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Dear Team Member,
Thank you for your involvement in God’s global work by going on a short-term
mission trip! Along with this manual from RCC, you may have an additional
manual from the mission organization you are working with on the field.
Please adhere to their guidelines and needs as well.
Should you need anything in the process, please don’t hesitate to contact
your Team Leader __________________ at ________________ (phone)
or ______________________________ (email). OR you may contact
Heidi Wareham, Missions Director, at the office by calling 498-9264 or
emailing [email protected] . On behalf of the Missions
Ministry Team at Rochester Christian, thank you for choosing to GO, and we
look forward to hearing all that God did in and through you!
“May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.”
Psalm 67:3
There are parts in this manual used with permission: 2003 Southeast Christian Church of Jefferson County, Kentucky, Inc. All rights reserved.
Orphans of persecution, India
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Table of Contents
Team Covenant 5
Why We Go 6
How We Go 7-21
Maximizing the Benefits of Short-Term Missions 8-20
Don’t Chase Buffaloes 21
Ten Ways to Wreck a Good Trip 22
Cross-Cultural Considerations 23-24
Support-Raising 25-31
Fund-Raising Mindset 25
Spiritual Preparedness 26
Developing Prayer Partners 26-27
Writing the Letter 27
RCC Guidelines in Support-Raising 28
Tips for Writing the Letter 29
Sample Letter & Response Card 30
Letter from Business Office ($ Guidelines) 31
Passports & Safety 32
If You’re Flying 32
The Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet 33
General Health 33-34
Reminders 34
All About Testimonies 35
When You Return Home 36
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TEAM COVENANT
As a member of this team, I agree to:
1. Remember that I am representing Rochester Christian Church, and, more importantly, Jesus
Christ. I will model Jesus in my behavior and attitude. 2. Remember that I am a guest working at the invitation of my host. I will remember the
missionary’s prayer, “Where you lead me I will follow, what they feed me I will swallow.” 3. Remember that we have come to learn. I’ll resist the temptation to inform our hosts about “how we
do things.” I’ll be open to learning about other people’s methods and ideas. 4. Respect the host’s view of Christianity recognizing that Christianity has many faces throughout
the world and that the purpose of this trip is to experience faith lived out in a new setting. 5. Develop and maintain a servant’s attitude toward all nationals, my teammates, and toward God at
all times. 6. Respect my team leader at all times in all decisions. 7. Refrain from gossip. I will use words to encourage others, not to tear them down. 8. Refrain from complaining. I know that travel can present numerous unexpected and undesired
circumstances, but the rewards of conquering such circumstances are innumerable. Instead of
whining and complaining, I’ll be creative. 9. Attend all team meetings before the trip as well as any follow-up meetings. 10. Remember not to be exclusive in my relationships. If my boyfriend/girlfriend or spouse is on the
team, we will make every effort to interact with all the members of the team. If I am
attracted to a teammate, I will not attempt to pursue a relationship until after we return
home. I will refrain from any activity that could be construed as romantic interest in a
national. 12. I am not involved with illegal drugs and will abstain from consumption of alcoholic beverages
or the use of tobacco while on this trip.
13. Remember that I can be sent home, at my own expense, if I do not adhere to this covenant or if
my Team Leader believes it is in my best interest or that of the team.
14. Participate in individual and team times of worship and devotions. I will be faithful to pray for
my Team Leader, my teammates, our hosts, and the nationals.
15. Focus on our purpose and use common sense at all times. I will radically love God and be
irrationally devoted to others.
16. Ensure the trip is communicated to the RCC church family shortly after returning from the mission
field. This may include a video testimony to be shown during services, a written testimony to
be sent to supporters, and/or a personal testimony to the RCC Missions Committee.
Signed ______________________________ Date __________________
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WHY WE GO So… why are we doing this short-term trip?
1. We are commanded in scripture to go. (Matthew 28:19-20)
2. We are compelled to stretch ourselves spiritually, culturally, and relationally.
(James 1:2-4)
3. We are committed to encouraging our partners in the field. (Ro. 1:11-12)
4. We are compassionately sharing with and demonstrating to others the hope we have.
(Mark 12:29-31)
We go to be a blessing and are incredibly blessed in return.
OUR IMPACT
When our partners host us for a short-term trip, our teams impact them. As a team, we
make it or break it. Think about the hardships our teams can create as well as the
encouragement we can bring.
Negative Impact
1. We create more work for them.
2. We disrupt their regular ministry plans.
3. We unwittingly insult them.
4. We impose our American values and methods on them.
5. We exhaust their energy, time, and resources.
6. We unintentionally cause dependency on outsiders.
Positive Impact
1. Build them up with encouraging words.
2. Affirm their work and efforts just by traveling to visit them.
3. Improve our relationship by spending time together.
4. Dream and develop new ways of serving God together.
5. Gain a better understanding of their ministry and return as advocates for them.
6. Learn how to better partner with and pray for them.
Partnership: What’s it about?
Either a current supported partner of RCC or a future/potential partner will host the
short-term trip. We have chosen our partners prayerfully, and those who may become full-
time partners are involved in a process of consideration that is not flippant or simple. We
value these missionaries and labor jointly to communicate the Gospel. They are our hands,
feet, and mouths on the field, and their hosting our short-term trip is invaluable to us. It
plays a vital role in establishing and maintaining relationships with our partners in the field.
As you leave, our partners should feel as though they were encouraged, served, and
esteemed.
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HOW WE GO
The RCC Missions Team values a holistic approach to missions, one that addresses the whole
need of individuals and communities and also helps without causing harm. One holistic
approach to missions the Team has been implementing, especially in our work in Haiti, is
called Community Health Evangelism (CHE). CHE seamlessly integrates evangelism,
discipleship, and church planting with community health and development.
This section of the manual is intended to give you a brief overview of this approach and the
reasons behind it. More information can be found on the CHE website: chenetwork.org.
We also highly encourage all trip participants to read the book When Helping Hurts:
Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian
Fikkert.
Applying Principles of CHE to short term ministries, short term ministries should…
Leave nationals with a vision for what they can do for themselves
Involve nationals in identifying needs & resources and making plans
Build cooperation, get people working together
Keep faith and works together
Promote complete obedience to all Jesus commanded
Focus on use of local resources
Avoid creating dependency on outsiders
Initiate work that is sustainable and multipliable
Involve nationals as active participants rather than passive recipients
Build capacity rather than creating dependency
Give the gift of dignity
Go beyond relief to development
Go beyond cure to prevention of disease
The following two articles provide great examples of how to “do” missions without causing
harm…
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Maximizing the Benefits of Short-Term Missions
by Glenn Schwartz,
Executive Director of World Mission Associates
INTRODUCTION
A burgeoning interest in Christian missions has produced a new interest in short-term
service. This has resulted in thousands of short-termers going out across the world, some
under the direction of the Holy Spirit, some for their own benefit (as on a glorified
vacation), but all, hopefully, for the benefit of those they seek to serve. Peterson,
Aeschliman and Sneed in their book Maximum Impact Short-Term Mission (STEMPress:
Minneapolis, 2003) say there are now at least one million going out each year into short-
term mission service (p. 243).
For the purpose of this article, I have divided short-term missions into two categories: 1)
short visits of two to six weeks by those taking a “working vacation” (or holiday); and 2)
longer visits of six months to two or three years. Longer STMs (Short Term Missions)
are most often taken by young volunteers, professionals on sabbatical, or retired persons
willing to give a year or two of service. However, the major emphasis of this article will
be on the shorter visits of two to six weeks.
The effectiveness of short-term missions has been written about in various missionary
publications in recent years. (A brief list of books and web sites appears in the
bibliography of this article.) The main purpose of this article is to deal with something
that one does not see addressed in any of the books I have read on short-term missions. I
am referring to the relationship between short-term service and the possibility of creating
unhealthy dependency on outside people and funding. In this article I will make various
suggestions regarding how to avoid dependency on short-term mission trips. Included
among these will be suggestions regarding sound cross-cultural practice.
