‘Reflections’ journal helps missions experience last

By Ken Walker Louisville—Connie Meredith is such a strong believer in the mission trip journal she has compiled that if you call her up to talk about it, she will knock $5 off the price. “Reflections: A Mission Trip Journal” was released last June. The 60-page book seeks to equip missions teams before they leave, help them record details of their trips, and reflect on them later. “If you as a mission team leader know how to use it and understand its purpose, you’re more likely to use it,” said Meredith, a member of Crestwood Baptist Church. “If people contact me, it’s $10 instead of $15.” The journal is Meredith’s second book. She released her first, “Partnering in Lynch, Benham & Cumberland,” in 2010 after several mission trips to eastern Kentucky. Both are offered for sale on her Mission Alphabet website, www.MissionAlphabet.com. In addition to the cost, there is a $2 per-book shipping cost, although she will lower that for bulk orders. A retired teacher and elementary school librarian, Meredith’s book effort is a labor of love. Because of her background, the Louisville resident intended to write some children’s books.

That is, until God woke her up around 3 a.m. nearly two years ago and told her, “I have a better idea for you.”

Reminding her that several missionaries in southeastern Kentucky had commented on how well organized her mission teams were, the Lord instructed her to write down ideas that she could pass on to others.

Meredith’s journal employs an “ABC” format. Different letters are used to explore such topics as concerns, goals, ministry in the field, tasks completed and stories shared on the trip. It also contains such aids as a planning guide for coordinators, a packing list, a daily log, and ideas for prayer and devotions.

“The journal is designed for people who are not normally ‘journalers,’” Meredith said.

“A lot of times people will come back six or 12 months later and say, ‘I wish I had written something down,’” she added. “I figure if someone writes down 50 percent of their thoughts, they have something good to use to share their experiences.”

Crestwood Baptist leaders say she has done a good job of meeting that goal.

Missions and ministry pastor Chris Platt said about 20 families used the journal on its “Mission-cation” trip last summer to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“I heard some people talking about it,” Platt said. “Some people were very glad to have it as a family resource. It gave them a chance to develop their trip.

“‘Debrief’ is a pretty good word. It gives you questions and topics that generate thoughts and discussions,” Platt added.

Administrative pastor Mark Brockman provided copies of the journal for all 18 members who went on another trip to Lafayette, Colo. The church began visiting there annually in 2004 to do sports camps and Bible schools at a mobile-home community.

The book has a space for users to write down their testimonies, something many team members never had done before, Brockman said.

“We used that as a tool,” he noted. “We told them it was a good thing to do so they were prepared to share their testimony when the Holy Spirit gave them a chance.”

Justin Shults, who led a mission trip to Brazil last June along with two other churches, said the book improved the experiences of those who used it.

“It helped people on the trip to stay focused,” said Shults, who has visited Brazil for the past 20 years. “So many times people on trips are so overwhelmed they don’t stop and think and write it down.”

Cheryl Hatfield of Willisburg Baptist Church said the journal helped prepare six adults and three girls to visit Bright Life Farms in Princeton last fall. The team spent time there with the mentally challenged residents.

Hatfield, the church’s Woman’s Missionary Union director, said she wished she had ordered it a month in advance instead of getting it the week before.

“It’s so easy to use,” Hatfield said. “This book helped us focus on our spiritual life and preparing to go on a mission trip. It helped when the day was over. It has questions that sparked conversations about what we learned.”

Florida resident Trish Pelletier, who did the book’s graphics and artwork, said she, too, has found it personally helpful. A former member of Crestwood Baptist, she accompanied a college missions team to New Orleans in 2007.

Although her recent move means she hasn’t used it in a missions context, Pelletier said the journal has bolstered her own spiritual life.

“As a teacher, I like the organization and the idea of preparing for something, experiencing it and reflecting on it,” Pelletier said. “I like to reflect and answer the questions: Where is God in what I’m doing? Where am I in God’s plan?” (WR)

Western Recorder issue date: January 24, 2012.

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