You have your passport in hand, your bags are all packed but there’s one thing left to do as a leader of a short-term mission team: grab your field notebook.
The leader’s field notebook is an integral resource that he or she will want to keep with them throughout the entire trip. The field notebook allows the leader to access critical information quickly. While a lot of the materials could be kept on a laptop computer or smart phone, it is best to have printed copies as well.
So what goes into a field notebook? Here are some ideas:
- Contact information for all team members (including emergency contacts) as well as national leaders with whom you will work.
- Travel information, including team member flight itineraries, airline contact numbers (including local numbers within the countries you will visit), ground travel arrangements, U.S. consular or embassy, and travel insurance.
- Team information, including room assignments, work assignments, passport copies, visa copies, minor travel release forms, medical release forms, and health information forms.
- Financial forms, including forms to track cash as it’s spent and a copy of the trip’s budget.
- Reporting forms as required by your organization.
- Cultural information, key phrases, etc.
You may want to have a folder that can be pulled out of your notebook. The field notebook could be kept in your room, but the folder you would keep with you at all times. It should contain medical release and health information forms on all your team members, as well as emergency contact numbers and your travel insurance information. All of these are critical if someone gets injured or sick. Your travel insurance information should include your policy number and the phone number to reach the insurance company’s on-call medical professionals. Not all travel insurance policies include this service, so be sure to check before leaving home.
The field notebook is the place to keep all of your important documents organized, and you will find yourself referring to it continuously throughout your trip. It also is an invaluable tool in case there is an emergency.