At the outset, I wish to emphasize that short-term workers can have a positive experience
and at the same time make a positive impact on the community to which they go. The
fact that too often short-termers have counterproductive experiences or are ineffective, is
my reason for drawing attention to the subject.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOOD WILL TURNS TO ILL FEELING?
My first encounter with short-term missions was in Central Africa in 1961.[1] While
there I learned about a North American program created to send university students on a
six-week visit to Africa to assist in humanitarian projects with the purpose of "building
goodwill between the youth of two nations."
As part of this program a group of Americans and Canadians came to Bulawayo,
Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) where I lived and worked. About four weeks into
their six-week visit the group suddenly left. I heard about their premature departure and
went to the building site to ask what happened. Since they were from North America, I
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thought it was good to learn why they left early. The local builder in charge of the project
gave the following explanation:
What the Americans didn’t know is that we here in Africa also know how to build
buildings. It isn’t that they didn’t work hard. The trowel was too slow to put mortar
between the bricks, so they used their bare hands to speed things up. But they must
remember that we built buildings before they came, and we will build buildings after they
leave. Unfortunately, while they were here, they thought they were the only ones who
knew how to build buildings. Finally things got so bad, we had to ask them to leave.
Obviously this short-term mission was counter-productive to "building goodwill between
the youth of two nations." Ironically, when I visited the site some months later after the
building was complete, there was a bronze plaque beside the entrance saying, “This
building was built by the youth of Southern Rhodesia, the United States and Canada to
foster goodwill between the nations”. Sadly, it had turned out to fall short of its goal.
In a second incident, a group of North Americans helped to build a school building in
West Africa. A local church in West Africa accepted their offer to provide manual labor
from North America in order to complete the project. The Americans moved in and
worked daily under the direction of one of their own members - a building contractor
from North America who accompanied them. In situations such as this, the local builder
in charge of the project usually steps back while the "experienced" North American
directs the work.
When the Americans left, they had a good feeling of "what we did for them." And truly a
building was left behind. Some time later, I interviewed several of the Americans who
participated in that short-term project. It was not surprising that some of them looked
back with a rather dubious feeling about their contribution. One was so embarrassed
about the arrogance the short-termers displayed that the suggestion of another mission
trip to build another building (this time in Asia) seemed almost repulsive. Indeed,
thankfully not all short-term efforts are like this. The challenge is to avoid the “great
white outsider” syndrome.
A third incident involved a church building erected in a rural part of Ecuador by well-
meaning North Americans. On one occasion a group of short-termers saw the well-built
building and asked about it. Local people said, “We refer to this as the gringo church.
Gringos came from North America and built it, but we do not use it. We have our own
places of worship.” This building was the result of the efforts of well-meaning but
misguided outsiders.
A fourth incident occurred in Guyana, South America. A missionary told how he had
taken a group of young people from North America to Guyana to build a church
building. After three weeks of dedicated effort, the building was at last completed and
presented to the local people. The North Americans returned home convinced that they
had made a good contribution to needy people. Two years later the missionary, now back
in the USA, got a letter from the people in Guyana. It read, "The roof on your church
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building is leaking. Please come and fix it." The importance of this is well understood
by those who are familiar with issues of “ownership”.[2]
A fifth incident occurred in West Africa where a short-termer was working in a two-year
assignment. She served in an area where a medical doctor - turned church planter - was
trying to get a local congregation to increase their awareness of missions and
evangelism. He was elated when the pastor reported that their annual missions
conference increased the total offering from forty-five dollars last year to sixty-one
dollars this year. It was truly a time for rejoicing. The congregation even began to plant
a new church some kilometers away. As the short-termer was about to leave, she took
pity on the congregation and gave them what amounted to her life savings – six thousand
eight hundred dollars - to build a new church building. Imagine, the impact of that sum of
money thrust into a situation like I just described. The result was that the pastor simply
began to ask where he could find more of that kind of money. One can only feel
compassion for the missionary who had been teaching principles of self-support. He saw
his efforts at raising awareness about the importance of local resources go down the
drain. Unfortunately many short-termers have no idea of the impact that kind of giving
has on those they try to help.
IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?
By now you have probably concluded that these five illustrations represent a bleak
picture of short-term mission efforts. Lest this cast an aspersion on all short-term mission
trips, I suggest that we rather compare these negative experiences with sound missionary
practices which lead to the planting of healthy, sustainable churches in cross-cultural
situations. Allow me to illustrate in the following way.
Missionaries have successfully planted churches cross-culturally in many parts of the
world where they earned the right to be heard. This has come to be known in missionary
circles as “incarnation”. Those missionaries learned local languages without expecting
the people to whom they ministered to learn their language. They paid attention to the
cultural elements to which the Gospel would need to speak. They exercised creative
listening in order to be heard when they did eventually decide it was time to speak.[3]
And what was the result? In some places, people movements to Christ followed.[4] This
meant that significant numbers of people came to Christ and whole societies were
changed. This kind of cross-cultural evangelization will hardly occur when the time
frame is a two or three-week visit into and out of a society, with little knowledge or
understanding of local language and culture. Short-term missionaries will hardly have
opportunity to experience a people movement because, like many missionaries, they
don’t know what one is or how it works.
And what about a positive short-term experience? Some programs such as YWAM
(Youth With A Mission) and YES (Youth Evangelism Service – a Mennonite sponsored
program) have demonstrated that there IS a wholesome way to prepare for short-term
missions. Both programs require in-depth discipleship training, sometimes as much as
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three months or more. One young woman having gone through such training, went to
Indonesia several years ago when Christian/Muslim conflicts were very much in the
news. The group she was with spent their time in prayer and intercession, relating to local
people and learning as much Indonesian language as they could. They played with
children orphaned in the religious conflict, taught English and had discussions with local
teenagers, taxi drivers and even Muslim clerics. They were so well accepted that Muslim
leaders invited them to teach English classes in the mosque! At the end of their time in
Indonesia, Christians and Muslims came together in a local church to thank them and bid
them farewell – so great was the respect for those young people and what they had
contributed to the community! This could hardly have been done in a two-week period
and especially without the kind of cultural sensitivity they learned during their training.
Before sending out His disciples on a short-term ministry assignment, Jesus told them,
“Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16b). Short-termers and long-
term missionaries alike would do well to remember these words when venturing into
cross-cultural ministry. Both will find that listening, learning and “being” are essential to
an effective ministry.
THE ALTERNATIVE DEMONSTRATED BY YWAM AND THE MENNONITES
Some time ago I was asked who is doing short-term missions right. I wish I had been
quicker to respond and tell about the YWAM-DTS program and the Mennonite YES
program to which I referred earlier. The following are some of the strengths of these
programs:
In both programs the participants are given a serious introduction to cross-cultural
issues. This includes information on how people in other religions think and
worship.
They include training in spiritual warfare, something the average westerner often
knows little or nothing about.
The training also raises awareness about how we as Americans are viewed in the
eyes of the rest of the world.
Participants are forced to examine themselves as individuals, including personal
strengths and weaknesses. This means learning to understand not just themselves,
but also others on the team with whom they will serve. By the time such young
people reach the point of ministry, they have had some of their potential personal
problems nipped in the bud.
If anyone wants to give young people a wholesome cross-cultural experience in
short-term missions, this kind of training is essential.
WHY DO NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES OCCUR IN SHORT-TERM MISSIONS?
Obviously the purpose of short-term mission trips is to provide a positive spiritual
experience for both the givers and the receivers. In the above examples, applying a few
simple rules to the training of short-termers could well have changed a negative
experience into a positive one. Unless appropriate training is given, more and more
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short-termers will have less than satisfactory experiences for themselves and those they
try to help.
