I am the Missions & Outreach pastor at Victory Family Church in Cranberry Twp., PA.    I have had the privilege to be a part of 73 short term mission trips all over the world in this position.

I was raised in a Baptist church where we had annual “missions week.”  Missionaries would visit from all over the world and share stories of travels to poor countries, minister to strangers, and work construction building churches and digging wells.  I used to listen and say to myself; “Who would want to do that?”

Then, one day, a close friend of mine asked me to go on a short mission trip with him and a few other guys.  I tried to put him off, but he was relentless.  I finally gave in and joined the group.  My life has never been the same!

What I quickly discovered was that the experience impacted me as much (or even more) as it helped those we served.  By moving out of the day-to-day and shifting into a focus on God’s work, I discovered a new freshness and freedom in my life. 23 years and 74 trips later, I have never had any of my fellow travelers tell me that they would never do that again.    Most cannot wait to sign up for the next trip!

A short-term mission trip will bring you closer to God.  It will start with a separation from your daily routine and all that is familiar to you.   You quickly find yourself out of your comfort zone and temporarily isolated from social media, family and the hustle bustle of our everyday life.  And it is worth it!  This all brings God to the forefront of your life.

Separation is good, as it creates a dependency on God and others.  Working alongside other believers and leaning into God in a foreign land is so awesome!  There is something about serving alongside God all day, every day for a week or two that freshens your relationship with Him.   It reminds me of the disciples when Jesus called them to follow Him.   They left their jobs and families and had an encounter with God!  They went on to turn the world upside down.

As I have studied the Bible, I read that many of the great patriarchs had a time of separation.  Abraham, Moses, David, Noah, even Jesus in the desert.   Following the separation season, God was able to do great things in and thru them.  Is God calling you for a time of separation?

I believe God has wired us all to want to make a difference, to do something significant with our lives.   Mission trips are a great avenue to do this.  There is nothing that compares to serving alongside of God and seeing Him do great things in and thru you.   

One of the greatest misconceptions you probably have about mission trips is that you are going to change the world.  You expect that you will have a huge influence in the lives of the people you serve and help to ease the difficult circumstance they live under.  While this may be true, surprisingly, the greatest change is the one that will take place in you.  We are never more like Jesus than when we are serving others.

As Christians (Christ followers), He commands us to go. 

A lot of Christians respond and say, “That’s for missionaries, people who are called to do that.”  I know.  I used to be one of those people.  I was too busy.  I was working.  I had a family that needed me nearby.  I had responsibilities.  What could I do? 

God says, “All are called.”  Some are called to be goers and others (those who are not ready right now) are called to be senders.

I have found that there are always many more senders than goers.  At any time, there are very few who will pack a bag and leave home and their surroundings for a week.  But there are many senders to help the goers finance travel and support them during their travel.

We need both!! I would ask you to pray and consider going on at least one short term mission trip in your life.  Be praying also about who you can help send.

Last year we continued to work on a missions training center, we held a women’s and men’s conference in the Dominican Republic.

We had a “wild” time in Africa where we went back into the bush and saw over 800 people get saved.  We saw people receive healing and restoration.   We also got to experience Africa in the wild.  We walked with Leopards, hugged elephants, and saw a lot of monkeys, giraffes, rhinos and hippos. It was an experience we will never forget.

 We then went to Iceland and wow what a beautiful country!   Why Iceland?  Because only 1% of the population are Christians.   We did community outreaches everywhere we went.  We also got to climb glaciers and play catch on some icebergs.  An unparalleled opportunity!

From there we went to Romania and Ukraine to help the Ukraine refugees. We assisted with feeding and support to those who have lost everything in the war.  Continue to pray for these dear people who have lost so much including their families. 

Next, we went to Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota where we assisted local churches, ministries and did community outreach.   We also got to visit Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and a stop in Sturgis.

On to Mexico where we assisted local pastors and worked construction. We were able to build two banos and are looking forward to helping build a church there this coming year.

We went back to the Dominican Republic in Oct. and did disaster relief from the hurricanes.  We completed 8 roofs and held a Men’s Conference. 

Then to San Luis, Mexico where we helped in a boy’s orphanage, the homeless, we did food outreaches and shared the Gospel wherever we went.

