Is Short-Term Missions - Just Christian Tourism?

This is a good article on Short-Term (STM) missions. Missionaries know it's not all as helpful and rosy as it appears. Most of the projects done by STM's could be done for a minuscule fraction of the cost by locals, supportig their families with months of income, if STM people would give to support them in the work, instead of paying for tickets for themselves to go. How many of these STM people raise $5000 for missions before they went? How many of them put in as much effort to raise that kind of money for supporting missions, that they are not going to personally, after they come back?

Problem I have encountered is that when dealing with the pitfalls of STM, most involved feel they are avoiding them. Bottom line is data is showing that STM is not increasing missions giving among those involved and may be siphoning off support for long term workers. The party line all long has been, "STM promotes greater mission..... support, awareness....." It seems its not true! Is STM missions a step above Christian tourism? You decide. Thanks for this article Daniel, who every you are. Andy!

Say what you will about the benefits of short-term missions; however, there is a strong case to be made that it is shifting in the wrong direction. The lines between short-term missions and global tourism have blurred and that at a time when “slum tourism” is on the rise.
“‘Slum tourism’ stirs controversy in Kenya,” a newspaper announced.The report describes the bitter irony of the rising number of tourists to the Kibera slum with little benefit to its inhabitants. According to the report. at least one travel agency has added Kibera to its list of tours....

What do you call it when people with the time and money travel to a foreign country for a week or two? Missions experts have discovered that research on tourism can inform STM (Aden ey 2006, 461). Indeed, missions researchers are encouraged to dialogue with their tourism counterparts.

I have no quarrel with tourism or with learning from it, but is the promise of short-term missions a Christianized version of tourism—experiences to awaken the unscarred and overfed to their privilege? Are we tourists or are we God’s missionary people (see Van Engen 1991)?....

The people of God may make the most of it or not. The movement may cultivate authentic fellowship in the gospel or result in little more than tourism. STM is at a tipping point and the forces of tourism appear to be winning. A growing body of research suggests STM is not delivering on its promise.

• A short-term experience is as likely to increase ethnocentrism as it is to decrease it (Priest, et al 2006, 444; Linhart 2006, 455-458).

• Whether STM experiences abroad improve interethnic relationships at home is unclear (Priest, et aI 2006, 445)

• People with extensive STM experience are no less materialistic than those with none (Priest, et al 2006, 440).

• STM have little appreciable impact on giving. It does not appear to have increased financial support for career service and may be siphoning money away from long-term miss ions (Priest, et al 2006, 440; Vet Beck 2006, 485).

We know what is wrong with short-term missions. They are short. It is the brevity that reinforces stereotypes,’perpetuates misperceptions about the poor and feeds the quick-fix mentality. It is the brevity that leaves local Christians feeling shortchanged. The very notion that missions can he short plays into tourism. Although mission researchers are quick to emphasize that better preparation and coaching will reduce negative effects, it is not simply a problem of preparation (Priest 2006, 444; linhart 2006, 458). The problem reaches to the very core of the movement’s identity and purpose. How is STM part of God’s agenda for the Church?

(Short-Term Missions for Long-Term Partnership, Daniel Rickett. EMQ, Jan 2008, p. 42-44)