First, in the preparation of short-termers, the anticipation of “doing good” for someone
else is frequently overplayed. Americans are to be commended for their willingness to
help those whom they perceive to be in need. Our worldview includes a substantial
portion of charitable or philanthropic concern. Some of it is driven by the benefit of a tax-
deductible receipt, some by a spirit of adventure, but much of it is genuine compassion.
“Doing” (what we accomplish) is often in conflict with the importance of “being” (who
we are). This important distinction could well be at the root of the problem. Someone
once referred to such people as “human doings”, rather than “human beings”.
The importance of doing may be inspired by the need to report “what we have done”. It
is hard to raise support – even for short-term missions – based on being. Yet there is
something about our witness which is greatly enhanced when people see us for who we
are, rather than for what we do. In the book Mack & Leeann’s Guide to Short-Term
Missions (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL, 2000, pgs 72-76), there is an
illustration of a group of young people who went to Kenya on a short-term mission. One
of the young women was assigned to work in the home of a church leader in which the
wife was about to deliver a child. The young woman found herself doing laundry,
preparing meals and cleaning the house. She wondered how she would ever report this
menial type work to those back home who gave financial support to help her get there.
When all was said and done, however, expressions of gratitude by the local people
proved that her servant attitude was worth it all. In this case, “being” spoke louder than
“doing”. Her willingness to serve left a lasting positive impression on the local people.
Imagine how we in America would feel if people from another country - like Germany or
Korea - came to our church and took over our Summer Vacation Bible School, asking us
to serve as their interpreters because they did not speak our language. What if the
illustrations they gave our children about how to live were, for the most part, culturally
irrelevant? And how would we feel if while these “foreigners” were with us, they
dominated our schedule and made it difficult for us to get our work done. Sadly, this is
often the impact of poorly planned short-term mission trips.
Frequently short-termers go out with an air of superiority because of the assumptions
which we as westerners hold. We assume that short-termers have something important to
say to the rest of the world, even if they are young and inexperienced, compared to those
among whom they go to serve. In some places where short-termers go, the Church has
been in existence for decades (maybe a century or more) before short-termers arrive on
the scene. Our judgment of the local people may be affected by our need as westerners
for a certain standard of cleanliness or adequacy of shelter - based on what we feel is
appropriate. Those we are trying to serve may not share those same felt needs. Little
wonder that sometimes outsiders are often either envied for their wealth, or resented for
their cultural insensitivity.
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Second, the attitude that an "outsider" can do the job better than “local people” is often at
the heart of how we as westerners view ourselves. Take away our sense of superiority
and you cut at the very heart of who we think we are and why we believe we exist. This
kind of arrogance has enormous implications, not only for the Christian movement, but
also in international affairs. It should not be surprising that such attitudes can lead to the
negative feelings many non-westerners have toward us as Americans. A sense of
superiority has been instilled in us since the day we learned to speak English. Our songs,
sermons, educational system and political speeches all reinforce this idea. To say that
such assumptions are deeply engrained in us would be an understatement.
What are the implications of this air of superiority for those involved in cross-cultural
missions? Perhaps those who fly airplanes into tall towers are trying to tell us something
about how the rest of the world sees us. The scripture is clear that as God’s people, we
are to demonstrate a broken spirit and a contrite heart. The rest of the world may be
trying to show us that our arrogance is not compatible with the Christianity we profess.
A third reason for the often-negative aspects of short-term missions is that westerners
often give the impression that our wealth is the secret to helping people come into right
relationship with God. I have written extensively on this subject in other places. I will
deal with this more in the suggestions given later in this article. While this is not the place
to deal in depth with issues related to finance, suffice it to say that unless we learn to
recognize who is truly poor, and how to help appropriately, the danger is that
misunderstanding will arise and an otherwise good short-term experience will have
negative consequences.[5]
It is true that someone must help with the tremendous needs of a hungry, hurting and
dying world.[6] Our challenge is to find a way to help that does not leave others with the
impression they are too weak, too helpless and too uninformed to help themselves.
Frequently, dependent churches are living in the midst of resources which are adequate,
not only for themselves, but for the work God is calling them to do.
A fourth reason behind negative short-term mission experiences relates to the matter of
ownership. Too often, outsiders unwittingly become “owners” of the projects on which
they work. I once had a conversation with a group of short-termers and posed the
question, “Whose project is this that you are working on in [South Africa]?” The answer I
got was revealing. “Oh, we let the local people help us with the project.” It is this spirit
which is behind the statement I made earlier – “the roof on your church building is
leaking”.
A fifth reason for negative short-term experiences is that short-termers most likely have
inadequate training for the complex task of communicating the Gospel cross-culturally.
In the video series entitled the Vision for the Nations, Dr. Lloyd Kwast gives the
following different aspects that are important in cross-cultural communication:[7] oral,
written, pictorial, kinesics (body movement), audio, silence, artifactual, touch, optical,
spatial, time, olfactory (smell) and oculesics (eye contact). What chance do most short-
termers have of knowing the importance of these factors in cross-cultural
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communication? Little wonder that those in whose culture we find ourselves are often
offended by the kinds of things we do. Unfortunately, most of them are too kind to tell us
of the many ways we break the rules, even as we are trying to communicate something as
important as the love of God.
AN ALTERNATIVE DEMONSTRATED BY A CIVIC ORGANIZATION
Western Christians could learn something from international civic organizations. Several
years ago I attended a meeting of a local civic club. The speaker of the evening gave a
slide presentation on his six-week trip to India in a “youth” exchange program. (He was
a "youth" of 35 years of age, and an owner of a substantial farming operation in the
United States.)
Several things impressed me as he spoke. First, he did not say one negative word about
the culture of India or how things were done there. He did not talk about how terrible the
food was or how unsanitary the conditions were. Rather, he spoke positively about visits
to factories, farms, and communities and about the hospitality he received in the homes of
host families. As he spoke, I asked myself how a secular organization could send out half
a dozen Americans who would come back with such a positive experience and
wholesome report?
HOW DID THE CIVIC ORGANIZATION PULL IT OFF?
First, this group went specifically to learn. They were not expected to tell how it was
done in America. They were told to learn how things were done in India.
Second, they were not isolated on Western style mission stations or in Western hotels
from which they could look down on the culture from a high-rise building. They lived
humbly and with gratitude in homes of their Indian hosts.
Third, their orientation before leaving for India prepared them to be learners. It must
have been refreshing for the people of India to entertain Americans who had left their air
of superiority at home.
One wishes that short-term mission groups could learn a similar kind of humility. It
would be helpful if we, as westerners, came to realize that our ideas are most acceptable
to others when we are most accepting of theirs. The Christian missionary movement
would do well to take this to heart in relation to both short-term and long-term missions.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE DOING TRAINING FOR SHORT-TERM
MISSION PROJECTS
The following list of suggestions is not by any means exhaustive. In a short article such
as this, one can only begin to scratch the surface. However, with short-termers, one at
least needs to begin with the basics, which is what I am trying to do here.
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Anyone promoting short-term mission projects should make it clear that those going to
serve are learners. It is one place where on-the-job-learning is legitimate. This is
especially true where there is little or no cross-cultural training provided beforehand.
One of the more disturbing trends in short-term missions today is the anti-intellectual
attitude that “simply going” is the important thing. This is shown in the following
statement from one of the books on short-term missions:
For every additional hour required of preparation, for every additional characteristic
demanded of our recruits, there will be thousands – perhaps millions? – who remain
sidelined as too average, too real, too foolish to that particular expression of “Missio
Dei”. In our feeble attempts to birth a missionary without spot or blemish, the world
continues going to hell without Jesus Christ. (Peterson, Aeschilman and Sneed, p. 29)
Short-termers – especially those without cross-cultural training - should be told that they
are guests, not specialists. Short-termers often go to places where the Gospel has been
preached for decades - and sometimes centuries. In such places young people should not
be given the impression that they are taking the Gospel there for the first time. One
complicating factor is that those paying for the trip want to know that the Gospel is being
preached. In reality, the short-termers may find themselves “preaching the gospel” to
mature leaders in the church who themselves are capable of being trainers – if the visitors
were in the frame of mind to be learners.
