Page 65 - English Grammar and Composition-Student Textbook short

The customs and culture of every country are different. For example, food is always an important
part of the experience, and people are usually eager to share that area of their lives. Food often expresses
something important about daily life. Offering certain foods to strangers might be a sign of welcome, and
refusal of that food might be an insult. One Zambian told me, “In any Zambian home, nshima should be
offered to strangers. If it’s not, it is an insult.” There are many other customs such as greetings, work, and
worship to become familiar with. All of them are interesting to learn about.

Meeting the people on any mission is the most rewarding and memorable part. Churches in other
countries may look different, but the connection to other believers is a special and unique experience. The
love of Christ binds us together in a distinctive way. Often, these relationships last years or even a lifetime.
The reward is in coming alongside others and fulfilling some of our purpose on this earth.

Short-term missions are one of the best things I’ve experienced in my life. It’s wonderful that God
would call us to join in this inspiring part of His work in the world. The entire experience, from planning to
new relationships, can definitely build our faith and bring us closer to Christ.
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This short essay feels choppy. Many of the sentences start with "I", and the reader is often not clear about
how the paragraphs relate to each other nor how they relate to the thesis. These have been left to the
reader's interpretation. On the next page you will read the same essay with transitions inserted.

With Transitions
I love short-term missions. I enjoy planning the trip and even the traveling itself. There are often
unfamiliar customs and cultures to experience, but meeting new people is the real reward. Serving God in
missions is the activity in life I love the most.

Since I love serving God in this way so much, even the planning has great appeal. Going to another
country requires planning. Ones passport must be up to date. A visa into the country must be obtained, and
the stipulations for that vary depending on the destination. Many times, one has to get immunizations (I’ll
admit those are not that enjoyable). Then the best route and airline must be chosen, and of course the price
must be considered. Even though the trip might take many hours or even several days, the excitement of
what God has in store makes the time pass quickly.

The planning it takes for the trip doesn’t hold a candle, however, to experiencing the place itself.
The customs and culture of every country are different. For example, food is always an important part of the
experience, and people are usually eager to share that area of their lives. Food often expresses something
important about daily life. Offering certain foods to strangers might be a sign of welcome, and refusal of that
food might be an insult. One Zambian told me, “In any Zambian home, nshima should be offered to
strangers. If it’s not, it is an insult.” I would imagine that if not offering nshima is an insult, then refusing it
would be an insult as well. There are many other customs such as greetings, work, and worship to become
familiar with. All of them are interesting to learn about.

Even though learning about customs and the culture are interesting, the people there are what it’s
really all about. Meeting the people on any mission is the most rewarding and memorable part. Churches in
other countries may look different, but the connection to other believers is a special and unique experience.

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