The Thomson Reuters Foundation started the site in 1997 “to place Reuters’ core skills of speed, accuracy and freedom from bias at the service of the humanitarian community.” The site serves as a resource both to journalists covering humanitarian crises and aid agencies seeking updated information critical to their delivery of services.

The foundation of AlertNet and their “community” is the membership of non-profit organizations actively involved in emergency relief. Also included are NGOs working in relief. These members publish their news from emergency hotspots directly to AlertNet.org. Members get emergency alerts and access to downloadable Reuters’ photographs that can be used in the organizations’ publications.

 “AlertNet focuses its resources on covering fast-moving humanitarian emergencies and on the early warning of future emergencies,” says a statement on the website. It is a great source of current, often real-time information available to anyone accessing the site, not just members.

The site’s home page includes the latest alerts, news, and humanitarian headlines from around the world. Click on “AlertNet for Aid Workers” and you can access news, blogs, pictures and maps related to emergencies and humanitarian concerns. There also is a search feature allowing you to search by region, country, topic, date range, emergency type and more. You will find current, even breaking information, as well as archived materials.

The Crisis Briefings section provides a wealth of materials on more than 80 emergencies. In it there are related news stories, the situation at a glance and in detail, a timeline, statistics, links, and a listing of all the humanitarian agencies working that crisis.

While the site is most beneficial for humanitarian teams, any group ministering abroad will find the current country information helpful. Unlike government agency sites, like travel.state.gov, where the information provided could be weeks or even years old, AlertNet.org is very up to date. Plus you get the first-hand perspective of journalists and humanitarian workers who are “on the ground” and in the middle of whatever is taking place at the time.

Well, if you are at London’s Gatwick or Heathrow airports, or at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, you can check into a YOTEL.

Inspired by Japanese capsule hotels, first class airline accommodations, and luxury yachts, YOTEL fuses these components together to create an oasis for the traveler. YOTEL CEO Gerard Greene describes YOTEL as “the iPod of the hotel industry” with rooms bookable by the hour.

“YOTEL is the antithesis to the manic and often stressful airport environment offering guests a haven of calm and quiet with luxury bedding, rejuvenating monsoon rain showers, relaxing mood lighting, practical work station and free WiFi,” said the company in a press release.

The Gatwick YOTEL is located in the South Terminal and offers 46 rooms. Heathrow’s is found in terminal 4 and there are 32 total rooms. The Amsterdam airport has 57 rooms. Amenities include in-suite bathrooms, WiFi, flat screen TVs, work desks, and more. Food, snacks and beverages are available 24 hours a day from the galley.

Room space varies from 95 to 245 square feet, compared to the 300 square feet of the average U.S. hotel room. What YOTEL gives up in space they gain in efficiency and luxury.  “Have fun—there’s as much in these 10 square meters (108sf) as you’d find in most 4 star hotels,” boasts the company’s website.

The rooms, or “cabins” as they are also called, are sound-proof and can accommodate up to two people. There is a family cabin at the Amsterdam location which can accommodate four.

Prices start at about $53 for the first four hours and then drop to approximately $10 an hour thereafter. Overnight rates are also available. The London locations only accept credit cards, while Amsterdam accepts British pounds, Euros and U.S. dollars along with major credit cards.

Next year, YOTEL will expand beyond airports in Europe when they open a new location at New York’s Times Square.

What if a volcano erupts and impacts your trip? Travel insurance can cover that as well.

While some may consider travel insurance a luxury item, savvy travelers know the importance of being protected. In fact, many international missions and relief agencies require their staff to carry insurance any time they leave the country. The risks of not having insurance are too great, especially when you are traveling with a team.

Good insurance includes medical assistance with 24-7 access to doctors who can advise you in case of an illness or injury. It will also provide emergency medical evacuation and other services that could easy cost tens of thousands of dollars without insurance.

Beyond the tangible benefits, there are a lot of intangibles. In fact, providing insurance for your short term teams is an effective marketing tool. With global terrorism and natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanoes, many people are leery of international travel. Others are concerned about getting sick abroad. Knowing that their trip includes comprehensive travel and medical insurance often gives them the peace of mind they need to join your team.