Short-termers should be made aware of the dangers of simplistic answers to complex
cultural issues. How can one who has never lived in or studied a culture know how to
respond to complicated issues such as work ethics, marriage customs, or elements of faith
where religion is characterized by incredibly delicate and complex issues? How can one
speak about the Good News of the Gospel to animists unless he or she is familiar with the
basic tenants of animism? I speak from experience, because I went to serve among
animists in the early 1960s without any understanding of what an animistic worldview is.
Chances are slim to none that short-termers will be familiar with such issues in another
culture.
When one begins to understand and appreciate the complexity of someone else’s
worldview, it becomes unthinkable to argue against the need for training cross-cultural
workers as suggested in the quote above. If a young person came to his pastor and said,
“I think God is calling me to be a medical doctor”, would anyone in his right mind say,
“Just, go for it; you don’t need medical training. As long as you are called and sincere,
go practice medicine.” Yet he or she may be a sincere person!
Much of the dependency we see in churches around the world is the result of well-
meaning people who went out to serve without so much as a basic knowledge of the
indigenous principle - including the fact that churches can be self-supporting from the
very beginning. There are plenty of examples to show that this is possible.
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Short-termers should be reminded that their own testimony has validity but also that it
should be shared discreetly. They should be reminded that their own testimony is not
necessarily normative for the rest of world. People in many parts of the world simply do
not come to the Lord the way many North Americans do. What might be more important
than giving one’s own testimony would be to listen to the testimonies of the people to
whom the short-termers go. Being willing to listen could communicate that we as
westerners can actually listen as well as speak.
Short-termers should be told that who they are is far more important than what they do.
(This is good advice for long-term missionaries as well.) The problem is that many times
short-termers feel they must justify going so many miles and using so many dollars by
having something tangible to show for it – like a finished building or a show of hands
after an evangelistic event. It could be that this desire to have something to show is at the
root of our ineffectiveness as short-termers. It is why learners, with the right attitude,
might actually accomplish more than activists who must leave something visible behind.
Short-termers who feel that they must have something to show for the time and money
spent might consider other alternatives. For example, it is much cheaper (though maybe
not as glamorous) to have a cross-cultural experience in an inner city in North America.
There are cities where non-English languages abound. Even here, it is important that one
go with the attitude of a learner.
Remember, it is much cheaper to go to an inner city in one’s home country than to travel
overseas. It is also possible in a nearby North American urban setting to develop a long-
term relationship and not just to make a foray in and out, never to go there again. One
can even learn a foreign language by associating with those in an inner city. This kind of
experience is an ideal proving ground for those thinking of long-term cross-cultural
service. If one survives an inner city experience and enjoys it, that is a good sign that
long-term cross-cultural service might be rewarding and effective.
Every short-termer should be reminded of the difficulty posed by our relative wealth
compared to that of the people whom we visit. One of the temptations of short-termers is
to become overwhelmed by what appears to be poverty when looking at the rest of the
world from our perspective.
Here it is helpful to distinguish between absolute and relative poverty. People living in
absolute poverty most likely will need outside assistance or they will not survive. This
help may need to be given in the form of medicine, food, shelter or the like. Relative
poverty – the kind many short-termers encounter – means that people may not be as well
off as we are, but they are quite capable of surviving in the society and surroundings
where God has placed them. Those who live in relative poverty are often susceptible to
the kind of dependency we should all seek to avoid.[8] It is easy to give people the
impression that since their houses or church buildings are not as good as ours, they need
financial assistance for an upgrade. When outsiders give that impression to the person
living in relative poverty, local people may begin to long for something they did not
17
know was a need. As one church leader in Uganda said recently, “We did not know we
were poor until someone from the outside told us.”
Short-termers should be reminded that their compassion must not result in doing for
others what they can and should do for themselves. Sometimes the difficulty is knowing
where the line is drawn between absolute and relative poverty. Leaders of short-term
mission groups would do well to reflect on issues such as this before undertaking a short-
term trip.
Short-termers should be told that a good learner will not only listen to those in the
community where they are visiting, but they will seek to learn about the place they are
going. Reading Operation World or some other book about the country or local
communities will give the short-termer an appreciation of what they will encounter. It has
often been said that the longer an outsider stays in one place, the more he realizes how
little he understands. This often doesn’t dawn on short-termers because time is so short;
they feel they must to act, whether their actions are wise or not.
Another area of required reading for every short-termer relates to cross-cultural
communication. Here is where the skills of a good learner can be developed. Every
short-termer should be required to read a small book by Drs. Tom and Betty Sue
Brewster entitled Bonding and the Missionary Task: Establishing A Sense of
Belonging.[9] Everyone considering cross-cultural service – long-term or short-term -
should read and digest the contents of this little book.
A second way to get good training for short-termers, especially the leaders of short-term
missions, is to take the course Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.[10] The
course has been revolutionary in introducing the missionary heart of God to those
interested in serving Him wholeheartedly. Among other things, there are lessons on
cultural and Biblical issues that will help to better inform those leading short-term
missions.
Be careful to check the motives for a short-term mission trip. The following notice in a
church bulletin shows how questionable motives can sometimes be.
[Our congregation] is sponsoring a women’s only mission trip to beautiful Guadalajara,
Mexico! We’ll spend the week of June 11-18 in Guadalajara (also known as the shopping
capitol of Mexico!), where we will have the incredible opportunity to minister to, pray
for, and teach women in a vibrant church community. And this trip isn’t a “rough-roach-
in-your-bed” kind of experience either – we’ll be housed in nice clean hotel rooms, eat
lots of salsa, and have plenty of time to shop! Our hope is to take at least fifteen women
(including teenage daughters) on this Mexican Ministry Outreach . . . we trust that God
will expand our hearts for Him as He expands our ministry to the women of
Guadalajara. If you’re remotely interested in this great commission adventure – or if
you’re just in the mood for Mexico after all this winter weather – call for more details
about this fantastic outreach opportunity.
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How do we expect to get the right people and engage in appropriate ministry when the
benefits are portrayed in this way? Thankfully, there is an alternative. It is to encourage
such a group of women to go as learners, not teachers (and especially not as shoppers).
They can be told that they are going primarily to listen and learn. They should be told that
living among the people, might not be so bad after all. And what if they did experience a
roach or two? It might give them a little appreciation for how the other half of the world
lives.
Whenever possible, keep short-term mission groups small. Imagine the impact when a
large group of outsiders descends on a small community or congregation. Their presence
is obvious, potentially disruptive and can easily cause embarrassment. Smaller groups are
easier to place in homes. They are easier to talk to. They are less likely to stand out like
the proverbial sore thumb in a community. In terms of a work team, a small group is less
likely to outnumber the local volunteers who should retain ownership of their own
project.
One ideal way to look at the size of the group is to consider a team small enough to be
easily accommodated in the homes of local people. They will be guests in homes, rather
than a large group that needs special catering. By all means, do not take along someone
who will do the cooking for the group. Also, let the building project be in the hands of the
local builder, not one imported from the outside.
CONCLUSION
There are many good reasons to consider short-term mission trips. When done well,
short-term missions can be a blessing to those in both the sending and receiving
societies. However, in order for the experience to be beneficial for both sides, it is
necessary to build into the process the right attitude from the very beginning. This right
attitude, coupled with good training in cultural sensitivity, could well turn an otherwise
negative experience into one that is positive. When done right, a servant-attitude may
develop which will turn some short-termers into life-long missionaries or life-long
supporters of missions. Doing it right from the beginning is worth all the effort it takes.
Glenn J. Schwartz,
Executive Director
World Mission Associates
December 2003
Note: I welcome interaction with anyone who would like to discuss issues raised in this
paper. I can be contacted at the following address:
World Mission Associates
600-C Eden Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
Phone: (717) 299-1427
FAX: (717) 299-2943
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.wmausa.org
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Bibliography
Bonk, Jonathan. Missions and Money. Orbis Books: Maryknoll, NY, 1992.
