Six Aids to Effective Short Term Missions Planning

Planning an effective short term or summer mission trip can be a difficult task, especially if that isn't the extent of your job description. Some find it so daunting that they prefer to scrap the idea of short term missions altogether. Why not leave missions to those committed to long term missions? Aren't they more effective? Unfortunately, that "leave-ministry-to-the-paid-experts" attitude has left the American church with too many pew-sitters and too few laborers. Reduction in resources going to short term missions doesn't necessarily mean more resources are spent on long term - or career - missions. Fortunately, there is help for planning short term and summer missions.

Here are six things that can help:

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1. Prayer. Let's begin with the obvious first step. "If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God," is from James 1:5. But prayer is much more than a request to the Grandpa-in-the-Sky. It is seeking to know and align ourselves with God's will. So what does he have planned for the people you shepherd? What are the obstacles he sees in their lives? What does he plan to do about it? God has a plan and you can ask him to tell it to you.

But ministry isn't just about where but also when. God's timing is always perfect, even if it doesn't make sense to us. Missionaries from William Carey to Jim Eliot can attest to how crazy God's timing seems sometimes. So before you start planning, the first question to ask is should your team go on a summer mission or not? That is a fair question, and one you and your team need to ask.

2. Experts. Short term missions has changed so rapidly in the last twenty years that I don't know anyone who can claim to be an expert in it. But there are many people with a great deal of helpful information. A long term missionary in the area you are going can give invaluable advice on what to expect, what to wear, and how to act to minimize cross-cultural barriers. And don't overlook your brothers and sisters who are native to the country. Good communication with the locals is invaluable in any mission either long or short term. There are also experts in travel and travel insurance that you can consult for those needs. Agencies that specialize in short term missions combine some of these expertise. Your job is to make sure that you get what you need.

3. Long Term Relationships. The spiritual health of those going and of those receiving short term missions depends on developing long term relationships. The days of month-long trips on ships to spread the gospel are long gone. Today there are few places on the earth that can't be reached in 24 hours, if you have the stamina for the trip. The internet and e-mail have further reduced the true distance between friends. Now the challenge is are we willing to cooperate with and learn from each other? Your church may not reach many countries, but are you willing to get involved with one?

4. Discipleship. Visualize yourself looking out over your congregation and asking, "How many of these have been discipled? How many know what they believe and could share it with someone else?" In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands us to make disciples as part of his Great Commission. Short term missions can be part of the process both for those going and for those receiving, but it has to be intentional. People can't be disciple by osmosis; otherwise Jesus would not have given it as a command.

5. Training. In addition to discipleship, other types of training may be required. Everything from how to understand a different culture to skills like drama or construction may be needed. Even the proper way to clear brush or trash so as not to be injured must be taught. Getting along with team members is so crucial to a successful trip, that special attention must be given to help members learn how to resolve conflicts. The experts may be in your congregation. Find out who they are and get them to volunteer their time. Your job is to make sure all who go on the trip understand their job, how to do it and how to do it with others.

6. Humility. Humility is a misunderstood and overlooked virtue, yet without it the world would fall apart. Humility on a summer mission means that we seek to minister with - and not to - our brothers and sisters in Christ. Humility means that we pursue peace with team members, quickly resolving conflicts and doing those things that lead to harmony and unity. Humility means we seek to learn as much as we seek to teach.

Six Aids to Effective Short Term Missions Planning

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Missionary Paid Position - Missions With a Paycheck, a Rare Find in Ministry

Living a life of love and service demands great sacrifice. I know personally from the over 15 years I have served in missions and ministry.

Although I had a wonderful and unforgettable experience traveling to over 50 countries of the world, my continual struggle was providing for myself and family financially. Living off of freewill offerings and the whim of a sponsor who feels emotionally inclined to give one month, but forgets there annual commitment midstream is no easy task. Nevertheless God is faithful and always managed to supply our needs.

