Years ago, while serving my first church, I took part in two “missionary” trips to the Dominican Republic. A local church there had embarked upon a highly ambitious plan to build a hospital for Haitian immigrants working as virtual slaves in the surrounding sugar cane fields. At that time at least, Dominican society discriminated against these workers (many of whom had been brought to the DR against their will) and wouldn’t treat them in their hospitals.
A week or two before the second trip a meeting was arranged for those scheduled to make the trip. It was led by a group of pastors who, being pastors, separated us into small groups to “share” our hopes and expectations for the trip.
At one point we were asked to discuss what we hoped to accomplish. The answers amazed me, though probably shouldn’t have. The sentiments expressed struck me as utterly grandiose, as if this small American church group alone was going to save the world.