Brewster, Thomas and Elizabeth. Bonding and the Missionary Task. Lingua House: Dallas, TX, 1982.
EE Tawo (A video produced by New Tribes Mission, 1000 E. First St., Sanford, FL 32771, USA)
Greene M.D., H. Lee. A Guide to Short Term Missions. Gabriel Publishing: Waynesboro, GA, 2003.
Johnstone, Patrick. Operation World. OM Publishing: Carlisle, Cumbria, UK, 1995.
Petersen, Roger; Aeschliman, Gordon; and Sneed, R. Wayne. Maximum Impact Short-Term Mission.
STEMPress: Minneapolis, 2003.
Stiles, J. Mack & Leeann. Mack & Leeann’s Guide to Short-Term Missions. InterVarsity Press: Downers
Grove, IL, 2000.
Tippett, Alan R. People Movements in Southern Polynesia. Chicago: Moody Press, 1971
Web Sites: There are many web sites that have information on short term-missions. I recommend putting
the term “short-term missions” into a search engine such as Google and you will find many web sites
related to the subject. The following are only a beginning of what is available:
www.shorttermmissions.com
www.missionfinder.org/summer.htm
www.experiencemission.org
For articles on issues of dependency and self-reliance among mission-established institutions see the
website for World Mission Associates: www.wmausa.org.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
[1] I was there on a two-year short-term program with my denomination – the Brethren in Christ Church. I
later returned to serve in Central Africa as a full-time missionary for another five and a half years.
[2] For more information on ownership and other issues related to dependency, see Lesson One of the
eight-hour video series produced by World Mission Associates. It can be ordered on the World Wide Web
at www.wmausa.org.
[3] By contrast, short-termers must speak within the short period they have whether they have done any
listening or learning.
[4] For those who are interested in what a “people movement” is I recommend two sources, among many
others. One is a book called People Movements of Southern Polynesia by Alan R. Tippett. Chapter 7
particularly gives the rationale for a people movement and how it works. The other resource is the video
produced by New Tribes Mission entitled EE Tawo which shows how seriously one missionary in New
Guinea studied the language and culture before inviting people to make a decision to become believers.
The people movement that followed was dramatic. Short of a miracle, discipling a people group this
thoroughly can hardly be done during one two-week short-term mission trip.
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[5] There are about seventy articles on this and related issues on our web site www.wmausa.org. Regarding
who are actually poor, I recommend an article on our web site entitled Searching for a Meaningful Way to
Help the Poor. See also, Missions and Money by Jonathan Bonk, listed in the bibliography.
[6] I am currently developing the idea that the ideal place to get help for needy people is the Church – a
local church healthy and functioning in the communities of the world which are in need. This means that
many times the best help can be found among believers right in the communities where the need exists.
Unfortunately, too often outsiders do not recognize the importance of resources within arm’s reach of those
local believers. For more on this subject, look for the paper entitled I Believe in the Church on the WMA
web site or request it from the office of World Mission Associates. It should be available in early 2004.
[7] Every short-term team should be required to watch the video series Vision for the Nations before they
are allowed to set foot on an airplane for cross-cultural service. It is available through the William Carey
Library at www.perspectives.org.
[8] Even when trying to help those in absolute poverty, care must be taken so that long-term dependency
does not develop. For further information on this, see the article entitled Searching for a Meaningful way to
help the Poor on the WMA web site.
[9] It is published by Lingua House (1982) and is available from Academic Publications Summer Institute
of Linguistics, 7500 West Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, Texas 75236.
[10] Information on this course is available through the US Center for World Mission in Pasadena,
California. Simply visit their web site www.perspectives.org, and the times and locations of courses will
be available. In the year 2003 five thousand people enrolled in Perspectives courses across North America.
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Don't Chase Buffaloes By Glenn Schwartz
The following story was shared with me following a 1992 seminar in Capetown, South Africa. It is a choice example of how one church leader allowed God to lead him to rely on him and on the people of the local church to accomplish God's purposes.
"Several years ago, I was invited to minister in various churches in America While there, I phoned home to check on my family. My wife was not there, but my sister-in-law answered the phone. After telling me that everyone was well, she gave me this puzzling message. God had appeared to her in a dream and told her to tell me: "When you are in America, don't chase buffaloes." What that could mean I did not know; but after I hung up the phone, I asked God to make the message clear.
One Sunday evening after preaching in a local church, I was given the offering in cash. They did not write out a check for the amount, but simply gave it to me as it was. As I counted the money, I came across an American five-cent piece with a buffalo on it - a buffalo nickel.
When I saw this, I immediately associated it with the message of my sister-in-law's dream. I knew that God was telling me that while in America I was not to pursue money. I accepted this from the Lord, but I did not know how this direction from the Lord would be tested in the next several days.
The next morning I had breakfast with a wealthy businessman. I don't know how wealthy he was, but I later learned that he owned four airplanes. He told me he appreciated my message the evening before and wanted to help with my ministry in South Africa. He was prepared to write a check for any amount! Remembering God's instructions, I replied, "Thank you very much, but the Lord takes care of me and my people in his own way." He gave me no money.
Shortly thereafter I was on my way home to South Africa. On the plane from London to Johannesburg a wealthy white South African businessman was seated beside me. When he learned that I was the pastor of a non-white church in the Capetown area, he offered to help me financially. He was not happy with his own church which supported apartheid at that time. He preferred to help me! This man, too, asked "How much money do you want?" Again, remembering God's instructions, I told him, 'Thank you very much, but the Lord takes care of me and my people in his own way." I got no money from that man either.
I returned home to discover that the people of my own congregation wanted to build their own church building. We have since built a new sanctuary completely from the funds of our own people, and we did not need any "buffaloes" from overseas.
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Ten Ways to Wreck a Good Trip
1. Act like you are there alone. Stay to yourself. Isolate others.
2. Think you are much too important for the work you have been assigned. If you are
given dish duty, weasel out of it.
3. Don’t pray or study the Bible. You won’t have the time for it anyway.
4. Be well organized and inflexible so nothing can interfere with your agenda.
5. Point out what your hosts are doing wrong. Help them “improve.” Help them be
more like you.
6. If you are single, try to become romantically involved with someone on the team. Try
to be near that person, even if it means that the other team relationships suffer.
If you’re married, get away frequently to spend time together and discuss how you’d
run things differently if you were the leaders.
7. Don’t bother trying to speak the language. Seek out English speakers, and then
communicate only with them.
8. Point out the faults of the people on your team. Try not to be seen with the socially
awkward people on the team.
9. Make sure you don’t eat the local food. Try to find a grocery store that sells
something familiar. If you are forced to eat the local cuisine, complain.
10. Be generally disappointed in how things are going. Whine when things go wrong.
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Cross-Cultural Considerations
This is one of the most important sections of this manual. Please pay close attention to the
following advice:
1. As North Americans we are often very outgoing, having a natural curiosity and
freedom which is not always understood by those in the country and of the culture
we are visiting. Be aware of this. To avoid being offensive, talk to your host.
2. Try to understand that those at the mission locations are working under different
conditions than you are used to. They have adapted their lives to the customs of
the country or culture to help them win people to Christ. Avoid the temptation to
question their way of ministering or their way of dealing with the local people.
3. You will encounter many situations to which you are not accustomed. Always think of
the people to whom you will minister. Don’t complain about the conditions, food,
travel, and so on. Always smile, be cheerful, and show love.
4. Try to learn the phrases of greeting in the indigenous language.
5. Do not give the impression to the nationals that you are there simply to “help these
poor people out.” Rather, show them that you are there to learn and to serve.
6. Do not be too quick to judge a national for what you feel is unchristian conduct. You
may not realize the great change that has already occurred in a person’s life
through the Gospel.
