Mission24 – to apply or not to apply
When I applied for the Mission 24-program, I did not really have any clue what I was signing up for.
I was of course very familiar with the NMS, and a brief glance at the information related to Mission 24 indicated that the topics were important and interesting. Several people recommended me to apply. However, I dismissed it at first; I felt I was too old, that I had outgrown my role as a student. That this was meant for others than me. And I had my worries.
That was, until just before the deadline. The day of, I felt this frustration. I suddenly knew, deep within, that I would regret not applying. That it would be a mistake not to at least fill out the form and take the chance. So, I spent 30 minutes rapidly answering the questions, and sent it in quarter to midnight.
I am glad I did.
The teachings were never something I really worried about; knowing NMS, I knew the amount of competent people that are connected to and within this organization. And this has proven true in our online gatherings throughout the year; all of our teachers have been experts within their fields, providing valuable and interesting teachings that has helped broaden my understandings and horizon, while also making us engage.
More worried had I been about the other participants. A bunch of people I have never met before, know nothing about, and suddenly we’re going to live together for two weeks in Bangkok, Thailand, a place where I am entirely dependent upon others to manage anything? An introvert’s nightmare!
However, my worries turned out to be baseless. Apparently, the people who consider joining Mission 24 are cool people! Being together with young adults from different places in the world who all share the same interest for learning about important topics is both fun and interesting, as different perspectives clash at first, but then only broaden each other. Be it sitting up until 3 o’clock to discuss cultural values, or challenging each other to test out the strangest – or spiciest – things on the menu; it all enriches you in ways you don’t expect.
The project is also blessed with great leaders who did an excellent job of making us feel welcome and included. Not to mention that Bangkok and Thailand is an incredible place to visit when you have locally experienced guides who can help you get behind the outer façade, and see the true realities of everyday life – for better or worse. Kind people and poverty, brutal exploitation and heroic helpers, despair and hope. The trip to Thailand left a mark on me – but it’s a mark I wouldn’t want to be without.
What has turned out to be – surprisingly – maybe the most impactful aspect of Mission 24 in my daily life, however, is my mentor. When contemplating applying, the offer of a mentor was something I thought a lot about. In the past, I have been promised mentors in different contexts, but it has never really turned into anything meaningful.
I wanted to have a mentor – but it also scared me. It can be intimidating, to expose your life to someone you don’t know, and to ask them for advice. What if we didn’t click, what if we just disagreed about everything, what if it was just awkward and awful?
But it wasn’t, and it hasn’t been. To have the chance to talk to someone who has lived a long – and very different – life is not only useful and educational; it’s interesting, and quite often fun! For me, it has been very valuable to be able to discuss questions of faith, organization of life, mission and callings, with someone who is committed to seeing the conversations through, and follow up on them later. To have someone who can help you keep yourself accountable, while also having lived long enough to be understanding if you don’t, is a great thing. And when my grandmother passed away, it was helpful to have someone supportive to talk to outside those of us directly touched – our talks about grief and loss meant a lot for me in that period.
When I considered applying for Mission 24, I worried about many things. But, what past-me was most scared of was regretting not having applied – and past-me was right.
Do you want to apply to Mission24?
Click here for the application