Top things you need to know before a mission trip

My top things you need to know before a mission trip was created from years of experience in missions. I love missions and was a missionary for 30 years. I’ve hosted mission teams, gone on mission trips, led missions, and sent missionaries worldwide. 

If you are reading this, you’re either thinking about going or have already signed up. I pray this post will help prepare you as you embark on your adventure. 

Embrace challenging experiences

One of the biggest struggles I have seen in missions is when someone resists challenging situations. I have not been on any mission trip without challenging situations.

This is definatly one of the top things you need to know before your mission trip. I remember doing a relief trip to Japan after the Tsunami hit. We were sleeping on the floor (which is custom in many Asian countries), but we had to go to the “Onsen.” There were two challenging situations for people, sleeping on the floor and the “Onsen.”

For those wondering, the “Onsen” is a community bath house. This was our only means of getting clean. During the day, we worked cleaning a farm for 6-8 hours. The farm was covered in crude oil. We were filthy by the end of the day and had to go bathe with the community we were helping at night.

This was definitely a challenging experience for people on the mission trip. Girls were crying, saying they didn’t think they could do it, an emergency prayer meeting started. Leaders in the States were called. After the shock all the team members went and embraced the challenge.

It was one of the best trips I have ever taken from the United States, and we truly made a difference in the lives of the people we served.

Be honest about your physical condition.

If you are not physically fit, have extreme motion sickness, or have trouble walking long distances, be honest with your leaders and yourself. 

Prepare before you go. If you are from the U.S. or from a state where you mainly drive, get physically prepared for your mission trip. Start working out and make sure you can walk around 3 miles daily. 

On many mission trips, you will walk a lot, but you can ask about this when preparing. 

If you have motion sickness, be prepared for it. If you have diet restrictions, make sure they can accommodate you. I would never expect my at-home diet to be what I would get on missions. This is rude in most countries. Now, if you cannot eat specific things because you are allergic, that is different, and your leaders need to be informed as well as those in the host country.

Learn about the customs and culture. 

Learn some basic greetings in the area where you will be working. Be mindful that there are dialects, so learning the greetings in the area you are going is helpful. Hello, goodbye and thank you are good starting points.

Who are you serving, and what are their needs? Remember, the entire trip, you are going to serve and not be served. It should be more about you giving than you getting. Every day, wake up and pray you will be able to serve the people. Building connection is one of the most important things to bridge the cultural gap.

Dress appropriately for the specific trip

Find out how people dress in the area you are visiting. It is always better to be modest. Things to find out,

• Do you need to cover your hair?
• Do you need your arms covered? 
• Should you wear a long skirt? 
• Are shorts okay or not?

Dress for the weather and the season in the country. I have specific clothes I only wear to certain countries. If it’s Eastern Europe in winter, I know I will need wool clothing to stay warm. In Thailand, it’s 100% breathable cotton-never polyester in the summer. 

Think about your accessories as well.

No flashy jewelry, or any jewelry in some places other than a wedding ring, but no engagement ring. Simplicity is a good rule to follow with jewerly. Obviously, this will depend on where you are going. But a mission trip is not a vacation trip.

Consider the type of mission trip you are taking. If you are going to do orphanage work or work with kids then it’s best to make sure your hair is pulled up and hair sprayed. Another helpful tip is to take tea tree shampoo.

If you are asking why, it’s because of lice. Lice are prevalent in areas where you work with kids in all countries. 

Make sure you have Insurance and needed vaccines

This is one of the top things you need to know before you go on a mission trip. Make sure you have Insurance for your trip. Find out if the trip cost includes Insurance and what is covered because you might need to buy separate Insurance. 

Are there any recommended vaccines? Do you need to take malaria pills? Please know that malaria pills can make you feel really sick, so if they’re recommended, you need to talk to a physician before your trip. 

If you don’t believe in vaccines, that is fine. But you might need to show proof of vaccine in the country you are going. If you are not vaccinated, you could be restricted for several days in a government facility, depending on where you are going. 

Have proper documentation

Passports that expire six months from the date of your trip are not valid in some countries. Check your passport to see. Find out if you need a vaccination card for the country you are going to. If there is an outbreak in certain areas, you could have your movement restricted if you don’t have proof of vaccine. 

Bonus register:

Register your trip with Smart Traveler Enrollment Program with the U.S. Department of State. And have copies of your passport in case something happens. I leave a copy with a friend back home as well.

These are some of the top things you need to know before your mission trip. If you are still praying about going then check out our post “Am I called to missions?”

Let us know in the comments what you learned from any mission trips you have been on in the past.