ACTION:

BEING ON A MISSION TRIP

SOME TIPS

 

·       Be flexible

 

·       Take time every day for participants to pray for each other.  With a large group, we had one family group responsible for the “prayer for all of us” as an assigned task on the daily chore rotation.  This is an opportunity to teach people who don’t know how to pray for others, and to strengthen the prayer life of participants who do.  It can be very simple.  Get a list of the names of all the participants.  Start at the top of the list and have the first person pray for the first name on the list.  If someone gets themselves, simply drop down to the next name and have the next person pick up their name.  Again, keep it simple: “Dear God, thank you for _____________(name).  Thank you for their presence on this trip.  Thank you for __________________ (something about them, their smile, their hard work, their deep faith, etc.). Please be with them on this trip; keep them safe and healthy. Help them feel your Spirit moving and working through them.  Amen.”

 

·       Always make sure you have everyone before you leave a place

 

·       Deal with any discipline challenges quickly and consistently

 

·       Make sure you take time for leader check in (how are you feeling, what’s your energy level, any concerns, schedule and other details)

 

·       Check in with all participants regularly

 

·       Give away host gifts

 

·       Get enough sleep

 

·       Be flexible

 

·       Make sure there is an adult sleeping in every room in which youth are sleeping (it helps cut down on the temptation of inappropriate sexual behavior and is good if someone gets sick in the middle of the night)

 

·       Have the designated medical adult check on people who are taking medication -–or collect all medication and have the designated person dispense it (with younger youth especially)

 

·       Be flexible

 

·       Do a reflection/journal/sharing process every night to help them put their experiences in the context of their faith. A simple example of that process follows:

 

·       Sing a gathering song

·       Read the Mission Trip scripture

·       Have them think back to waking up that morning.

·       What were their expectations? 

·       What was their first impression of their work site?

·       Who did they meet?

·       What did they do?

·       What did they learn about themselves?

·       What did they learn about other people? 

·       Where did they see the face of Christ? 

·       Where did they reflect the image of God?

Invite them to write or draw their reflections in their Mission Trip or Spiritual Life journals.  When it looks like most of them are finished with their journals, have they go around the circle and share what they would like.  Allow people to pass if they don’t wish to share.

 

Go over any organizational details for the next day (who’s working where, who’s fixing breakfast, etc.) 

 

End with a circle prayer where each person has the opportunity, silently or aloud, to thank God for something, and ask to God’s continued care of someone or something. 

Deepening Faith:  Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press

Copyright © 2001