. Perhaps you're not certain what benefits you can reap from ministering in a foreign country.

Here are some very excellent reasons why you should volunteer:

• The experience will expand your world-view – In comparison with citizens of most other countries, Americans tend to be uninformed about the world beyond the nation's boundaries. Those who serve or study abroad return home with an informed and much less biased perspective toward other cultures and peoples.

• The experience of serving others less fortunate – is a very rewarding way to fulfill what God accepts as pure and faultless religion in James 1:27.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and
to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

• The experience will help you develop skills and give you experiences a job or classroom setting will never provide – Being immersed in an entirely new cultural setting is scary at first, but it's also exciting. It's an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities, conquer new challenges, and solve new problems. As you encounter situations that are unfamiliar, you will learn to adapt and respond in effective ways.
   
• The experience will help you to learn about yourself – People who serve abroad return home with new ideas and perspectives about themselves and their own culture. The encounter will help you strengthen your beliefs and values, and enable you to see your own culture through new eyes.
   
• The experience will allow you get to know another culture first-hand – Cultural differences are more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and personal habits. A person's culture reflects very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values that influence his or her way of life and the way they view the world. People who experience cultural differences personally can come to truly understand where other cultures are coming from.
   
• The experience will afford you the opportunity to make friends around the world – While abroad, you will meet not only natives to the culture in which you are ministering, but also other international teams, missionaries and students who are as far from home as yourself.
   
• The experience will give you the opportunity to break out of your academic or work routine – Serving abroad will be very much unlike what you are used to doing in your regular day-to-day life of working or going to school. It's a great opportunity to break out of the monotony of the routine you follow year after year.
   
• The experience will enhance employment opportunities – Through an employer's eyes, a person who has served or studied abroad is self-motivated, independent, willing to embrace challenges, and able to cope with diverse problems and situations. Your experience in a foreign country, negotiating another culture, and acquiring another language will set you apart from the majority of other job applicants.