In every youth ministry I've served, I've had students who come from families that struggle financially and, therefore, cannot afford expensive events such as summer mission trips. Although we spend a year fundraising for mission trips and subsidize them through my youth ministry's budget, the reality is that mission trips still cost families between $350 per child for a week-long domestic trip and $2,000 for a two-week international trip.
No doubt, mission trips are expensive for all families, but for families struggling financially, their high costs actually can be prohibitive—a barrier to participation. If we, as youth workers, allow event costs to dictate who can participate, are we really living out the gospel?
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