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Among some of the part-time jobs I took while living and working abroad is one of my personal favorites - teaching English to students of other languages. Finding a faith based school that allows you to impart morality and godly values while you are teaching is a bit harder to find. Thankfully however my many years of traveling the globe, making friends, and building professional networks has given me an unusual cross-cultural bond with employers.

While stationed here in the United States, I have had the joy and privilege of connecting people to the overseas teaching market and facilitating meaningful employment. Many discover that living abroad is far less stressful and way more relaxing than living capitalistic countries in the western hemisphere that are mostly monetarily motivated. Moreover living abroad allows a professional ample time to enjoy their life, rediscover their own values, reconnect with themselves, and expand their horizons as they experience a new culture. Meeting new people abroad opens up a world a lifelong friendships and marriages for many singles.

Truly dreams do come true! Learn from the wise and master your money when doing missionary work. If you can secure yourself financially to undergird your ministry, your life will be far more enjoyable and less stressful. Solid contacts and faith based employers who celebrate and compensate you is worth its weight in gold.

Live your missionary dream, while working for Christian employer who will celebrate and financially compensate you. The world of missions and ministry must be sustained financially, without which the missionary will sink into despair and be unable to adequately care for him or herself. Enter a new world of ministerial service and missions, pioneering a path that is profitable spiritually and financially.

Missionary Paid Position - Missions With a Paycheck, a Rare Find in Ministry

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Foods to Eat on Your Missions Trip

Do you ever wonder what foods are safe to eat in a foreign country? If you are planning a trip to any international destination, you may want to pay close attention to some safety guidelines for eating foods prepared in a foreign kitchen.

The fact is, you will most likely be dining out for the most part of your trip, unless you plan on staying for an extended time in your country of choice. There are some general rules to follow to make sure that your time of travel does not leave you sick in a bathroom, rather than exploring and doing the things that you planned for your trip.

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First of all, you will want to avoid eating raw vegetables and fruits grown in foreign soil on your next international trip. Raw fruits and vegetables can cause problems if our bodies are not accustomed to these types of bacteria and microorganisms. It is best to make sure that any vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, spinach, brocolli, bell peppers, and leeks are cooked thoroughly before consumption on your trip. These should be safe as long as they are cooked.

A good way of testing the food you are about to eat is to think about how it is grown. If there is a shell on top of the fruit or vegetable like a banana or avocado, it should be safe. Other types of fruits that should be safe as well are pineapple because of their thick outer coating. Bananas also have their own God-given protective covering which makes eating them safe, even in a foreign country. In Uganda, Africa, there are several types of bananas which you should be safe to enjoy!

On the contrary, fruits like strawberries and raspberries should be avoided because they do not have enough of a barrier between them and the soil to keep bacteria out of the fruit itself. Salads made of raw fruits and vegetables which are grown close to the soil without a natural shell or covering, should be avoided. Pineapple, grapefruit, and lemons should be safe because of their thick outer skin, but other fruits like berries are in a different category and have a thinner skin, so you will want to proceed with caution if you find these on your plate!

As a general rule, meat should be safe for consumption as long as it has been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria that could be present. I enjoyed things like goat meat on a stick in Uganda and I was fine and did not become sick. It would be best to avoid some types of raw fish and meats just to be safe, especially when traveling to China and Japan.

Most importantly, the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. I know this may seem like a lot to chew on, but I trust that the Lord will also guide and protect you on your upcoming trip and help you to make wise choices in what you eat and drink. We also must remember that the Lord can provide supernatural protection for us as we abide in His will for our lives.

Foods to Eat on Your Missions Trip

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Learning Spanish For A Missions Trip

Every year many churchgoers make the decision to go on a trip to a mission field. Whether it's a building project or a medical mission, everyone has skills they can contribute. Probably the majority of these trips are to Spanish-speaking countries.

If you can learn simple Spanish phrases, you can be a great asset to the team. Many of these trips are planned on short notice. You don't have time to take a college level Spanish course. There are, of course, other options. You can hire a tutor but this can get expensive. There are a number of online Spanish courses available. Costs for these courses vary greatly but they have many advantages.