Terrorism coverage is now included in many policies, covering cancellation costs should an act of terrorism occur in a city you are flying to or through. If you are delayed from volcanic ash, insurance can be a financial life-saver. During the ash-caused flight interruptions in Europe this spring, for example, we had some clients delayed 12 days. That was 12 days of unexpected expenses for lodging and meals!

Here are some tips when you do take out insurance. First, read over your policy to make sure you thoroughly understand it. Second, make sure all your team members have the policy number and travel assistance phone numbers, as well as an outline of coverage. Finally, contact the company immediately for guidance should your trip be delayed, cancelled or if your bags are lost or stolen.

For more information about travel insurance, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, check out the insurance page on our website at http://www.ministrytravel.com/travel-services/missionary-travel-insurance.shtml.

By securing travel insurance when you make your flight arrangements, you may save yourself or your organization a lot of headaches down the road.

Local universities are excellent places to look for translators. Your national contact can connect with English professors and let them know that your team is coming. Many professors welcome the opportunity for their students to interact with native English speakers and even give extra credit to those who do. For the student, working as a translator, even if it is only for a few days, is an invaluable learning experience.

Also consider using mature high school students as translators. In many countries, children start learning English in the school systems at an early age. By the time they get to high school they actually are quite fluent, and even know a lot of slang as a result of watching American movies and using the Internet.

Foreign exchange students who spent time in the U.S. or another English speaking country also make great translators.

Always determine in advance if these translators need to be paid or if they are volunteering. Even if they volunteer, you may want to consider giving them some kind of an appreciation gift. You also want to make sure that you cover any expenses they incur as they work for you. Things like bus fare, meals, cell phone calls, etc. are typical expenses that they might have as they support your team.

As possible translators are discovered, it is ideal if they can be screened by someone you trust who both understands what your team will be doing and is fluent in English. If your team will be doing talks or presentations of a religious nature, make sure that your translators are familiar with religious terms. Many will not be unless they have a church background. If you find that you can only recruit translators like this, then have someone create and translate a vocabulary list of common terms that your group might use. The translators should be briefed on the list and have the terms explained to them.

Once you pair up a translator with a team member or group of team members, try to keep them together during the duration of your time there. Continuity of translators is best for everyone. Don’t have a translator work with different people each day unless there is a personality or other conflict. Let the translator and team member(s) develop a relationship so that they can learn how to best work together.

Following these few ideas could make a real difference in the quality of your communications as you minister abroad. Do you have tips, suggestions or thoughts on using translators for international missions or humanitarian projects? We invite you to share them on the discussion tab of our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MinistryTravelor at the Ministry Travel Group on LinkedIn.com.

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:

1. Contact information for all team members (including emergency contacts) as well as national leaders with whom you will work.
2. 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.
3. Team information, including room assignments, work assignments, passport copies, visa copies, minor travel release forms, medical release forms, and health information forms.
4. Financial forms, including forms to track cash as it’s spent and a copy of the trip’s budget.
5. Reporting forms as required by your organization.
6. 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.

In Dallas, TX beside a busy freeway is a restaurant shaped like a giant children’s lunch box. The two story edifice is brightly painted and catches the eye of everyone driving past.

What do these two restaurants have in common? They are both McDonald’s.

Whether you are on a snowmobile in the McDonald’s drive-thru in Pitea, Sweden, or playing video games at the huge arcade inside the Orlando McDonald’s, there are some things that you can expect at any McDonald’s anywhere in the world.

You can expect the Big Mac to taste the same. You can expect that the restroom usually will be clean. You can expect certain items on every menu, even if you are eating at the Lafayette, Indiana store, which at one time offered 120 unique items. The locations may be different, the architecture unique, and the menu varied, but McDonald’s is still McDonald’s.

With this analogy in mind, think about the different mission trips your ministry leads. Whether you are a missions agency conducting dozens of annual trips or a church leading just a couple each year, is there consistency with your trips? Are there some things that participants should expect regardless of where they go and who actually leads the trip? Do you have some consistent or universal elements that are true of every trip you do? Are those elements in writing and does every trip leader know what they are?

