What happens if there is an emergency back home while you are on a mission trip in the middle of Timbuktu? Will your family or friends know how to get in touch with you? What if you experience an emergency or run into a snag in your travel plans—will you have at your fingertips the phone numbers to call for help?

Whether you are alone or leading a group, if you are serving abroad it is a good idea to maintain a single-page sheet of contact information that can be left with family at home as well as carried with you. While there are obvious things that you will want to include on that sheet such as telephone numbers where you can be reached, there are some other important items not as obvious but equally important. Here is a list of items to consider including on your emergency contact sheet.

How to dial an international number. From the U.S. you must dial 011 plus the number for international calls. Since most people do not make international calls, leaving this out can create confusion and make it more difficult for people to reach you.

Time difference. You don’t want a 3 a.m. non-emergency call!

Airline phone numbers including the numbers for the country you will visit. This is so that you can reconfirm your return flights or contact the airline should your travel plans change.

U.S. Citizen Emergency Center. This is the number in Washington D.C. your family can call to find out about arrests or your whereabouts abroad should you be unreachable otherwise. That number is (202) 647-5225.

Hotels/lodging plus the dates that you will be staying there. Dates are especially important if you will be moving around a lot on your trip.

Cell phone number of a local contact who will be with you during your trip.

U.S. Embassy telephone and address for the country you are visiting. Make sure to also note the after-hours emergency number.

Travel insurance emergency numbers. You should also include your policy number. If you book your insurance through Ministry Travel, which uses Travelex Travel Assistance, the phone numbers are (866) 930-9806 toll-free within the U.S. Outside the U.S., call collect (603) 328-1965.

Other key local contacts. Include the numbers for any organizations you are working with or key leaders at your destination.

Again, this emergency contact sheet is both for you and those who stay behind. So make sure a family member or friend has a copy and be sure to keep a copy on you (not in your checked luggage) at all times.