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You can sign up for an online course almost immediately. You can study at your own pace and concentrate on the subjects that will help you most on a short-term trip. Most online Spanish programs offer interactive courses. They allow you to converse with other learners. This greatly assists you in understanding subjects you are not clear about. It also helps you build your vocabulary rapidly.

What should you look for in an online Spanish course? For purposes of your mission trip, you want to know enough Spanish for any situation you are likely to encounter. This includes phrases you are likely to need at the airport regarding tickets, luggage, getting a taxi, etc. You need to know terms used for the local currency. At the hotel, you will need phrases relating to room items, restaurants, directions, etc. If you get a hotel, consider yourself lucky. On many mission trips, a hotel is not an option. On a trip to Guatemala we stayed in a two-room schoolhouse with broken windows and a dirt floor.

You may have a chance to do some shopping while in the country. If you are on the lookout for a particular item, such as locally made blankets, you will want to consider in advance any questions you may have and learn to express these questions in Spanish.

Another set of Spanish phrases you may want to consider has to do with emergency situations. If you use a rental vehicle and get a flat tire, who do you call and what do you tell them? Getting lost is quite easy. When calling for help, it can be useful to know how to pronounce the names on any sign you can see, such as town names and street signs. One last thing you may want to think about. On some hand-held devices, you can download Spanish phrases. This can really be useful.

Good luck on your trip and may God bless your efforts.

Learning Spanish For A Missions Trip

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International Travel and Health Insurance For Short Term Missions Trips

Community building, outreach, adventure, missions and volunteer work are a few of the buzzwords that get tossed around when discussing short term out-of-country trips Churches and Christian organizations promote during school breaks and summer vacations.

It is easy to get caught up in the fundraising, the training, and the excitement without taking your health into consideration. Don't fool yourself into thinking that because of your short term stay, or the nature of your work, you won't be confronted with hazards to your health during your overseas travel.

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What can go wrong on an international short term trip?

1. An elderly man named Don Jenkins joined United Methodist Church in their volunteer missions trip to the Dominican Republic. This trip included construction work, and as a result of a nasty fall, he incurred significant head injuries which resulted in ,000 in medical bills.

2. Lest you think life-threatening situations are restricted to the elderly, college freshman Shane Luiz drowned the day before returning from his short term mission trip. His team had come to the Dominican Republic to teach a Vacation Bible School for children.

3. A young college student was bitten by a poisonous snake on a small Indonesian island. She was there on a short term trip to help a missionary family. Sadly, she died in great pain from the snake bite. Her family incurred a huge expense to have her remains repatriated back to the United States.

Why is it critical to have short term international health insurance?

Whether you are a volunteer planning on spending your summer in Guatemala, or a team leader intending to take a missions team to East Asia, take into serious consideration the benefits of short-term international health insurance.

First of all, most national insurance will not cover costs incurred out the United States, or a medical evacuation to fly the individual back to the states for intensive medical treatment. In the case of Don Jenkins, his family had to mortgage their house in order to pay for the ,000 medical evacuation.

Secondly, there are a wide range of plans to choose from. If you are an individual in need of short-term international insurance, there is a plan for you. If you would like to have your entire team covered, there are plans specifically for small groups (as small as two people!). There are separate plans for outreaches, Church trips and NGO's; so depending on your situation you can pick the appropriate plan.

Third, having your entire team covered protects the credibility and trustworthiness of your organization.

But won't this cost a lot?

If you include the cost of insurance in the figure denoting the amount of support that must be raised by each individual, your team will be more willing to comply, and will not view insurance as an extra expense. If you can register as a group for a group rate this may lower the rates for everyone.

Buying insurance before participating in an overseas volunteer and mission effort is a good way to take care of yourself and your family, while simultaneously reaching out to others.

International Travel and Health Insurance For Short Term Missions Trips

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Missionary Airfare For Your Missions Trip

Preparing for your missions trip is very exciting, and you will want to make sure you have taken each step very carefully to have a successful missions trip experience. Foreign missions will need some intricate planning to make sure that all the details are covered. You will want to think about several things. First of all, preparing your heart is the most important step. Prayerful consideration and seeking the Lord are the most important and vital components of any mission trip.

