$$ and Decreased Short-Term Missions 2009... Part 1

09 Apr 09

I'm Just Wondering... again...

Will the economic crunch of 2008-2010 (and that's a short prediction of duration, according to everybody!) result in a significant decrease in short-term missions???

Part 1: Yes, the numbers appear to be dropping

For me, there are three 'mission areas' that I am always watching... domestic (ie, never leave the borders of the continential USA), Mexico/Latin American block, and the 'rest of the world'.

Why those three? I think the 'proximity of desination and ease of travel' have alot to do with it (versus the usual bluster about a Divine call to go somewhere and be with some peeps there...)

Well, data from Mission Makers Magazine 2009 (p19) , which is a pretty well-put-together trade paper for the short-term mission trip business... well, it says in recent years (read: before the Econ $$ Implosion of 2008), that 1/3 of all short-term misisons went to 'domestic' sites (like Katrina relief), 1/3 to Mexico (mainly Mexico) and the Latin block, and the other 1/3 around the world.

What of post-economic crash numbers?

It may be too early to tell, but preliminary reports for the current 2009 spring-break short-term mission season... which is only dwarfed in market share by the summer break short-term mission blitz to come... are that bookings and travel by groups internationally, including Mexico and the Latin block... are way, way down for 2009.

This could be interesting to watch. In the last financial crunch of the mid-90's, so many groups cancelled their international trips and suddenly changed their plans, 'feeling called to go to Mexico instead'... once again, proximity seems to be a big bit of Divine discernment in hard $$ times...

Definitely, the mission travel to Tijuana and Baja Norte, Mexico are super-way down, mainly out of fear of the drug war violence here (which is very, very real and heart-breaking), and the US State Dept posting a "danger, Will Robinson (robot arms flailing at this point...)" on their website. Not bad advice: Tijuana is a dangerous place right now... not for the run-of-the-mill short-term outreacher...

Regarding the Short Term Misisons and the Econ $$ Crash of 2008... My prediction IS....

I predict the short-term numbers to drop way out in the next 18 months. My estimation: > 50%... over half of the groups or people who may have been going (and previously predicted to go, based on the ever-increasing trend) on a short-term missions trip internationally will choose to go locally or stay domestically... Katrina, rebuild the flooded towns from the river swellings, etc... Local soup kitchens may actually get some much-needed help from the church down the street...

SO, what will happen to the work of the Lord and the National Church in the countries that see a drop in short-term missionaries from the USA???

That will be Part 2....

cbaj