This is important for many of the same reasons that McDonald’s strives for consistency in their operations.  They want their customers to have a great experience no matter where they go. So, if that means raising their own cattle in Russia in order to have the quality of beef consistent with the rest of the world, then they do it.

Think of those who go on your trips as “customers.” True, you’re not in business and it’s not about making a profit—but it is about making sure that you impact every life in the best way possible.

Should trip participants who travel with one staff member have a more rewarding experience than those who travel with a different staff member? Should one team have better training than another? Should individuals in one group have to arrange their own airfare while another group has a coordinator do it? Should national leaders get follow-up funds from one of your groups but not from another?

Experience has shown that ministries with certain consistencies in all their groups will do better at attracting both initial and return trip participants. Each trip can still be unique, but like McDonald’s, “customers” should come to expect certain things to be true no matter where they go or who on your team they go with.

In our next blog we’ll explore specific elements to consider making universal for all of your trips.

Consider using these for your next international trip:

 The hardworking multi-tool

Essential on any outdoorsy trip and even in indoor situations, a multi-tool is handy in a multitude of situations. The Swiss Army knife has blades, scissors, bottle and can openers, screwdrivers, tweezers, toothpick, nail file and hook, among other accessories. The Leatherman multi-tool also packs pliers in the mix, which you may find quite useful.

The illuminating flashlight

A flashlight is indispensable to your travels. Cree LED flashlights are the best choice – small, light, powerful and battery efficient.

The secure money clip

Leave the wallet at home. Bulky, flashy and a magnet for pickpockets, chunky wallets and fat purses are no help to the gadget traveler. Instead, use a money clip which is slimmer and more secure. You can keep your cash in the front instead of the back pocket, reducing the risk of falling prey to thieves. The Smart Money Clip can also hold your credit cards, and the Memorex Money Clip multitasks as a 1GB USB drive.

The handy adaptor and power strip

When you’re jumping continents and collecting border stamps like well, stamps, keeping track of which adaptor to use in which country can be a nightmare. Pack a universal international adaptor which will let you access power points all over the world, and a power strip with at least three outlets. Belkin makes a surge protector that also has two USB jacks that can be used to charge iPods or mobile phones.

The healing first aid kit

First aid kits are a must for travelers. Even though every traveler hopes for the best, it’s best to prepare for the worst. Travel first aid kits don’t just provide bandages, painkillers and anti-bacterial creams; they also supply you with useful-in-a-pinch items like safety pins, rubber gloves, sterilized wipes and tape.

The space-saving bags

The best way to save on space in suitcases and carry-ons is to pack your clothes in vacuum bags. Travel Space Bags sell a variety of sizes which can be used to reduce the volume of packed items and increase storage. Ziploc bags are also handy to keep things airtight and dry. It is advisable to put all liquids in a Ziploc to keep from spilling in your luggage or backpack.

The old-school pad and pen

A traveler’s best friend is usually his or her own thoughts while journeying around the world. To capture the moment, jot your epiphanies down in a classic Moleskine pad. These come with a band to hold the pages together so they don’t get creased while being carted around in your suitcase.

So along with the iPod, make sure you include these great gadgets on your next trip. You will be glad you did!

It’s hard to believe that your mission trip is almost over. In a few moments you will touch down at your home airport. All the months of planning and preparation leading up to the trip are now a memory. Your international ministry, though exciting and challenging, has finished—at least until next time.

For some mission trip leaders, departing the plane marks the end of the trip and the end of their responsibilities for that mission. But there should be at least two more tasks that you complete—conducting an after action review and writing a debrief report.

The after action review (AAR), which was developed by the military to assess training missions and improve future performance, is a great tool that ministry leaders should also use.  When you conduct an AAR you gain valuable information that can lead to significant improvements in future trips. When you include the results of that AAR with a debrief report, you leave behind a written record beneficial to colleagues and to those serving after you.

Think of it as part of your legacy. What you discover can help future leaders and continue to make a difference long after your trip is over. Even if you do not plan to return to the particular ministry site you just finished, an AAR is still valuable.

AARs don’t have to be complicated. They basically ask five questions:

1. What did we set out to do?
2. What actually happened?
3. Why did it happen?
4. What could we have done differently to enhance the outcome?
5. What insights and lessons did we gain that could be shared with others in a similar situation?

