With all the needs in the world, how do you determine the sites for your international ministry or humanitarian trips?
If your organization only works in one part of the world doing the same thing with the same people (like running orphanages, for example), then the answer to that question is simple. But what if you represent a church or other ministry that has a broader mission focus?
As you probably know, site selection is everything. A good trip very much rises or falls on where you go, who you work with there, and what you do when you get there. Here are five questions to ask in determining the right sites for future mission trips.
Does this fit into our over-all strategy?
The problem with that question, however, is that some ministries don’t have a strategy. They don’t have a clear focus or purpose to what they are trying to do in the world. So before your decide where you will go, make sure you know your purpose and have a strategy for accomplishing it.
Is it a good fit for a short-term team?
Not every site is appropriate for the type of ministry that a short-term team could do. Is there something substantive that your group can accomplish there within the limited time you have? Do the people you would work with know how to best utilize teams like yours?
Is there a point man/woman?
Is there someone on site who will take responsibility to personally ensure that things get done? Is this person reliable? Are they able to communicate clearly? Are they respected? Do they understand what a trip like yours requires and how to care for a visiting team? Do they have discernment and demonstrate maturity?
Do you have the right potential team leader(s)?
Do you have people with the vision and abilities to lead a team to that site? Not every trip is the same, nor is every work. Some may be more demanding or require more skills than others. For example, if the site needs a medical team, do you have someone who can put together a medical mission?
What previous ministry has been done there?
Was it successful? What did it accomplish? Do the people involved with the past work feel another trip is appropriate?
These are a few questions to ponder as you consider the best place to send your international ministry and humanitarian teams. We’ll look at five more in our next post.