Most Christians are very familiar with the many biblical commands encouraging believers to love their neighbor, support the poor and spread the gospel. While it's true that these are all actions that could be taken in your own neighborhood, you are more likely to carry them out them in a mission trip setting because the trip is often structured so that you will be specifically doing something, such as building a home or working at an orphanage that naturally involves loving others, helping the needy and sharing your faith.
It's one thing to hear about the plight of the poor and needy on TV; it's entirely different to see it first-hand. By pushing you out of your comfort zone and exposing you to a new culture, a short-term mission trip can force you to look closely at your view of the world, and in the process reexamine long-held beliefs and opinions relating to international politics, and global issues such as poverty and social justice. As a result, many who have gone on short-term mission trips return with a renewed appreciation for what they have, as well as a more informed view of the world around them.
Not often will you get the chance to put your life on hold for several weeks and travel to a needy area for the sole purpose of helping others and spreading the gospel. In fact, a break from your normal routine and insulated life will often force you to examine your personal priorities and even your purpose in life. On a mission trip, you may be asked to utilize skills or abilities that you're not accustomed to using, such as teaching, public speaking, working in health care, organizing a project or communicating in another language. It's not uncommon for those who have gone on such trips to re-evaluate their priorities or even consider making a career change.
Having had the opportunity to travel overseas and see what missionaries are doing on a day-to-day basis, and establish personal relationships with locals that are serving their communities, many travelers return with a deeper zeal for missions, which often translates into a lifelong commitment to support missionaries, either through prayer, financial support or the decision to go on future trips.
