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Do you sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit leading you to participate
in a short-term missions trip? The following information will help you
get started. For additional details, contact the Global Ministries
office.
Q: Am I qualified to go on a mission trip?
A:To be qualified for a trip, you must
be willing to be an "ambassador of Christ" in your motivation
and conduct, and a team player with a humble and seeking heart. For
most trips, we can provide any needed training.
Q: How long are the trips? How many people are going?
A:Trips typically last 7-14 days. Teams from New
Hope Church often vary from 2-12 people.
Q: How long is training and what does it cover?
A: Team selection and training takes place over four
to six bi-weekly meetings, in addition to four to five weekly meetings
leading up to the trip. We cover topics such as support raising,
sharing testimonies and cross-cultural training, as well as any specific
preparation based on the nature of the trip (for example: conversational
English preparation). It
is important that team members attend all preparation meetings except
in extraordinary situations.
Q: What skills are you looking for?
A: Helpful (NOT required) skills for missions include
language skills, leadership experience (especially pastoral care or missions),
cross- cultural skills, and depending on the project, specific skills
such as medical, artistic, working with children, music, sports, crafts.
Team members may also often split up duties ranging from leading devotionals
to managing finances. There are also many trips for which no particular
experience or knowledge is required.
Q: How are team leaders selected?
A: We review applications and references and conduct
interviews as we pray about selecting a candidate with leadership
and/or mission’s
experience. A team leader is selected before the training begins.
Q: What does it cost?
A: The cost of a mission trip typically includes airfare,
in-country transportation, project/ministry expenses, travelers insurance,
a visa application, in addition to food and lodging. You must bring additional
cash for any souvenirs or personal items needed during travel. You are
also required to obtain a passport for most trips. We
understand that for many the cost of a typical missions trip can feel
overwhelming. However, time and again, we have seen that if God is calling
someone to missions, he also provides the resources to send that person.
Don’t
let money concerns alone stand in your way.
Q: Who pays for the trip? How do I raise funds?
A: Team members are expected to provide a portion
of the estimated trip cost up front and then raise funds for the remainder
of the cost by the date of departure. Fund-raising is accomplished through
sending out support letters. Your fund-raising checks will be received
and tallied by New Hope Church. Whatever you don't raise may
be made up by your teammates' surpluses, financial aid from New Hope
Church or through your own personal funds.
Q: What immunizations will I need?
A: See your doctor or the CDC
website for details on
the country to which you are traveling. The cost of mandatory immunizations
may be covered by fundraising.
Q: Who do I send my support letter to?
A: This is a personal decision and depends upon your
relationship to those with whom you are comfortable sharing information
about the trip you wish to take. Presumably your support letter and
follow-up letter will be fairly personal, providing a great opportunity
to share about your faith. You may wish to consider drafting separate
letters for believers and nonbelievers.
Q: What if I can't make all the team meetings and/or commit
to the timeframe of the trip?
A: Only a small minority of New Hope Church members
and attendees are able to go on missions trips each year. The nature
of the work makes it a huge privilege to participate. If you are unable
to make the commitment a top priority, we ask that
you consider applying for a future trip instead.
Q: Do I need to be a member or regular attender of New Hope
Church?
A: We strongly prefer team members to be from the
New Hope Church community. However, in exceptional situations,
we may waive that requirement. For all participants, we
rely upon references. For this reason, it is important that you are
part of a small group or community that can provide them.
Q: Is it safe to travel abroad to a developing country?
A: Each trip develops its own safety procedures. In
most cases, you will be chaperoned by host global workers at all
times. If you are careful to not display money or valuables during your
travels and follow guidelines regarding personal conduct and health,
you should be fine. However, you should also be prepared for a lower
comfort and safety levels than we have in the United States.
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