Short-Term Trips

Re-Thinking Mission Trips

If your group chooses to come down and serve alongside ADE, you are choosing to enter into a relationship with an organization dedicated to working with and supporting the needs of the local community. ADE has a long established history with communities here in Costa Rica, which has allowed ADE to form strong connections with families and have immense community impact. If you come to serve with ADE, your support will be used as a way to continue our efforts and connections within the community.

ADE is an organization that has long challenged the ideals of traditional missions models, and because of that we are aware of the need for re-assessing the traditional themes of short-term missions. As the global church, we have seen a theme in which the mission's model of raising support (being more of a tourist rather than a community member) has negatively impacted the view of Christians in the mission's field. Here at ADE we are increasingly aware of the negative impact short-term missions have on the developing world. In our work as a development organization we are weary of the potential negative "Social Footprint" that can be left when outsiders of a community enter without acting and serving holistically. We overlook the fact that the country in which we are serving can convict and move us towards a bigger change in our own lives.

If your Church or Small Group is looking for a different kind of short-term service trip we would love to continue the conversation with you and talk about potential opportunities for you to serve with us.

If you want to learn more about serving with us, head on over to our Get Involved Tab.