Short Term International Mission Trips
Volunteer Charity Work Overseas for Teen, Medical and Adult Teams
Nov 1, 2009
While taking youth groups, medical personnel or anyone who wants to do volunteer work at an orphanage, staff a clinic or run vacation Bible School overseas for such a short time may not seem cost effective or life changing, short term mission trips make a huge impact on those who go and those they meet overseas.
Finding an International Mission Trip
There are many ways to find a short term mission trip; many churches sponsor such trips every year, returning to a location where they’ve established local ties. Volunteer work overseas is also done on medical mission trips sponsored by medical organizations. These organizations may run a clinic overseas for a week, sometimes for very specific medical issues, such as a medical mission trip for dentists, or one for cardiologists. Medicalmissions.org lists a number of medical opportunities.
The internet is also a source of information for those who want to volunteer in orphanages on a short term mission trip, or do other volunteer work overseas. Missionfinder contains many opportunities for Christian volunteer work, broken down and organized by short term missions, long term missions, US mission trips, international missions trips and medical mission trips.
Many overseas mission trips involve washing laundry in the sink, bathroom and shower setups that may be primitive, and long hours. Others are set up in dormitories and offer regular meals and some sightseeing opportunities. Look at all the possibilities before signing up with the first organization on the page.
Preparing for a Short Term Mission Trip
Going on any type of short term mission trip requires a lot of preparation. Participants need a passport and, depending on the location, may need vaccinations against diseases such as yellow fever, or take pills to prevent malaria. Anyone going on a short term mission trip should meet with the rest of the group, if at all possible, to discuss logistics such as sleeping arrangements, meal set up, and work division.
Fundraising for mission trips can be a big part of the experience. Overseas volunteer work can be expensive; some churches may help members with the cost of short term mission trips, while others leave fundraising for mission trips to the individual. Writing letters to friends and acquaintances asking for donations can be hard to do, but people do respond. Fundraising for trips usually has to be completed before the trip, so airfare and accommodations can be purchased.
Pack lightly, and be sure to take over the counter medicines such as aspirin, Benadryl, and antibiotic ointments, because they may be hard to come by overseas. Since traveler’s diarrhea is almost a given, due to the change in water and food type, being lots of immodium and antacids.
The Benefits and Pitfalls of Short Term Mission Trips
Are such short overseas volunteer trips beneficial? Absolutely! Participants have their thinking broadened by seeing other lifestyles firsthand, and have the joy of giving rather than receiving. Recipients are touched by learning that other people care enough to travel overseas to serve them. The thanks they give can be quite humbling.
The best way to gain from a short term mission trip is to go with the right attitude. This means:
- Leaving the Lady (or Lord) Bountiful attitude behind. No one, including people overseas, appreciates condescension.
- Going with realistic expectations. No one can cure poverty or severe health issues in a week. But helping even one person has huge rewards.
- Learning a few words of the language. Hello, please and thank you will be appreciated by all.
Being prepared for anything. Traveling overseas is stressful and full of surprises. Be ready for them by staying calm when things go wrong (and they will).
Enjoying the Mission Trip
Overseas volunteer work can be a marvelous experience, or a horrible one. No one knows exactly what to expect when they go on their first short term mission trip, and every trip is different. Going with a positive attitude, an ability to go with the flow, and realistic expectations are the best preparation for a trip that can change lives.
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