We have some great trips lined up for 2023.   There is a trip for everyone.

We usually have many options for you to be involved in our trips:  VBS, Medical, Eye & Dental Clinics, Construction, Evangelism, Teen Ministry, Community Outreach, Food Programs, etc.

We have had kids as young as 7 and some “kids” as old as 84 go on trips with us.   You’re never too old. God can still use you to make an impact in our world.

Schedule for 2023:

§  January - Dominican Republic 

§  February - Chile

§  June – Iceland 

§  June – Ecuador/Amazon

§  July - Sioux Indian Reservation 

§  August – Mexico

§  October – Appalachia 

§  October - Dominican Republic

§  November - Mexico

You can check out the details and sign up at:  myvfc.info/missions

Lastly, the number one question I get is: I don’t know if I can afford to go on a trip?

I tell everyone the same answer:  Pray about it. If you have peace, then God is giving you the go ahead.  If God calls us to do something, then He always provides the way.

We encourage our team to send out support letters to all the “senders.”  This allows many others to participate without actually packing a bag.

We encourage every sender (someone who gives to support the goers) that every dollar they sow into someone else being able to go is advancing the Kingdom.  Every soul that is saved, healed and delivered is credited to their account, also because they gave.    

Let 2023 be the year that you stepped out in faith and allowed God to use you on the mission field.  There’s nothing greater than partnering with God and helping others!

God Bless you and hope you join us on a mission trip this year!

As I watched the news of the unprovoked Russian attack on Ukraine, my thoughts raced to the church there – How were our brothers and sisters in Christ and what were they going to do? In 1986, I was arrested in Kiev. Ukraine was then part of the Soviet empire that had outlawed non- sanctioned church activities. This was my second trip and I had met a man who had spent 25 years of his life in jail for preaching the gospel – three separate jail sentences. Most of the believers I met had been jailed, lost housing or jobs because of their faith. I was inspired by their courage and faith.

I’ve had a heart connection to Ukraine ever since that time. After days of prayer and concern, I woke up one morning with a nudge from the Holy Spirit; why was I sitting at home?

A week later we flew into Romania, which shares several border spots with Ukraine. We were met by a Romanian pastor and headed to Suceava close to the Romanian border. There we met with Romania pastors and church leaders who had already sprang into action. Their churches had been turned into dormitories as thousand had crossed into Romania as well as Poland, Hungary and Moldavia, seeking safety from a war that had overnight descended on them. In addition to the great human need for shelter, food and medicine, the eternal need to be forgiven and have peace with God were being addressed. The Good News of Jesus was being declared.

The next day we crossed the border into Ukraine to help establish a distribution center. The Romanian pastors with us had never met the Ukrainian pastors we had reached out to. Today they are working hand-in-hand. They have become “one” to represent the Lord in this madness. The Body of Christ is truly amazing!

We helped to set up five distribution centers in various parts of Ukraine, all run by local churches. We are purchasing food by the truckload in Romania and bringing it into Ukraine. The whole economy has been disrupted; many have lost not only their homes but jobs; the collateral damage is great.

When this all happened, I felt the Lord put it in my heart to make this terrible history, His story. That’s exactly what’s happening, as the church is leading the charge to minister to a nation that is in disarray. In the midst of this evil, God is being glorified by his church!

Six weeks later, we returned; this time to go deeper into the Ukraine war zone. We were 25 miles from the Russian border. The devastation we saw is hard to communicate. While many have fled, there are many who will not leave. We were distributing food outside of a church in Kharkiv. The side windows of the church were blown out and the side walls of the church were full of holes that looked like machine gun fire. It was actually shrapnel from a missile that had sideswiped the building just days before. We could feel the ground shake as missile fire was happening about five miles away.

These folks had decided to stay. The Ukrainian army had forced the Russians back. Further south, the situation was different; cities were completely overrun.

Because of the vision and generosity of churches, businesses and individuals, we are shipping tons of food each week. We have purchased generators, medicine and even vans to transport food. Like those Ukrainian believers I met years ago, that same faith, courage and resistance to evil is shining through. I understand they are being tested like never before, yet I wonder if, in fact, it’s not really us that are being tested. Will we sit on the sidelines and watch what’s happening, or will we open our hearts?

and be a part of turning this dreadful history into His story. I invite you to join us as we stand with the Church in Ukraine.