The Word of God shares how we can be prepared with the full armor of God. Ephesians chapter 6 outlines the full armor we need to have in place in order to stand strong for the Lord! Prayer is a vital step and seeking the Lord in your plans. You will want to be prayerful and wait upon the Lord. A sensitive heart towards the Lord with an openness to go and preach the gospel to every creature is the first step in preparing for your missions trip.

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Practically, there are some other steps to consider in preparing to go on an international missions trip. You will want to make sure you have your Missions Pastor or a Missionary Travel Specialist helping you in your planning process.

Many people are not aware that Missionary and Humanitarian Airfare is available to them if they are taking a mission trip. You can book your trip up to 11 months in advance with little or no money down in most cases to allow you to raise support while still holding your flights. This is such an amazing tool that many people are not aware is available to them if they are traveling for missionary or humanitarian related purposes.

Adoption travel is also an area which qualifies for humanitarian airfare. Many adopting families are able to benefit from humanitarian airfare when traveling to visit their child and pick them from another country. This can be a huge blessing when adopting internationally to have a travel agency who will work out all of the details of adoption travel, setting the adopting parent's mind at ease.

Dependable missions travel companies hold contracts with major airlines to provide you with missionary airfare for your missions trip. A travel specialist who is specifically praying for your trip is very important. You will want to have someone who is available to you through each step of the process from booking your flights, to baggage, and layover questions.

Safe Travels,

Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist
MKI Group Travel
http://www.cheapmissionstrips.com

Missionary Airfare For Your Missions Trip

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Six Tips For Debriefing a Summer Missions Team

Summer missions trips have become routine events in many church calendars, but could your church's missions program be improved? Returning Summer Mission's teams offer great input in answering that question. As the saying goes, "Hindsight is 20/20." Good debriefing helps pastors turn hindsight into foresight for the next year's programs.

So here are six things to consider when debriefing your team.

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1. Keep it laid back. Have you ever noticed that mountain-top experiences are exhausting? Most teams are ready for a vacation or time off when they return, especially if they had a successful trip. But it is important that they have an opportunity to share their experiences. Debriefing is part of the adjustment process in returning to their normal lives. Or, in some cases, part of the process in deciding they don't ever again want their lives to be normal.

A barbecue or pot luck with a sharing session can be helpful. Anonymous surveys - if they aren't too long - can be helpful in uncovering problems. People with complaints won't have any trouble explaining it, while those who had a good time won't want to be bothered with an essay. A safe environment to share is important so that team members can sort out any conflicting emotions and thoughts.

2. Keep outsiders to a minimum. Families and friends may not understand what your team went through on their trip. Later, team members may be ready to tell others about their experiences. But when they first return, they need people who will understand and sympathize. For this reason, many teams have at least one debriefing session just before they return to their home country. It is certainly something to consider in your busy Summer Missions schedule.

3. Verify logistic issues. Even the best laid plans have room for improvement. Did the team have enough to do, or did they have to improvise? Did they perhaps have too much to do? Did everyone come back healthy or were there injuries on the trip? Were the packing lists complete, or did team leaders have to run around securing last minute items? If you didn't remember travel insurance for international trips, put it on the list for next year. Your team leaders should be able to suggest improvements for next year if you ask them before they forget.

4. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. What happened on the trip? Did God show up in a significant way or did the team see it as a glorified vacation? Was the team's worldview shaken as so many returning Short-termers attest or is everything back to normal within a week? Was it worth it? What's next?
If the trip was disappointing, this is an easy time to give up. However, most often when we fail, it is from jumping into a program without a God-given vision. If this has happened to you, now's the time to stop and refocus.

5. Give them a new challenge. When God shows up on a mission trip, the effect can be life-changing. One of the reasons for sending young people on missions trips is to challenge their worldview and push them out of their comfort zone. If you are successful, be prepared for your young people to be fired up and ready to do almost anything to change the world. Too often these teachable moments are squandered when they can't find an outlet for their new-found passion. Does your church have a local ministry to the homeless or a prison ministry? Perhaps the local rescue mission can use extra volunteers. Whatever you do, don't just let them sit around and slip back into life as usual.

