USA (MNN) — On the heels of the recent 20-nation world economic summit in the United States, mission leaders are predicting a down-turn in donations and more.
Some groups are already seeing an impact in short-term missions participation. Jerry Meadows with CURE International says, "This fiscal year we will experience at least a 10-percent decline in our numbers. That's primarily university students, that I would categorize as going on these trips more to learn for themselves about their career path or their calling from God."
Meadows says it's not all bad news. He adds, "People with medical skills who see the need worldwide aren't going to let the economy get in their way of going. And I think we'll get to the place where we were, 30 or 40 years ago, where short-term missions is very expensive, and it's very costly and a huge sacrifice."
CURE provides physical and spiritual healing for disabled children in the developing world.