When Tucker and Anna set out on a six-month trip to Japan, they hoped that God would guide them, and show them what Japan might have to do with their future. They prayed, “God please show us if we’re called together to Japan. We feel like you brought us together for a reason, and we just want to discern your steps.”

We have a lot of conversations in the mobilization community about the pros and cons of short-term mission trips. If done poorly, a short-term trip can cause damage to the field, which is why it is so important to go with trusted partners (and make sure you follow their lead). But when short-term missions are done well, they can be of great benefit – both to the field, and to the spiritual lives and direction of the participants. Short-term work can provide much needed support for long-term workers, encouraging them in their ministry and developing potential new relationships. And the lives of the short-term participants can be greatly impacted. They grow in cross-cultural understanding and humility, and they develop missional habits they can apply in their home country. Sometimes, a short-term trip is even a key step toward being called to the field long-term.
When Anna and Tucker met and started dating, they both knew that missions was potentially on the table for their future. Anna had encountered OMF at a Moody missions conference. She was drawn to the pin with a bicycle on it (and also had a deep interest in church planting in Asia).

Anna spent some time in Northern Japan with OMF, and after she and Tucker got married, they took a six-month trip to Japan to serve together, and discern if they might be called there for even longer. They served alongside a seasoned missionary couple who were doing the same kind of ministry they wanted to do. Going with someone you can trust to support you on the field is a huge factor in whether or not your short-term trip is going to have a positive long-term impact.

As soon as they arrived in Japan, they hit the ground running. They had a meal, slept for a few hours, and the next morning they were teaching English in a kindergarten! It was presented to them as a question but Anna said, “We’re all the way over here, we might as well get all the experience we can.”

They partnered with a local Japanese pastor doing church planting. They helped in the service, and the congregational meal. They built relationships through teaching English at a local kindergarten, and within the church throughout the week. Wednesday nights, the missionary couple led a Bible study for people who had some interest in the gospel. Tucker and Anna helped lead that Bible study, and they were awed by the fantastic questions people asked.

These ministry experiences were eye-opening for Anna and Tucker. They saw how much they enjoyed opening the Bible with people, and how asking the right questions can potentially change your life. They helped start a new English class for kids, and then recognized the need for long-term workers when some of the ministries they helped lead could not be sustained in their absence. So few people in that part of Japan even had a Christian friend. The need for missionaries was obvious.

As they look back on this short-term experience, they know it was most definitely ordained by God. They saw a little bit of everything: the highs, the lows, the in-betweens. It lit a fire inside of them, and confirmed what God was saying over their lives:

“Yes, I brought you together for this purpose,

and this is where I’m going to lead you.”

If you think God might be inviting you into a short-term experience, check out the opportunities on our website.

If you’d like to hear more of Tucker and Anna’s story, listen to our podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.