 Help your Neighbor started when the COVID 19 Crisis began, Pastor John Nuzzo, our lead pastor wanted us to get engaged in the community to see what we could do beyond what we were currently doing to bring help and be the church.” (Pastor Chris Palmer) The heartbeat of Victory Family Church is that ALL people would know that God loves them unconditionally. In March 2020, the world as we knew it, turned upside down. At this time more than ever the church had a call and an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to show people the unconditional love of God. Pastor Chris Palmer, Victory’s outreach pastor, answered that call when God began to stir his heart for a way to mobilize the body of Christ in a time where every business was forced to close their doors.  Buildings sat empty, including Victory Family Church. Pastor Chris, like many others began to see a great need in our community and had the entire Victory campus that was not being used. Pastor Chris began to reach out to food pantries, other ministries, and organizations to assess the needs they were facing and find out how Victory could come alongside. It became evident that the need was greater than anything these ministries could anticipate, with so many facing unemployment as a response to the virus, pantries low on supply and ministries struggling to keep their doors open. Pastor Chris began reaching out to larger corporations to see if they’d be willing to donate and from there God just took over. In sharing the unique position of Victory, Pastor Chris said, “The key for us was, we had a facility with a big parking lot, they would ask us if we brought you a tractor trailer could you handle that” and Pastor Chris said yes time and time again and the partnerships with significant food suppliers and other large organizations have been pouring in ever since. 

Help Your Neighbor Outreach Ministry is led by Pastor Chris Palmer, the Missions, and Outreach Pastor at Victory alongside a team of incredible staff and volunteers who give their time and talent to serve throughout the week. The team can be found serving food, furniture, and other Household items Tuesday-Thursday from 10AM to 2PM. Since March 2020 they have seen God expand this ministry into places and spaces, they never could have dreamed. Today, Help Your Neighbor has been designated a HUB for the Northeast distributing product into 8 surrounding counties and communities and has been able to supply 58+ ministries to meet the needs of their community.  Pastor Chris in sharing who’s been impacted said “Our Focus has been on the community, the elderly, single moms and veterans. We’ve been taking care of these people and doing ministry with those groups and with this pandemic we’ve been able to just multiply that and expand our reach.”

The Help Your Neighbor team continues to expand daily with those who serve throughout the church and those who’ve never served before. In sharing about the impact this ministry has had one of the volunteers Darleen Nagel said, “We started to realize It wasn’t about giving out food, but it was about souls.”  Help Your Neighbor has become a place for those in the Body of Christ to not only help meet physical needs but to truly reach the heart of people and their deepest need for salvation. Beyond serving others, the people of Victory began to find and take their place to serve. In serving the people of the community, these volunteers have found their purpose in life.

This has been the resounding response from the numerous individuals who have put their hand to this incredible ministry taking place through Help Your Neighbor. What’s taking place through this ministry is a move of God in the Northeast. The need continues to rise, and the resources continue to pour in. As part of living out the values here at Victory, this team is dreaming and planning big. The Help Your Neighbor Ministry is currently in conversations to secure a 10,000-foot warehouse space right here in Cranberry twp. to support the growth and expansion we are seeing. On looking to the future Pastor Chris Palmer says we are expecting “Great days ahead. You know the need was there before this crisis and the need continues to be there after.  Our job as a church is to recognize those needs around us and try to fulfill them, to put our hands to it and get other people involved.”  Jesus said it this way in Matthew 25 “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me.” The Help Your Neighbor ministry is on a mission to fulfill the call to feed, clothe and sustain those who are in need, and they aren’t slowing down anytime soon.

Just like the many men and women are a part of the ministry taking place through Help Your Neighbor, each one of us are called to serve in the area of influence we have as the hands and feet of Jesus. Making an Impact can look like many different things based on your gifting. The Bible says that whatever we are called to, that we are to give ourselves fully to it. Where can you begin making an Impact today? Do you have neighbors in need? Is there a playground or park that needs some love and care nearby, do you love working and serving the next generation? There are needs all around us and Jesus told us to occupy until he comes. Step out and step into Serving in your community and watch what God will do in and through you to make an IMPACT for God’s kingdom for all eternity.