Justification For Mission Trip

[LivingStone]

Hey guys,

I am leading a mission trip that is going to be very spiritually intense. After talking to someone and after thinking things through a bit, there was a concern that came up:

This mission trip is a unique one: it involves bringing the Gospel to those that seem to be most lost. We are going to Miami, FL during Spring Break to minister to all of the college kids that go down there. All of these college students are searching for fulfillment and are trying to find fulfillment in inadequate ways: drugs, sex, alcohol, etc. My mission team is bringing to them that which can only fulfill them: Jesus Christ.

Now we aren't going up to people asking if they are saved; rather, we are prayerfully and hopefully prudently engaging in conversation with them about our Lord, Mary, the Catholic Church, etc. Our team is being catechetically trained for this complicated and intense form of evangelization and is going to be spiritually fed through the Sacraments, holy hours, Adoration, etc.


Here lies the concern: This mission trip is going to be very intense (especially for the guys on our team). We are doing Beach, Bar, and Street Evangelization down in Miami, FL for Spring Break, basically the "hottest spot" in the US for Spring Break (according to MTV at least). Personally, I have been and am strong in regards to purity. This doesn't mean that this is going to be an easy mission trip or as a guy, I won't be tempted with anything. I probably need to assume that there is a guy on our team t hat could be struggling and that the beach (where there will be impurities, drugs, etc) could be an occasion to sin for him.

As the leader, I plan on being very prudent about where we go and what we do. We will definitely not be going to strip clubs or nude beaches. I'm not trying to take away from the intensity of the mission, but my question to you is:

Is this mission trip justifiable? Is it simply an intense mission trip or am I putting people into a near occasion to sin? Everyone that has applied for the trip understands the mission (they aren't blind to the intensity of the mission), but as a sometimes worrisome guy, I started thinking things through again. I'm not sure if this is an attack or I'm just even paranoid about things, but I don't want to be the "cause" of a team member's sinning by choosing to follow through with the mission.

Thanks a lot and keep us in your prayers. I hope I explained everything correctly.

Miles Christi Sum,
M

[CatherineM]

Walking down the street in Miami can be a near occasion of sin. What you are trying to accomplish is going to be hard, but most really great things in life are. Having lived in St. Pete for a dozen plus years, I have seen a few Spring Break bacchanals. My suggestion is that not only are there times and places that would be harder for you, there are times and places that would be harder for your message to get across. Late nights in the clubs, not only would the things you see be harder, there will be fewer people sober enough to "hear" you.

The mornings, helping people find their cars after being passed out all night on the beach, waking up in strange beds, that's the time when kids will be most likely to not only hear you, but need you. Hot coffee and a bagel will seem like manna from heaven. If you are going to be out at night, be prepared to be like guardian angels. Watch for women too drunk to know where they are going. Watch for people too drunk to be driving, and offer to drive them safely back to their hotels.

Also be mindful that Florida has a concealed weapons law, and many people will be armed. Stay safe.

[Era Might]

I think it would be best to consult a Priest about whether or not you should go (and perhaps each group member should individually consult a Priest, since the trip may be more dangerous for one person than another person, and the Priest would be able to give individual advice).

If you do go, I would suggest that the group you go with use it as an opportunity for its own spiritual life. Go to Mass every day together, pray the Rosary every day together, etc. When you are not out evangelizing, keep your schedule busy and spiritually focused, so that you do not get distracted by anything.

[MithLuin]

Any time you engage in evangelization, you will be open to spiritual attacks. Make sure the team is well grounded in prayer, and [i]arrange to have people back home praying for you.[/i] Again, that would be true of any mission, not just a spring break one.

Prayer should be integrated into every day. Will you be able to attend daily mass together as a team? Certainly, pray before you go out, and pray for those you've spoken with when you come back each day. Counsel the guys to pray a short silent prayer upon seeing a scantily-clad woman ('Lord, please bless this child of God' or something like that) to help.

Do no allow anyone on the team to go out 'alone' - travel in pairs, and even if there is an individual conversation going on, the partner should be nearby. I am not saying this will prevent anyone from seeing anything they shouldn't see or being tempted, but this [i]should[/i] help with keeping a reminder of why you are there.

As was already suggested, be prudent in the locations you choose - a loud and noisy club after midnight is really not the place to be having conversations, and likely to present more temptations. Set ground rules as to where it is okay to go, and where it is [i]not[/i].

But at the same time, I think it is AWESOME what you are doing, and I know people who have done beach evangelization in Daytona. I'm not gonna say there were no temptations for the guys (I recall one of the stories when they came back involved a hot tub....), but at the same time, some wonderful things happened, and some of the people they met there kept in touch with them over the next year and started going to church and stuff. Even if most people ignore/ridicule you, those few really fruitful conversations are beyond price.

So, best of luck! I hope the Holy Spirit will bless your mission work.

[LivingStone]

Yes,

We will be having daily mass together as a team for certain and a priest is coming down with us to offer any of us Confession if needed. We will have people going out in pairs (we call them EP: Evangelization Partners).

Thanks for all of your posts. They are very helpful. I need to leave right now, but will be back in a little bit.

Thanks!