7. Due to the unintentional damage caused by “handouts”, you are strongly discouraged
from giving the individuals on your mission location financial or material resources,
either while on your trip or after you arrive home. If you believe you are being led
by the Lord to give, it is best to donate directly to the host ministry/missionary.
8. Be considerate of your hosts’ time. They are not there to be your personal tour
guides. They have a job to do.
9. Avoid references to military, political issues, and to other religious groups. Never
wear Army fatigues.
10. Some words and colloquialism are distasteful or very confusing to people of other
cultures. Check with your host before you put your foot in your mouth.
11. For every team that goes on a mission trip, they will have cross-cultural experiences.
Cross-cultural means that we leave familiar things (language, customs, clothing,
music) and enter into an unfamiliar culture.
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12. As we desire to be witnesses for Christ, we must seek to learn about and respect
other people and their cultures. Here are some additional, important items to
remember:
a) When we go into another culture, we are the strange ones. We are the ones
with the unusual perspectives, the funny accents, and the weird clothing.
Remember that we are the guests in another person’s world. Respect other
people by not criticizing or laughing at them.
b) Watch your language. Do not use phrases like “the wrong side of the road”
or “they dress silly.” When we say these things, we put our own culture value
judgments on someone else. This is being ethnocentric. The things they do
may be different or even opposite to the way we do things, but that does not
necessarily mean that they are doing it wrong. Also, remember that
although you may be in a non-English-speaking country, some of the people
around you may understand you. So, be careful of what you say.
c) Be mindful of your facial expressions. We communicate many things with our
faces – disapproval, judgment, and pleasure. Try to communicate the right
things at the right time. Be honest yet polite & acceptable.
d) Avoid talking at length with someone of the opposite sex, especially if this
isn’t the custom. Dress modestly, in accordance with whatever is locally
acceptable.
e) Time schedules in most parts of the world are much slower-paced than those
of North America. Go with the flow of culture.
f) Learn and be sensitive to proper photography etiquette. You may offend
someone by taking a picture of them or their property without their
permission first.
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Support-Raising
The cost of a mission trip is for most people the #1 reason why they decide not to go.
Whether they are misguided in thinking they could never possibly come up with the cost of
going or whether they don’t think they’ll have the time, resources, etc. to come up with the
money, it’s all the same…they decide not to go. Think about it though…is it REALLY about
you…or God? Don’t let the obstacle of a cost of trip be the reason why you don’t go…let God
provide the way. He’s in the business of overcoming what man cannot!
Fund-Raising Mindset:
Benefits of being a “fundraiser” may surprise you:
* You will better identify with the host missionary you will be visiting. Most missionaries
live by faith and through support 365 days a year.
* You will be stretched in your dependence on God.
* It is a witness to challenge others to participate in your trip costs.
* Wherever you think it will come from- it won’t.
Wherever you don’t think it will come from- it will.
- Don’t be disappointed when friends or family say “no.” - Do be pleasantly surprised when the least likely supporter says “yes.”
* You are recruiting prayer partners as well as funding partners.
* You will have an opportunity to tell more than the 30-second story of your short-term
mission. Support partners want more details and the longer version than almost anyone else.
* Fundraising will increase the exposure for the Host Missionary. It creates an awareness
and a connection among support partners of the ministry.
* Fundraising guarantees a great trip! If you write a check for the whole amount, there is
the danger of developing the “consumer mindset”- “Did I get what I paid for?” Fundraising
partners create an accountability with you to make sure it is a great experience.
Your sacrifices in fundraising will include your initial financial deposit, time, and… your pride. That’s right, try throwing that old American self-sufficiency up on the altar, and you’ll discover amazing spiritual blessings for yourself and others as you share together in your outreach through financial and prayerful support.
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Spiritual Preparedness
It’s important to prepare yourself spiritually through prayer and developing prayer partners
before going on your mission trip.
1) Start with prayer- Totally commit your mission trip to God through prayer!
P repare for a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-20)
R equest fulfillment of God’s Promise to extend His Kingdom through you (Gen. 12:2-3; Isaiah 62:6, Hosea 2:21-23)
A sk and you will receive God’s spiritual blessing on your mission (Matt. 7:7-8; James 4:2)
Y ou can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5)
2) Continue to commit your mission trip to God through prayer:
D on’t rest, do it day and night (Isaiah 62:6, Psalm 1:2, Romans 8:2)
A sk for wisdom and discernment as you prepare for your trip (2 Chronicles 1:11-12,
Colossians 1:3-14) I ntercede for the people group you are going to serve (John 17:20-23) and the
ministry there (Romans 15:30)
L et the Spirit lead you (Acts 1:8, Romans 8:26-27, Joel 2:28-32)
Y ou don’t have to worry (Philippians 4:6-7, Luke 12:25)
Developing Prayer Partners
Asking others to join you in your struggle before God is a great way to ensure God’s spiritual
blessing (Matthew 18:19-20, Romans 15:30). Your prayer partners will commit to praying for
you both before and during your trip.
1) Make a list of at least 10 potential prayer partners. Consider the qualities of a trusted
prayer partner: spiritual maturity, commitment to praying, non-member of your team, etc.
2) Your first letter to your prayer partners:
- contact your potential prayer partners during the preparation of the trip so they
can begin to join you as soon as possible
- include a description of your mission trip, the people group you are going to serve,
and the ministry and missionary partners there. It is also a good idea to include
basic facts and prayer requests about the country to which you are traveling.
- share some of your specific and current needs
3) Keep them informed
- emailing updates is always a great way to communicate in a quick and easy fashion
4) Your second letter
- Just before you leave on your trip, it is important that you communicate with your
prayer partners specific requests while on the field (adjusting to food, smells, fatigue, your
reactions, flexibility, etc.). While you are on the field, you’ll sense the added strength and
blessing of your prayer support.
27
- The following are some prayer requests that you may consider including in your 2nd
letter.
Travel Ministry Safety, good weather Good stewardship of time and resources
Smooth connections and customs passage Courage of team to obey God in faith
I would be at ease during flights Softened hearts of all those we’re serving
Needed materials and luggage arrive Discernment and boldness in confessing Christ
Good attitudes when encountering obstacles An awareness of God-ordained opportunities
Leadership
Health and Safety Wisdom and discernment for those leading
Protection from disease, injury, infections Selfless decisions for good of team and ministry
Minimal weariness from jetlag Peace and confidence in God’s presence
Protection/provision for loved ones back home
Team Dynamics Humility and service-minded hearts
Unity in prayer and spirit
Supportive and submissive to leadership
True hearts of love and acceptance of the people we meet
5) Keeping in touch
- Your relationship with your prayer partners does not end when you get on the plane
and return home. Follow up with a thank you letter describing your trip, answered prayer,
and how God worked through your prayer partners’ support on the field.
Writing the Letter
There are countless ways to solicit financial support for your mission trip. We suggest
writing letters for both prayer and financial support.
- When designing your financial support letter, think of what would get YOUR attention and
be creative with your presentation.
- The time you invest and the quality of your material will directly affect the type of
support team you assemble.
- While letters are very effective in soliciting support, you may wish to supplement them
with other creative approaches (i.e. personal meetings; asking them to replace Birthday,
Christmas, or Wedding gifts with support; write a song…. anything is possible!)
- Make your request personal. Doing so adds to the spiritual benefits your financial
partners will receive (Proverbs 11:24-25; 2 Corinthians 8:3-4)
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Mass mailings to people you barely know are not an acceptable way to recruit financial partners. Fundraising among established groups in the church, such as Adult Bible classes, small groups, etc., requires sensitivity and is not suggested. Now that we offer a growing number of trips, please be sensitive to the fact that you and 4 other individuals may send a letter to the same person who attends RCC. Therefore, please use discretion in sending out letters to those within RCC and make it a goal to send at least half of your support letters to people outside the church. Don’t forget about your un-churched family and friends. You may not even realize that you are planting seeds of the Gospel message and impacting them for His Kingdom’s sake!
