IMEX (Integrated Mission Experience)

I hope Beth doesn't mind me posting this but i wanted to share some of her reflections on a trip to Zimbabwe we did together under the banner of "IMEX Africa" in 2004. The idea of the trip was to simple go and build relationships with the local youth, hoping to share and learn from each other, in particular, learn about how they and thier communities are responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This is quite different to many traditional forms of short term mission trips where they are often focused on going to help with material items such as helping build centres, helping them financially, teach them different skills - very much driven by the idea that we from the developing countries have the solutions.

But i will let Beth's reflections speak for themselves:

“Reflecting back on my trip to Zimbabwe and Zambia, it’s easy to wonder “What did I achieve? What difference did I make? What do I have to show for this?”. However, the IMEX concept that we worked under helps me to remember the people I met. We shared life with these people, and the greatest achievement I feel like we made was by simply encouraging them to continue on their journey, to encourage them that they are doing a GREAT job, which can often be forgotten when you are in the middle of the day-in, day-out work that you do. IMEX allowed me to help the leaders in Zimbabwe to realise the bigger picture, and the potential in themselves. Bringing this back to Australia, I see that the same potential lies within me, that I am capable of changing the world that I live in. There is no tangible thing that I can show for my trip, but instead it is a change in heart, in attitude, in my attitude towards the problems that our society faces. And mostly, it’s a change in my attitude towards the relationships that I have with others. Relationships are no longer about what I can gain from them, but I what I can share with others. This for me, is IMEX.”