One common mistake that churches make with short-term groups is to send them out without any training. This is especially true when the focus of the trip is physical labor. The thinking is: we know how to paint, we know how to build, we know how to fix a bus, etc. Also, many churches feel that because the project is of short duration, there’s no point spending much time preparing for it.

To my thinking, if a project is worth doing, it’s worth preparing for. And if it’s being presented as a “mission trip,” it should be treated as such. Here’s the kind of training we should be offering those going out:

• Cultural sensitivity: Workers need a general knowledge of how to deal with cultural differences. Above all, they need to learn to not show disdain or rejection toward things that are different. If people greet with a kiss, the workers need to accept it without recoiling. The food should be eaten as the locals eat it; Americans are famous for traveling the world with salsa, ketchup, and peanut butter. What is often communicated is: your food isn’t as good as ours.
• Cultural specifics: Short-term participants need to learn some basic concepts of what is done and not done in the host culture. How do people greet one another? (There was a great book a few years ago called Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands) Do people regularly touch one another? (Latin America = yes, much of the Orient = no) What are the basic concepts of modesty? (One missionary wrote of how in her host culture it was acceptable for a woman to show her breasts in public, but never her knees)
• Language: While short-term workers shouldn’t be expected to be fluent in the language of their host culture, they should make the effort to learn some basic phrases, especially those used when meeting new people. They should also go with the intention of building on this basic vocabulary.
• Sharing their faith: Every short-term worker should know how to tell others how to become a Christian. Doesn’t matter if they’re on a medical mission or going to paint a church building. If you are on a mission trip, you should be able to tell the good news of the Kingdom.