It’s the moment of truth: What originally seemed so far away has finally arrived. The calendar says you’re just days away from leaving on your short-term mission trip.

Those final few days can either be filled with stress, or they can be enjoyable as you anticipate the experience. The difference is often determined by how you tackle that final week. Here are some practical tips to help you make the most of the days leading up to your international mission trip.

Create a preparation list. Start working through it the final two weeks before your trip. This is a list of everything that needs to be done before you go. It includes actions such as scheduling lawn care, arranging pet boarding, paying bills, withdrawing cash from the bank, stopping the mail and, of course, packing. Try to get as many of these tasks done early, so you have time to handle any unplanned issues that might arise.

Begin preliminary packing. Start early, at least a week before departure. For me, this begins with laundry. I find it easier to plan the trip wardrobe if I can see all of my clothes either hanging up in the closet or folded in dresser drawers. I then create a mission trip staging area — usually a corner of the bedroom — where I can assemble the clothes and other articles I will take. My passport is always one of the first items that go into the staging area.

Work from a packing list. Check the items off the list once when you put them in your staging area, and then again when you actually place them into your luggage. Inevitably there are things on the list that you realize you don’t have. Starting your packing early allows time to purchase those items without feeling rushed.

Finish packing several days before departure. Remember that packing often takes longer than we expect. Completely pack your suitcase and have it ready to go. Also, be sure to weigh your suitcase to make sure it fits within airline requirements.

Overweight and extra bag fees can run into the hundreds of dollars on international flights. Your carry-on bag should be mostly packed by this time, with the exception of any medicines or last-minute items.

Schedule extra family time. This may mean lunch with your spouse or a special activity with your children. Your family will appreciate this, and it will ease the burden of you leaving.

What often happens before a mission trip is that the traveler is preoccupied, rushing to tie up loose ends, and thus spends even less time with family. Emotionally, this is the equivalent of being gone an extra week. By preparing ahead, you can reduce the stress on your family and make the time before your trip more meaningful.

Prepare spiritually as well as physically. Carve out some personal prayer time, enlist a prayer team and don’t neglect daily Bible reading. These activities also help reduce stress and enable you to keep the trip in perspective.

Review travel details carefully. In the final few days before departure, review all the information for your trip, paying close attention to departure times, airport instructions, meeting locations and so on. Make sure that you have your team leader’s cell phone number, in case there are any problems the day you leave. If you are the team leader, be sure you have each team member’s phone number and that everyone knows when and where to meet that day.

Information review also means checking the conditions at your destination as well as any places through which you will be traveling. Are there any weather concerns that could impact your travel? Are there any new security or safety issues?

Assess current situation at your destination. It is always good to check the travel section of the U.S. State Department’s website right before a trip. At the site, find your destination country and look for the link to recent embassy notices. Next, click on the link for warden messages. These will be the latest updates from embassy officials about any travel concerns.

Print out your boarding pass. You can reduce stress by printing out your boarding pass 24 hours before departure. This saves time at the airport and can make your check-in process much smoother. International flights typically are larger planes carrying a significant number of passengers, so the check-in lines for these flights can get quite long.

Will the week before your next mission trip be enjoyable or stressful? Much of that depends on how well you plan and how early you begin your preparations. By incorporating these tips into the final days before your trip, you will experience less stress and be better prepared for the incredible adventure of international ministry.

______________________________

Frank Banfill is president of MaxPoint Ministries and regularly leads mission teams. His work has taken him across six continents. He writes on behalf of Ministry Travel, the world’s source for missionary travel.