6. Check with other pastors on their Summer Missions successes and failures. Since Summer Missions are so common, autumn is a good time to ask other pastors about their trips. What was their focus for their Summer Missions? Did they do something different that worked? Would it work at your church? Just because something worked at one church doesn't mean it will work at yours, but it might spark ideas.

Debriefing is important. Most people want to share their stories, even the negative ones, for it is usually the difficult experiences that most develop us. Keep a keen eye and ear open to the participants. You will help them and your church's future involvement in summer missions.

Six Tips For Debriefing a Summer Missions Team

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Last Minute Details to Prepare For Your Missions Trip

When taking an international missions trip, you will want to make sure that you have taken care of some very important last minute details. Here are a few helpful steps for preparing yourself for your missions trip before your departure.

A few things to keep in mind:

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1. Make sure you have at least 2 copies of your passport in case your original is lost. Storing one of the copies in your checked baggage is a very good idea.

2. Purchase a secure silk money belt for your travel which can be hidden under your clothes for safety. The silk material is very nice as it allows your skin to breathe which is very important when traveling for a long time in the airplane.

3. Taking a baby aspirin during your travel is a good idea when sitting long hours on the plane to help with the risk of blood clots (make sure you check with your doctor about medications.)

4. Make sure that you remind yourself to take small walks during safe walking times while in the air to help with the risk of blood clots as well from sitting in one position where blood can pool.

5. Make sure you have an electricity converter so that you can plug your appliances into an outlet.

6. Check to find out what Immunizations are needed by contacting the CDC website.

7. Check the weather where you are traveling to pack appropriate clothes for the season.

8. Bug Spray (Including DEET) is recommended for travel into areas with mosquitoes to help prevent malaria from bites.

9. Good shoes for walking in the airports and working on the mission field are a must!

10. Check Baggage Limits with the airline to make sure that you don't have to pay extra for bags over the limits.

11. Make sure you have purchased trip insurance from a reliable source.

12. Bring Cash Money with you on your trip in large bills with newer dates. Banks in Africa will not take small bills less than 50 USD.

13. Bring toiletries in carry on baggage using the new regulations for carry on liquids. (Treat carry on bag as survival bag in case checked bags are lost during your flight. You will want to make sure contact lenses, solutions, and medications are in carry on bag.)

14. Reconfirm your flights 72 hours prior to departure with the airline.

I hope that you take time to make sure that all of these details have been taken care of! We pray that this will help to equip you for your next missions trip!

Also, keep in mind that seeking the LORD is the most important step! Make sure that before all else, you have allowed the LORD to work in your own heart to prepare you.....the rest will fall into place as you desire to walk in His wisdom.

Safe Travels,

Tabitha Lovell, International Travel Specialist and Licensed Nurse
MKI Group Travel
http://www.cheapmissionstrips.com

Last Minute Details to Prepare For Your Missions Trip

MISSIONS TRIPS AFRICA

College Students Work As Humanitarians in Relief Missions

Many college students volunteer to work in a third world country helping others while they are in college. Helping others is a great way to earn credits while building up a great resume after you graduate from college. You should try to do projects that are in line with your major in college. You will find that doing international public service is very rewarding as well as beneficial to your own character.

You find that many times the people that you meet and work with in third world countries have a beautiful insight to life that will help you to become a better person just by knowing and working with them. You should try to do something that is constructive in your projects. You could devise a water purification system for instance if you are studying environmental engineering. This will help a remote village plagued by contaminated water while helping you earn your degree. Perhaps you are working with computers and network systems then use your knowledge to help others set up a computer lab gaining access to the outside world. You will find that countries like Africa, South America or rural Asia would be very happy to have you come and help them gain access to others by the use of a computer.