The U.S. Army Guide to After Action Reviews emphasizes that AARs should be facilitated by someone who will not only ask the questions, but encourage each person to openly engage in the discussion. They also should include everyone involved. That’s good advice for ministry AARs as well. You may want to consider conducting an AAR with your team just before you leave the field, or at least with key leaders as soon as you get back. You also want to be sure someone takes notes on what is said.

Our next blog will focus on how to write a mission trip debrief report, including key components that will ensure you have the right information to positively impact future ministry.

You are reminded of all the people who helped you get there—the ones who prayed and financially supported you. You want to express your appreciation to them. You want them to know how thankful you are for their kindness, but you don’t want to wait until you get home to show your gratitude.

What do you do?

You give your cell phone to a colleague and ask him to take a picture of you in your unique setting. He does and hands the phone back to you. You click on the phone’s WYWH app button and select the photo you just took. The photo now fills the screen. You touch the screen again and it shows the back of a postcard, which is where you type out your message.

Thanks so much for making this trip possible. This is a great experience and some amazing things are happening here. Can’t wait to get home and tell you all about it.

Next you select your supporter from your phone’s address book before hitting the send button. Then just like that, you have a printed postcard on its way to your donor before you get home from your trip! This isn’t an email postcard or electronic greeting card—it’s the real thing delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

Imagine the look on your supporter’s face when he or she goes to the mailbox and gets the postcard of you on your mission trip.

You don’t have to imagine with WYWH–an amazing service that turns your photo into a quality postcard and mails it for you. It will work from anywhere in the world, just as long as your phone can access the Internet.  

WYWH has an app for the iPhone, but any Internet-enabled cell phone can use the service. The app is free, but there is a cost for each card you send. If you buy in bulk and pre-pay, you can send a postcard for as little as $1.30—which is probably a lot less than if you were to buy a card overseas and mail it internationally. It’s also a lot faster since the postcard is printed and mailed within the U.S. Plus, it is completely customized. It is your picture and your message!

Your first two postcards are free. Go to www.wywh.net to sign up and get more information. We have used this service and have been very pleased. It is a great way to say “thank you” to those who made your trip possible.

Mission trips—there’s an app for that!

“Is our flight delayed?”

“Are we supposed to tip in this country? How much?”

“Is there going to be a national holiday while were in this country?”

The answers to these questions and a lot more can be quickly answered by a touch on your mobile phone, thanks to two apps (“applications”) that promise to help you be better organized for your next mission trip.

The first app is a travel organizer app called Tripit. Tripit organizes all of your travel plans into an itinerary as close as your phone. When you receive a confirmation email with flight information, car rental, etc. simply forward it to plans@tripit.com and Tripit automatically builds your itinerary.

The app shows maps for airports you will be using, as well as maps to the city where you are traveling. Tripit also allows you to share your itineraries with family and friends so that they can stay connected with you while you travel.

The basic Tripit app and service are free. For $69 per year you can upgrade to the pro version which sends you alerts about flight delays and gate changes, and gives options for alternative flights. The pro version also keeps track of all your frequent flyer points.

The Tripit app is available for iPhone, Blackberry, and other devices. Find out more and sign up at www.tripit.com.

The second app we’ve put in this category is GlobeMaster: Offline Travel Guide & Utilities. For less than a dollar, this iPhone and iPod Touch app delivers a big bang. It is a travel guide for 1400 cities in more than 260 countries, but that is just the start.

With GlobeMaster you can view maps and more than 4100 photos of places around the world. There is a tip calculator with detailed information on tipping for your current country. It provides information for airport transportation as well as information on local communications and emergency contacts.

GlobeMaster has a very nice interface, and also provides travel alerts and safety tips. This is a great reference tool that you will want to have as you travel. Download it via iTunes.

Have you discovered a great travel mobile phone app? Tell us about it. We’d love to hear from you.

We’re wrapping up our series on apps for mission trips with our next blog. We’ll share how to send thank-you post cards via U.S. mail to your trip donors and prayer partners all from your phone, while you are still on your trip.

Stay tuned—there’s an app for that!