Writing
in Sojourners, Troy Jackson declared that it’s time to declare a
moratorium on short-term mission trips. He makes the following points:

1. According to
   Wycliffe Associates, approximately 1,600,000 Americans participate
   in
   mission trips each year. Assuming a cost of approximately $1,500 per
   person for the average trip, American Christians are raising and
   spending more than $2 billion each year on mission trips around the
   world.
2. In some cases, the mission trips reinforce Western paternalism
   while adding to dependency by indigenous peoples. 
3. Far too many fail to
   provide any lasting economic development for the destination nation.
4. Ironically, many of those who are so committed to investing
   thousands
   of dollars to bring the good news of Jesus to another part of the
   world
   are vigorously supporting a harsh crackdown on undocumented
   immigrants
   in the United States.

Declare a Mission Trip Moratorium. Still raise the $2 billion,
but invest that money in economic development and community development
projects led by the indigenous peoples themselves.