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You can gain access to many people by helping them with a short-term humanitarian mission on your part that will help others better themselves in the world in which they live. Many college students engage themselves in helping people and needs of other places and cultures in an effort to make a positive public contribution. You may span yourself to help a wide range of people or you can join a humanitarian group to help a small group of people. In either case you will find that you are a better person for your efforts and the people you help are very appreciative. Helping others can be rewarding helping you to grow as an individual in ways that you never thought possible.

You do not always have to travel abroad to work doing a humanitarian relief mission. You can find that by going to the Appalachian areas of America and helping people have a better life style is also rewarding. People need help to build homes, get a better education and even learn how to work on a job that will pay them a descent income to support their families. There are programs that help people in America today that you can join and find that you will receive great satisfaction in your work with your fellow Americans.

College Students Work As Humanitarians in Relief Missions

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curative Missions: A Desire to Help Others

Every year hundreds of people chose to leave their homes and loved ones to go and volunteer to help their fellow man. Many are doctors, dentists, nurses, or lay persons with the heart to just want to help. The areas they go to may have been ravaged by a natural disaster or are poverty stricken areas. Their speculate to go may vary but most go with just a desire to help the local residents.

Medical missions are organized to go to disadvantaged spots colse to the world: Honduras, Ecuador, Madagascar, Nigeria, Panama, Thailand, Burmese, Haiti, Argentina, India, and many more too numerous to name. Once they arrive at their destination, they many times find the conditions they are to do their work in is very primitive: hot with no shade, wind that blows dust and debris into everything, rain, insects and hostile gangs and governments.

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The volunteers go to help out in hospitals, treating patients with distinct ailments: Hiv/Aids, pneumonia, meningitis, blood infections, diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, infections, boils, vision problems (infections and abscesses), etc. Sometimes the volunteers will go to remote villages where the people is unable to voyage to larger towns, where clinics or a small hospital are located. In these remote locations, the people may never have seen a medical person in their life or it may have been many years in the middle of visits, or they are newborn babies or toddlers needing check-ups. The whole of patients can be overwhelming. And many have traveled long distances and hours to get to the temporary clinic. The medical personal will not only treat the sick or injured but will try to educate them on how their lifestyles supervene their health.

Other volunteers will go to a disaster area to help the overloaded local medical personnel. These volunteers will work long days and weeks with limited rest or time off, in make shift hospitals, with medical teams from colse to the world. Wave after wave of trauma injuries, that were the supervene of an earthquake, flood, fire, or hurricane will come to the hospitals with injuries that comprise fractures, infections, tetanus and some injuries so sever that amputation is the only way to save the patient.

But all volunteers must leave and return to their homes, loved ones and work. They leave behind what appears to be unfinished work. Although the work they did will have an everlasting impact on the local population, there is still a need for more volunteers.

Organizations such as Share a Vision, Rotary clubs, churches, Faith Alive (in Nigeria), International medical Relief, Doctors Without Borders, P.R.O. Mission, and many, many more are doing their part to help those in need.

curative Missions: A Desire to Help Others

MISSIONS TRIPS TO AFRICA

Trade Missions Organised by Corporate voyage Specialists

Trade missions provide an exquisite chance for businesses to visit overseas countries meeting relevant, targeted clubs with the aim of identifying new possible clients and exploring what enterprise opportunities exist in that market. At the same time clubs also learn how enterprise is conducted in the country they would like to target.

Business travel agencies work with mission sponsors, such as Uk Trade & Investment, Governments and local enterprise links. The midpoint mission a corporate travel branch operates is ordinarily 15-20 attendees although they can be larger, and whilst missions can be organised in any place in the world, the vast majority tend to take place in the Middle East, Africa, the Far East and South America.

MISSIONS TRIPS TO AFRICA

The advantage of taking part in an organised trade mission is having everything arranged for you - flights, accommodation, transportation from and to the airport and the meetings, plus all the meetings themselves. The meetings are set up with relevant local clubs all of which have expressed an interest in meeting the missions participants. The enterprise travel agent and the British High Commission provide a brief on the missions purpose and the types of clubs the missions participants would ideally like to meet.

