Plan for daily activities on the Field

• Coordinate ministry with the missionary to mobilize the team effectively
• For meals, try to avoid western foods (even in developing countries, you can find a McDonalds!). Eat what is typical for the local culture.
• Help the team be flexible! Often, many things change once you arrive
• Maintain daily group devotions. Worship is a priority. Assign devotions to various team members.
• Spend time daily debriefing about the day. People need to talk. Reassure them their feelings are normal.
  • "What did you experience? (see, learn, hear from God or from people)"
  • "What broke your heart today?"
  • "What Scripture made sense to you today?"
  • "What was the highlight of your day? What was the low point?"
• Keep in mind the actual schedule that you are keep. For example, it may be counterproductive to have a daily, formal team debrief time late at the end of physically exhausting days.
• Beware of having overly high expectations, especially on a very short trip. It is important to have faith, but balance it with the reality that authentic Christian discipleship takes time to develop in people's lives (and the team won't be there to see that first-hand!).
• As the team takes on projects or adjusts activities throughout the trip, be sure that the goal of each one reflects the overall goal for the trip. It is easy to see a lot more needs than you expected and want to compassionately respond, adjusting the team plans in order to help. However, you cannot single-handedly save everyone - that's God's role! So, use discrenment when taking on new activities
• Ask the team to encourage the host-receptors. Those who speak a different language from your own will not automatically understand the team's gratitude for their hosting, translation, ministry assistance, etc.
• When speaking through a translator to one or more people, do not look at the translator - look at the people you are speaking to.
• For a large team:
  • Have team members wear a team T-shirt during traveling to and from the USA, as well as during formal ministry events. This helps to identify the team, especially in crowded areas; builds a sense of teamwork and "mission"
  • the trip administrator may not be involved with a lot of the actual details of ministry, especially if there are multiple activities taking place simultaneously. Let the team know in advance that you may not always be with them all the time: "I will be running around for you!"
  • Consider a "gathering song", something simple, fun and inoffensive that everyone can sing, which indicates it's time to leave the current location.
• Because of language and culture, misunderstandings between the goers and the host-receptors will likely occur at some point. Be conscious of the need for clear communication and freedom to express perceptions, and quickly respond to any misunderstanding.