RCC Guidelines in Support-Raising
To ensure a successful and life-changing mission trip, we ask that you follow the guidelines
below. We believe that if you begin this support-raising process with prayer and follow the
below steps, you will be blessed in the process.
1) Send out support letters to family and friends. Remember your fundraising is for
the group as a whole, even though each is responsible for X amount of money. Any
money raised in excess or money not used will be given to the host missionary. Why?
Because we have been blessed to be a blessing!
2) Think of creative ways on your own to raise your funds. Some ideas…offer to mow
yards for a donation; instead of gifts for your birthday or Christmas, ask for
donations to your trip savings account; cash in all that loose change in your piggy
bank; sell stuff on Craigslist or Ebay; ask friends/family for unwanted items and
host a huge garage sale; receive cash for clothes/shoes/purses at a local
consignment shop; ask for a donation to provide lessons in something you are
talented in (speaking French, playing the piano, playing soccer).
29
Now that you are ready to begin your support-raising letter, here are some tips to ensure a
successful letter!
Tips for composing a successful support-raising letter:
Date your letter
Personalize your greeting
Identify yourself to the reader
Educate the reader on your trip
Explain the purpose of your trip
Tell who invited you or how God has led you to this trip
Explain why you chose to participate
List a couple of personal goals
Tell the reader of planned activities
Explain the need:
Include a summary of trip costs (airfare, food, ministry needs)
Include information from your prayer letters (country and people group
info)
Include pictures if possible.
Ask the reader for specific actions based on:
Ask for prayer support
State deadline for needing financial support
Ask for specific dollar amounts, e.g. Would you prayerfully consider
investing $10, $20, or $30?
State the money is a gift and should be made out to RCC and earmarked
with your name and trip for tax purposes.
Thank the reader for considering their partnership and commitment to
the short-term mission team!
Close the letter and personally sign it.
Include your phone or email for any questions or comments.
Enclose a stamped return envelope in order to increase the potential for
them to send it back. It may also be helpful if you create a postcard
that they can check off and return with the donation.
You will find an example letter and return post card on the next page.
(You can always provide a letter to your Trip Leader to review and help if/where needed
before sending out the letters.)
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Dear, April 2007
For a second year in a row, I am leading a group of 12 to serve a week at a camp in Poland during the 1st week of
August. It has been a wonderful opportunity for me to serve alongside Polish nationals who love the Lord and work
for ProEm (www.proem.org). My connection to those that I have been working with in Poland goes all the way back
to 1998 when I took a group of high school students there for a month during my internship at Southeast Christian
Church in Louisville, KY. It is such a blessing that God has allowed me to continue serving there through short-
term trips.
As you look at the pictures that I have included, I want you to think about how you might be able to be a part of
what God is doing in Poland. I am specifically looking for people to sponsor me in leading this trip. By your financial
sponsorship (or partnership, which is what I like to think of it as!), you are providing an opportunity for Polish
children to hear the Gospel Message. This is unique because the majority of the children that come to these
camps have never experienced the love of Christ in a personal way. Another unique aspect of the trip (and where
my team plays a central and key role) is that this is a language camp for 3rd-6th graders. The English language has
become a world language, and in many countries, it is the way to a better life. Not only do the children learn how
God desires to have a personal relationship with them, they learn English during English classes that we (my team)
teach 2 times a day! Outside of teaching English, we provide the crafts, offer afternoon club activities like card
making, choir, dance, and sports games like American baseball. We also help with worship and do puppets before
the morning Bible lesson. As you can see, our days are jam-packed!
I am busy preparing our curriculum booklet, making travel plans, and having meetings with my team! I, of course,
would appreciate and covet your prayers while I’m preparing, while I’m there, and as well for Josh and the girls who
will be “holding the down the fort.”
I’ve enclosed a response card that you can fill out to let me know if and how you would like to be a part of this work
in Poland! Should you choose to sponsor me in going, all money should be in the form of a check & made out to
Rochester Christian Church with Winans/Poland in the memo. All money is tax deductible and receipts will be sent
for $250 or more. Each team member is responsible for $1600 & any money raised will be put towards the group
as a whole. I am personally putting $______ towards my total amount. Any excess money not used for the trip
will be given to ProEm and used for materials or needed items for the camp.
I will send you periodic prayer needs and updates of what is going on. Know that my heart’s ambition is to help you
realize all that YOU can be a part of in what God is doing world-wide, not to simply provide for me to go!
Blessings,
Ann
Sample response postcard for return envelope: Project Poland
____ I would like to sponsor you financially and a
check is enclosed made out to Rochester Christian Church with Winans/Poland in memo line
____ I would like to pray for you while you are
preparing and while you are in Poland
____ I would like more information about what
God is doing in Poland!
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This letter details the guidelines needed from the Business Office. Please read carefully.
Dear Short-term Trip Team Member,
We are providing guidelines in order to simplify the financial/business end of “going” on a short-term trip.
With the amount of trips going out this year, it is imperative that we keep things well organized. The
following are guidelines that you need to follow to best help us in making sure all monies are credited to the
correct individual(s) and trip.
1) Communicate to those you are seeking financial assistance from that if they write a check, make it payable to Rochester Christian Church with your name and trip written on the memo line for
tax deductible purposes. (Even if the individual isn’t interested in tax deduction, please make sure it’s made out to RCC and earmarked with your name and trip.)
2) Please have them mail or give the check(s) directly to you (providing a stamped return envelope is
always helpful). This way you are able to
1) track your financial supporters and follow-up with personal thank you notes
2) bring multiple checks together to the office for the business manager to deposit. (It would be helpful to put all the checks into one envelope with your name and trip on front of the envelope.)
3) RCC mails annual giving statements by January 31 of the following year to individuals who donate to
RCC.
4) Your Team Leader can be given a balance of your account before your team meetings and then given
to you during the team meetings if so requested by the Team Leader.
5) All trip costs are the team member’s responsibility and are due two weeks before departure. If
complete payment is not received by the specified date, you will not be allowed to participate
on the trip. Any funds submitted towards the trip will be used to cover team expenses, and any
excess funds will be given to the host missionary for needs of the mission or people in the
community.
6) In addition, in order to book your flights, the Team Leader MUST have received your payment
in full for the cost of the flights. Your flights will not be booked until full payment has been
received. If the cost of airfare has increased during that time, you will be responsible for paying
the difference. If there is a delay in booking your flight, it is possible there may no longer be seats
available on your team’s flight. In that instance, you will be booked the next best option, at the
Team Leader’s discretion.
7) You are responsible for xxx amount of money for your trip. Should you raise over the amount, it
will go towards the trip as a whole and any remaining money from the trip after expenses paid will
be given to the host missionary for needs of the mission or people in the community. Additionally, if you pay for the entire cost of the trip yourself, any excess money after expenses paid at the end of the trip will be given to the host missionary for needs of the mission or people in the community. (It would be beneficial to mention this in your letter so your supporters know any additional
money you raised is for the team and host missionaries.)
Following these guidelines will help ensure better tracking and organization, as we desire to be good
stewards! May you have a wonderful experience in sharing God’s love to those all over the world!
Blessings,
April Vinyard, Business Manager
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Passports & Safety
As soon as you know you are going on a trip internationally, you need to apply for
a passport. It is required for all trips out of the continental U.S.
To obtain a passport, you will need a certified birth certificate (not the hospital
record), two passport photos and a driver’s license. In addition, you will need to
pick up and fill out a form from the post office and turn in the information to a
postal clerk for processing with the U.S. Passport Agency. All of this can cost
$75-$160, depending on when you apply. You should allow 6-10 weeks for your
passport to arrive. Also, remember that it sometimes takes state agencies
several weeks to provide a certified record of your birth if you don’t currently
have one.
Further passport services and information is available:
http://www.travel.state.gov
We take seriously the safety of our groups while serving in another country.
Therefore, we will base decisions from the recommendations of travel based on
the U.S. Government as found at http://www.travel.state.gov. In addition, we
will register each team member with the U.S. Embassy for the duration of the
trip.