Naturally by going through this process all clubs in attendance have already expressed their interest in exploring new enterprise opportunities; this approach therefore leads to extremely productive trade missions for all the parties involved.

A good example of a trade mission would be oil missions to Saudi Arabia that control several times a year. clubs take part in the mission to identify who they can sell their products and services to overseas, such as a enterprise trying to sell valves for a particular type of pipe, or other such devotee equipment.

Overall being part of a trade mission provides clubs a fast track route to meeting convenient clubs to trade with overseas, generating high ability opportunities that often lead to the development of long and successful partnerships.

Trade Missions Organised by Corporate voyage Specialists

MISSIONS TRIPS TO AFRICA

What to Wear on Your Missions Trip

While I was in Uganda, I observed some cultural idiosyncrasies that I made a note of and notion that it would be helpful for me to pass them along to others.

I have notion about and put together some Do's and Don'ts of what to wear and what not to wear for your next mission trip. One thing to be cautious of is wearing scented perfumes along with scented shampoos and lotions can attract mosquitoes and other bugs which can cause malaria. You will not want to wear any heavily scented items just to be safe.

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There are many cultural differences in foreign countries which we are not all the time aware of here in America. I was riding on a "Boda Boda," (which is more commonly known as a motorcycle) in Uganda, Africa where I was told that I need to make sure I wear a small purse because if my purse is too large, person may think that I am very wealthy and will try to steal my purse!

I was also told that women need to wear long skirts and not pants. This was partly based upon our private missions base, however, this was a more widely thorough way of dress for women. person mentioned to me that it is not thought about "lady-like" for a woman to be riding a bicycle! This seemed a minuscule strange to me due to our cultural differences here in the United States. From what I understand, this is a bit degrading for women in Ugandan culture to be riding a bicycle.

Also you will want to make sure that you pack the lightest weight clothing as possible, based upon the weather in your destination of choice. This will help you to avoid baggage fees for your baggage being too heavy to check in at the airport. Universally, a fifty pound baggage limit is standard, so packing too much can cost you extra cash.

As a woman, I am finding that dressing modestly is very important. Many people have differences in notion about this topic. However, to keep it simple, modest dress will cause less problems than dressing in a more revealing way.

I was surprised that the people in Uganda were dressed very nice. The word that I learned was a very British sounding word that is used to imply that a person looks very classy. If a Ugandan says, "You are very smart today!" (Smart pronounced "Smaat")
This means, you look very classy and well put together! I loved hearing this from them!
It still makes me smile mental about it.

If you are visiting an African country for your missions trip, you can expect that people will not be dressed shabby no matter how much or how minuscule money they have for that matter. For church, you will want to dress up with nicely ironed clothes, finding neat and clean. This will help you to feel comfortable and feel like you fit with the way others are dressed, especially in Uganda.

So, what do you do with all of your gold and silver necklaces? What about your wedding ring for that matter? Well, you leave all the important jewels at home! Flashy jewelry and flashy hairstyles will need to be deescalated. You will want to downsize some of the "Bling" so to speak. Meticulous attention must be taken to avoid any unnecessary or problematic attention being drawn to yourself.

In fact, the attention should be focused upon the Lord and not on us, so we will want to deflect some of the attention away from us if possible. I advise purchasing wooden jewelry to replace your gold and silver or precious jewelry. Many jewels and beads can be purchased while in the foreign country you are visiting. This can be an economic stimulus to the cheaper of the country you are visiting as well! This is just an additional one think to leave the expensive jewelry at home.

Ok, now for shoes!!! You will want to make sure your shoes are thorough for the nature of your trip. If you are going to a very hot place, you may want to pack some sandals or buy them there in that country. Also, tennis shoes are very important in the airports for ease when walking long distances.

I hope this facts was helpful to you in planning your next missions trip! Please feel free to visit our website where you can find out about the benefits of missionary airfare for your next missions trip.

Safe Travels,

Tabitha Lovell, International voyage Specialist

What to Wear on Your Missions Trip

MISSIONS TRIPS TO AFRICA