How To Guide On Missions
Updated: Dec 10, 2024
In 2021 I went on my first missions’ trip to another country. It was an incredibly stressful time, but also exciting. I remember feeling lost as to where to start, how to raise funds, and how to prepare for a new country. When I traveled to Thailand, the most frustrating thing about my trip was that it felt like I was having to figure everything out on my own. Hopefully, what I share from my experience will better prepare you and make you feel a little less overwhelmed.
Getting Started
The first thing you should do is find a missionary or organization to work with. You can ask your pastor for a list of missionaries that your church supports and connect directly with them. A second option is to go directly to your denomination’s website and search for a missionary. For example, AGWM (Assemblies of God World Missions) has a page dedicated to missionaries who are currently serving. You can narrow down your search by region or country. When I went to Thailand, I discovered a missionary who was serving in Chiang Mai, and I reached out to her directly. I messaged her on Instagram, and we planned a time for me to come work with her.
Kenzie Robinson, who works with World Gospel Mission, shares that once you make contact, "we have an inquiry form to fill out and you are connected with a mobilizer in 24-48 hours". This is just an example of how easy it is to get started.
Fund Raising
Now that you have made a connection, it is time to start fundraising. I have found that this is the most intimidating part of missions. It feels very odd and even difficult to ask people for money. In all honesty though, you are not asking for money, you are asking for help in spreading the gospel.
Here are a few creative ideas that I have done to help with fundraising:
1. You can ask local businesses for support. Places like Target, Starbucks, and Walmart have budgets for giving. They look for organizations to support because it is a tax deduction.
2. Silent auctions, baked good sales, and garage sales. You can ask local businesses for donations to be auctioned at your fundraiser. You would be surprised at how many people in the community want to support you. A silent auction offers the ability for people to bid on an item, and sometimes you get a few competitive people who will bid high on a product.
Everyone loves sweets. You can ask a few ladies (and guys!) from your church to donate baked goods to sell, and a garage sale gives people the opportunity to dispose of unwanted items while you are able to make a small profit.
3. I once heard a story about a teenager who was raising money for missions. He wore a shirt everyday that said, “ask me about my shirt”. Curiosity forced people to ask about his shirt. He shared that he was wearing this shirt to raise money for missions, presented the gospel, and invited people to partner with him. It was such a simple thing and people gave.
These are just a few options to help get you started.
The Little Things
Tiny details are often missed because we prioritize bigger travel planning needs. Here are some things you should discuss with your missionary before traveling to a new country:
1. Sim cards. You may not have cell service in other countries, and you will want a sim card so you can keep in touch with family and friends back home.
2. Exchanging money. This can be done at the airport in your new country. It would also be wise to rely solely on physical currency rather than your credit card. Some places do not even have an option to use cards.
3. Study the countries etiquette. What is acceptable in America is not acceptable in other parts of the world. for example, in Thailand it is dishonoring to touch someone’s head as it is considered sacred, and it is offensive to show the bottom of your foot. It’s basically the equivalent to flipping someone off.
You Are On Your Way
Congratulations! You are now on your way to your desired country. I would encourage you to pick an airline with which you are familiar with. This will make travel the most comfortable for you and it is good to have some familiarity especially when you are traveling somewhere new. I would also advise you to look closely at the dates and times of your flights. Some countries put the day before the month, unlike in America where we put the month before the day. If you have connecting flights (which is likely), ensure that you have given yourself enough time to make your flights, even if there are delays.
Keep great communication with the missionary you are working with. Let them know where you are and when you expect to land. If they are unable to pick you up from the airport, have some type of transportation ready for you. This is worth researching because you do not want to be scammed! The country you are in may even offer a temporary driver’s license, which may be something worth getting depending on your length of stay.
I hope these tips give you some guidance of where to start before leaving for a missions trip!
Need help finding an organization? Here are a few of the authors favorites:
Need more help planning your trip? Contact me and lets chat!
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