If You’re Flying
Friendly Reminders
Reminders:
While in airports, NEVER make any jokes regarding bombs, guns, knives, etc.
Leave military fatigues, clothing, and bags at home.
This is the time we need you to be completely mature, quiet, and calm.
Stay together as a group. If you need to go to the bathroom, get a snack, etc., go in
2’s and always notify someone beforehand.
When going through customs, follow _______ lead. We’ll wait together until
everyone has gone through customs and proceed to getting our luggage.
When receiving luggage, stay in the same general area. Make sure you have all your
luggage. Once we check to make sure everyone has their luggage, we’ll leave as a
group.
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The Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet
Argonne National Laboratory’s Anti-Jet-Lag Diet is helping travelers quickly adjust their
bodies' internal clocks to new time zones.
How to avoid jet lag:
1. DETERMINE BREAKFAST TIME at destination on day of arrival.
2. FEAST-FAST-FEAST-FAST - Start four days before breakfast time in step 1.
On day one, FEAST; eat heartily with high-protein breakfast and lunch and a high-
carbohydrate dinner. No coffee/caffeine except between 3 and 5 p.m.
On day two, FAST on light meals of salads, light soups, fruits and juices. Again, no
caffeine except between 3 and 5 p.m.
On day three, FEAST again. No coffee/caffeine except between 3 and 5 p.m.
On day four, FAST; if you drink caffeinated beverages, take them in the morning
when traveling west, or between 6 and 11 p.m. when traveling east.
3. BREAK THE FINAL FAST at destination breakfast time. If the flight is long enough,
sleep until normal breakfast time at destination, but no later. Wake up and FEAST on a high
protein breakfast. Stay awake and active. Continue the day's meals according to mealtimes
at the destination.
What is suitable to eat on FEAST/FAST days?
FEAST on high protein breakfast and lunches to stimulate the body's active cycle. Suitable
meals include steak, eggs, hamburgers, high-protein cereals, green beans.
FEAST on high carbohydrate suppers to stimulate sleep. They include spaghetti and other
pastas (but no meatballs), crepes (but no meat filling), potatoes, other starchy vegetables,
and sweet desserts.
FAST days help deplete the liver's store of carbohydrates and prepare the body's clock for
resetting. Suitable foods include fruit, light soups, broths, skimpy salads, unbuttered toast,
half pieces of bread. Keep calories and carbohydrates to a minimum.
General Health
WATER: Always ask your hosts before you drink! Remember, if the water is bad, you
cannot use it to brush your teeth or have ice in drinks.
DIARRHEA: Even the slight changes that result when you go to other parts of the U.S.
can result in intestinal disturbances. To control Diarrhea, the medications
recommended are: Imodium A-D (over-the-counter), Parapectolin or Lomotil (both
prescription).
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SHOTS/IMMUNIZATIONS: Every team member is encouraged to receive vaccinations
recommended by the Center for Disease Control. We support the recommendations of
the Center for Disease Control (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel). Consult your physician to
check your records and see if you need any updated shots. Even if you had the required
immunizations before, you may require a booster.
FIRST-AID: You may choose to bring a small personal first-aid kit.
ALLERGIES: If you have allergies, bring your medication with you.
MEDICAL CONDITIONS: You should have mentioned any conditions or medicines you
are currently taking on your application. If not, make sure to notify any changes or
updates.
REMINDERS
HELPFUL HINTS
Pack 1 change of clothes and toiletries in your carry-on.
Write down your Passport Number, expiration date, and place of issue.
(Keep the information separate from your Passport.)
(Your team leader will make copies of your passport, and we will have them on file at
the church. Your emergency contact should also keep a copy.)
Consider storing shampoo, etc., in ziplock bags during travel.
Bring pictures of your family & friends to show your new friends!
Pack some crackers or high protein snacks in your carry-on.
(Put all snacks in ziplock bags- bugs love food!)
Contact lens wearers- bring a back up pair of glasses. Remember to bring cleaning
solution, etc.
LAST MINUTE REMINDERS (some may not apply to your trip)
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PASSPORT- DOUBLE CHECK!!!
Dress comfortably for the plane.
Bring a flashlight- check the batteries.
Bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
Bring a poncho or lightweight rain jacket.
Bring an alarm clock (battery powered).
Bring sunscreen and insect repellant.
Bring your Bible.
Bring your devotional book.
Bring all of your ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM!!!!!
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All About Testimonies Six Characteristics of Testimonies
1. Your testimony is unique. No one else has been a witness to how God has moved in
your life better than you have. God has revealed Himself to all Christians, but you
have seen Him uniquely in your life.
2. Your testimony is identifiable. Clearly God is working in the story, and life is
better now that He has acted on your behalf!
3. Your testimony creates interest. This does not mean you need to work to make
your testimony funny or entertaining. People love to hear stories. Your story is like
gossip, only it is good gossip about God.
4. Your testimony is relevant. Your testimony shows that the God of the Bible and
history is active today in the lives of His people.
5. Your testimony is personal. God does not only work in big ways, but He is also
interested in your day-to-day affairs. Your testimony shows that God is working
with you personally. He is very important to you personally. Although your
conversion is a big part of your testimony, it’s not the only part. God is always up to
something. Share what He is doing in your life right now.
6. Your testimony is authoritative. You are witnessing to the truth as you have
perceived it. In a court room truth is testimony believed. In sharing your faith, the
same is true. If people have faith in your story, they will also have faith in God.
Parts of a Testimony
1. Introduction. The introduction briefly explains what life was like before God acted.
If your testimony is the story of your conversion, then the introduction will explain
your life without Christ.
2. Crisis. The next step explains why there was a need for God to act.
3. Climax. The climax is when God did something. Jesus is always the hero of your
testimony.
4. Resolution. This is a brief conclusion explaining what life is like now that God has
helped you through the problem.
Keep it brief to hold their attention.
Give details to make it more relevant.
Plan your testimony or more than one for different occasions.
Practice- ask for advice to make your story more clear.
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When You Return Home
When you return home from your mission trip, odds are you will have just been on a
“mountaintop”. You will have felt so close to God, have experienced Him in personal and
powerful ways, and will have had your life changed forever. You may have been brought to
tears by the poverty you experienced and amazed at how joy-filled the people were. You
may have gone on the trip expecting to give so much to the people you were going to
serve…what you didn’t realize was how much they would give to you.
When you come home, you may feel out of place, like you don’t belong here. You may feel
discouraged by the excessive wealth and seeming lack of compassion, concern, and
awareness by your fellow Americans. You may feel ready to sell everything you own and move
to the country you just came from!
What can you do with the change that has occurred within you?
PRAY!
Pray that the fire burning inside you would not be snuffed out by the worries, doubts, and
deceptions of the world. Pray that if God does in fact want you to become a missionary He
would make that clear to you. Pray He would begin opening all of the necessary doors
according to His perfect will and perfect timing. Pray that you would forever be dangerously
surrendered, seriously disturbed, and gloriously ruined for Him!
SUPPORT!
Be faithful in prayer for the missionaries you were working with. Ask for God’s protection,
provision, and guidance over their lives. Pray for them to remain strong in their faith and
committed in their relationship with Him. Pray for the people you were serving: for the non-
believers to have open hearts and open minds to His Truth; for the believers to live lives
that overflow with His grace, love, and mercy.
Be an encouragement to the missionaries all throughout the year. Commit to supporting
them financially. Sign up to receive their newsletters. Keep in contact with them via email.
Send them cards on their birthdays and care packages at Christmas.
COMMUNICATE!
Share your experience with your family, friends, and supporters. Videotape your testimony
to play during worship services. Give a slideshow presentation to the RCC Missions
Committee. Host a gathering at your home. Write a letter to the editor about the needs in
the country you visited and include specific ways readers can help.
PRAISE!
Praise God for who He is and how He can use average people like us to bring glory to His
Name!