You don’t need to speak fluently in another language to have a positive impact on people, but learning just a few phrases can help your team members communicate with locals. Podcasts, translation apps and even a phrasebook can help.
Enlist the entire church to help your ministry trip team prepare. This will encourage them and give the team a sense of ownership of the trip.
Get a good night’s sleep
A good night’s sleep is vital to a healthy trip. Adjust your sleeping habits to a new country’s schedule beforehand, and get ready for traffic noises, roosters, and overnight bus rides. Getting a full night’s rest can be difficult when traveling, but it is necessary to stay energized for the day’s events.
Throughout significant portions of Quaker history, the traveling ministry has been the lifeblood of our faith. It is a calling that requires many sacrifices and a willingness to go wherever God leads. But it is also a ministry that can be very lonely, and it’s important to maintain healthy relationships with others as you travel.
When you are traveling, it’s easy to forget that the work you do isn’t always about your skills or the people you meet. It’s about being a presence of Jesus in the places you visit. This is especially important for short-term mission trips, which often lead to ongoing partnerships. If your students don’t understand this, they could approach their mission trips with a paternalistic or condescending attitude toward those they serve.
Learn a few phrases in the language
A mission trip involves entering a new community with its own culture and language. The goal is to show respect and appreciation for that community and its customs by trying to speak a few phrases in their language. This can make a significant difference in your experience and will help you connect with locals. There are plenty of resources for learning a foreign language, including online, apps, books, podcasts and language classes. Ministry travel programs often include intensive training sessions as well.
Try to learn 10 basic sentence patterns that will allow you to communicate who you are, what you want and what is happening. Then, practice using these in conversation with native speakers. For instance, say hello, thank you, please and goodbye in the local language.
Ultimately, you are going on a mission trip to show mercy and grace to the people you will encounter. Remember that the project and schedule are secondary to this goal. If you do your best to honor the Lord and minister in His name while on this trip, He will provide for all of your needs.
Practice cultural greetings
You don’t need to learn a whole new language in order to do meaningful ministry on a mission trip. However, knowing some basic cultural cues can go a long way. Learn about greetings and customs of the people you will be working with, such as how they address one another. In addition, find out about any religions prevalent in the area you will be traveling to. This will help you understand points of similarity and difference between Christianity and other faiths.
During team prep meetings, have previous short-term mission trip alumni share their experiences with the group. This is an excellent opportunity for the participants to see how God can use them beyond their time in the field.
During the trip, encourage students to talk with locals and make friends. They can even ask them to pray with them! However, remind them that it is not appropriate to promise people that they will visit them back. This can cause a lot of disappointment and resentment when it is not possible to follow through.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the planning of a trip: packing, gathering supplies, arranging travel plans and booking airfare. As the trip gets closer it’s important to spend time praying alone and with your team.
Encourage your students to pray for their team members before, during and after the trip. It’s a good idea to include prayers for specific situations your group may be faced with as well as general concerns related to the country and people they will serve.
It is important to remember that a short term mission trip is not about you and your team, but rather God’s plan for the world. Without proper spiritual preparation, a trip can quickly become a self-serving experience. Encourage your students to prepare to be humble servants on the field.
Also remind them to respect the desires and leadership of their local partners. If they offend a community it could negatively affect their ministry for months after the trip ends. It’s better to follow the advice of trusted leaders even if it goes against your preconceived ideas of service.
Be flexible
A mission trip is full of unexpected events, so it’s important to be flexible. Don’t let the little things throw you off your stride, and don’t complain about change—it only makes your hosts’ job harder and reflects poorly on those back home who are supporting you.
Keep your eyes on the prize—the glory of God! When questions arise that go beyond your prepared answers, share Scriptures and stories you know well. This builds confidence and trust in God’s Word.
Get to know the local ministry you’re working with before your trip, and ask about their goals and needs. This will help you serve better when you arrive.
When you arrive, be ready to serve and focus on people and not projects. Your host pastor or missionary has worked hard to prepare for your arrival, and it’s important to be respectful of their desires and leadership. If you offend the community, it can impact the ministry for months after your departure. Be patient and flexible, and your trip will be blessed!
Don’t be afraid to ask for prayer
The more people who are involved in planning, serving, and praying on a mission trip, the better. Asking for prayer is essential for a successful trip, whether the team is going to an unfamiliar destination or returning to a familiar one.
Pray that team members will be prepared to share the gospel with people whom they meet on their trip. Also, pray that God would soften hearts and allow the gospel to impact lives in a meaningful way.
Lastly, pray that the mission team members would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and his guidance during the trip. Unless they have experienced humility through Jesus, they can easily come to short term trips with, at best, a paternalistic attitude and, at worst, a judgmental, condemning attitude towards those they meet.
Finally, pray that the group will find a method of praying together that works for them. There are many different ways to pray with a group and it’s important to experiment a bit. For example, some people like to use picture cards to represent different needs and pray over them. Others prefer to pray conversationally or popcorn style.
Journal prior to leaving
Whether it’s to keep track of travel details or just journaling about God’s goodness, it’s a great idea to write before a trip. This helps to ensure that your motives are pure and you are going for the right reasons. It can also be helpful if you need to talk through any doctrinal concerns before making them public.
It’s also a good idea to have each team member pick a “mission theme word” for their trip. This will help them stay focused on what matters most – loving people like Jesus does. They can also use this word to encourage each other during the trip.
When you return, it’s a good idea to share pictures and testimonies from your trip with your church family. This is a great way to keep everyone connected and show them the impact that their prayers have made. It can also help to re-energize the church and reignite their passion for ministry overseas and at home. This will prepare them for your next steps, which may look very different for each person.
Spend quality time reading the Bible
In order to be a effective servant of God, it is important that you know Him. Spending quality time in his Word is a great way to grow and learn more about Jesus.
It is also a good idea to read the Bible in different translations. Reading one that is more literal (such as the ESV or NASB) and another that uses a dynamic equivalent approach may help you better understand the text. You might also find it helpful to read through the notes included in a study Bible.
It is also a good idea to read with other people, whether it be online or in person. Reading with a friend can help keep you accountable and will bring the reading to life. You might even try doing a “Bible challenge” with someone else. There are many great resources out there for this, including the First 5 app. You can also join a Bible reading group on Facebook to get support and encouragement from other believers.
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