Teach journal writing and insist that all members keep a journal not only for the actual trip but beginning right now. Develop ways for the team to share journal entries with each other. Idea: Assign each team member a different day on the trip to submit an entry for that day in order to compile a team journal and then give each member a copy of that journal.

Pray together. Get requests from your field site and begin to pray. Pray for finances, safety, God’s leading, and for each other by name! Idea: gather in a circle holding hands and each person pray for the person on their left. Pray for specific needs. Do this each time you meet together.

Learn about your destination. Study the culture together, learn some language phrases, and share information with each member of the group. Idea: get pictures of your missionary family and key people from the field like translators, youth group members you will be working with etc. Learn names and be ready to greet people by first name as soon as you get off of the plane. Also send pictures of your group to the field for the same purpose.

Get your entire church involved. Idea, hand out an information sheet including country, ministry, pictures of your destination and of your team to everyone in the church.

Plan time when you get home to debrief the team. We have a saying around here, “if you don’t debrief, don’t go!” Idea: put a meeting date on the calendar right now for the team to meet together after the trip. Share feelings, goals, disappointments, and things learned with each other. Of course share pictures as well. Idea: Use layovers at airports for productive debrief meetings.

Expect a great productive trip. Make the trip l-a-s-t by beginning to meet together prior to the trip and after the trip as well. A two week trip can be a five month event for your team.

You can leave a comment on this article at our Let’s Fish weblog

Ministry at Lighthouse BFC

June 27 to July 1

El Faro's (Lighthouse) Summer Children Outreach. Vacation Bible School for children ages 2-15. This outreach will take place at our facilities from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

Help Wanted: Teachers,Helpers, Game Coordinator. HighSchoolers and College Students are welcome. Qualifications: Must have a passion to see others come to faith in Christ. Must be fluent in ENGLISH; not Spanish is required.
Contact: Pastor Elliot 610) 791-9995 or e-mail ehdramos@juno.com

New Trips Registered

July 19 to August 3

Three from Emmaus will be going to TEAM English Camp in Prague. This is an evangelism ministry using friendship evangelism, camping ministry and English courses.

Please do make certain you have done the following two step process in making sure your church’s trips are registered.

1. Make sure to register your trip at: http://www.bfcbom.org/toppage1.htm
2. If your trip is not registered, simply tab on register a trip and fill out the form

Practical Help

The Board of Missions provides a valuable list of travel websites.  Go to www.bfcbom.org/travel_links.asp to see the list of resources.

For example so links you find are:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Currency Converter
• Passport Applications
• Travel Document System
• US Department of State
• WHO - World Health Organization - Travel Website

Check this page often as we try to keep it updated with new and relevant travel links.

Suggest a Design Your Impact Seminar

Are you on your church’s missions committee? Many BFC mission committees have been hosting Design Your Impact Seminars. These materials have the potential of giving your local congregation a brand new focus concerning how to “do” missions in the twenty-first century. Be a catalyst by encouraging your missions committee and/or pastor to find out more about this important seminar. The Board of Missions is now setting dates for fall seminars.

Mom: “where is your favorite pair of sneakers did you forget them?”

Short term returnee: “No mom I gave them away!”

Some statements of our Lord take on new meaning when we experience other cultures for the purpose of sharing our faith:

“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

“If someone takes your coat, don’t keep back your shirt either. Keep on giving to everyone who asks you for something, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not insist on getting it back. Whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them.”

Sometimes we leave more than a piece on our heart on the mission field!

Now let’s go fishing!

You can leave a comment on this article at our Let’s Fish weblog

Your Response is Always Appreciated

Send us your ideas, journal entries, or write an article for Let’s Fish. Remember I LOVE mail! You can contact me at weller@bfcbom.org.