So, you've found a missions agency and you've got the financial end covered. What next? "Why Wait Till You Get There?" by Mala Malmstead, tells you just that. Maybe you've got two weeks or two months to prepare for your mission trip. In the meantime, minister at home. Malmstead says that "the most important way to prepare yourself for the rigors of missions is to live a life of service at home first" (Malmstead 1). You've got to get out of your comfort zone. The second step is to find cross-cultural environments. There are homeless shelters all over the place. Find one, and volunteer. If the country you're going to speaks a different language, be prepared! You must learn to laugh at yourself. Literacy programs, Sunday schools, church youth groups, crisis pregnancy centers, drama, music, and ministry are some of the options that can prepare you for overseas ministries. Also, know how to witness. Know about the culture in which you will be living in. Most importantly, be a servant. Always be ready to do what God leads you to do.
I thought this was an awesome article. Most of the time when you're going to foreign countries, you have time between the time you confirmed the trip and you actually leave. This article has several aspects in which you should be aware of. Knowing the language is extremely important; otherwise, how would you communicate with them? As always, having a good attitude is imperative. I think the most important one is that you should always have a servant's heart.
Malmstead, Mala."Why Wait Till You Get There?" Send Me! Your Jounal to the Nations 1999:1. Web. 8 April 2010. http://www.urbana.org/next-steps/send-me/show?RecordID=20.
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