CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

okay, this summer, i am going to Poland with ym youth group on a missions trip, to evangalize, reach out, yadda yadda yadda... but what i am concerned about is that my parents and some other random lady both want me to use my time in poland to work of my community service hours.

Community service is like, using some of your days to do community work, yadda yadda yadda, apparently ya need to do some to graduate or something (here in maryland at least)

the thing is, I kinda feel that getting community hours for going to a missions trip defeats the whole purpose of the missions trip. And I don't want to use those days/hours at poland for me to work my community service hours off. Thats what im not going for. Im going there to help the poor, etc etc etc without getting anything in return (the only thing i would get in return would be like... Good feelings for helping others and stuff)...

so the question is. Do you think going to Poland and getting community service hours off of it would pretty much contradict the whole purpose of going to Poland? Because I AM gonna go to poland whatsoever... but I feel a little guilty about getting service hours in exchange

Mr. SmartyPants wrote:Do you think going to Poland and getting community service hours off of it would pretty much contradict the whole purpose of going to Poland?

No. That's what community service is all about. I'm not sure what the requirements for your community service are, but as long as you don't have to bend the rules (aka lie about what you did or where you did it) in order to meet the requirements, then you shouldn't feel bad about using the trip to take care of the hours.

Your heavenly reward for going on the mission trip depends upon your reasons for going. If you are going to help the poor and spread the gospel, then you are going for the right reasons and you will be rewarded. Fulfilling community service hours is just a bonus. If you are going to fulfill hours, receive praise, or so you can brag about going on the trip, then that will be your reward.

My advice: Listen to your mother. ^_______^

Oh yes, and Termyt had a good answer too. It's all about what's going on in your heart, community service points won't change that. ~_^

I dont think it contradicts, its an extra bonus if you can go and it works out if you can use those hours for your community service! What your doing is CS so yea...
Don't worry about it ^^

Doing an

Mr. SmartyPants wrote:okay, this summer, i am going to Poland with ym youth group on a missions trip, to evangalize, reach out, yadda yadda yadda... but what i am concerned about is that my parents and some other random lady both want me to use my time in poland to work of my community service hours.

Community service is like, using some of your days to do community work, yadda yadda yadda, apparently ya need to do some to graduate or something (here in maryland at least)

the thing is, I kinda feel that getting community hours for going to a missions trip defeats the whole purpose of the missions trip. And I don't want to use those days/hours at poland for me to work my community service hours off. Thats what im not going for. Im going there to help the poor, etc etc etc without getting anything in return (the only thing i would get in return would be like... Good feelings for helping others and stuff)...

so the question is. Do you think going to Poland and getting community service hours off of it would pretty much contradict the whole purpose of going to Poland? Because I AM gonna go to poland whatsoever... but I feel a little guilty about getting service hours in exchange

Okay, you have no IDEA how many things can be counted as community service. What exactly were you planning on doing while in Poland? If you're doing anything that's helping other people and you're getting paid for it-- yep, that's community service.

Now, I wouln't missout on stuff you planned to do just so you can rake leaves for Polish widows, but if you do anything that fits into the definition of community service that I gave above-- take the hours. Afterall, what's the harm in killing two birds with one stone?

BTW, you might want to check the laws in your state. I'm wondering if out of country work counts as community service. I think alot of educators goal with community service was to get teenages envolved in their communities. And I mean the local community. Not the global one.