How to Get Ready for Short-Term Missions: The Ultimate Guide for Sponsors, Parents, and Those Who Go!

How to Get Ready for Short-Term Missions: The Ultimate Guide for Sponsors, Parents, and THOSE WHO GO! by Anne-Geri and Taylor Fann is small at just 136 pages. This book was written by two people (experienced in missionary work / working / leading teams etc.) yet you cannot discern who is writing what unless specified so it blends well. The book is enjoyable, educational and humorous and has many life stories, some of which are tragic; the assumption that people make about other countries and cultures, but in no one would i call it an 'ulitmate guide'. The book is quite small and does not cover many items (which an ideal mission book would) but nonetheless is worth the purchase and like most STM books focuses a lot on humanitarian work and good works, but also explains or poses the question about our motives. Good list of websites at the back of the book and a unique chapter for the parents who are concerned. Another mission book which is a cut above the rest is How to Plan, Prepare and Successfully Complete Your Short-Term Mission - For Volunteers, Churches, Independent STM Teams and Mission Organisations. The ... and those Planning a Christian Gap Year T Jesus is Lord

I found this an informative booklet that young people who are planning short term missions and parents of same should read. Nothing really new, just put together in a way that makes something that could be confusing a little more understandable.

This was a great help for our preparations. It helped us to see some possible problems and gave us some good advice. A good asset for any leader!

This summer I went on a short term mission trip to Juarez, Mexico and it was one of the most eye-opening and life changing moments of my life. At that time this book was not available but I sure wish it would have been. This book really opened up my eyes to the importance and significance of short-term missions. Before I read this book I just thought that short-term missions was something you go and do and pray that God will guide your steps, words, and actions, but it really takes some preparation and this book really helps to do that. The first thing the authors address is one's worldview. I really wasn't sure what a worldview was until I read this book. They define it this way, "a worldview is a collection of beliefs about life and the universe as held by a human being (or sometimes a group of people). It is the perspective from which an individual observes and understands the world." Until a short-term missionary understands his worldview it is hard for him/her to understand what he or she is about to embark on. The mission I took to Juarez really helped shape my worldview and I now realize that the family of God is not just in the United States but also in Mexico and all around the world. Another great point that the authors made was that, "Remember that God's "bigness" includes the fact that He's already been to Africa, Europe, and Asia. In fact, He's been to every place in every corner of the world. You're not taking God to them; God has been there all along." One thing that this book emphasizes is becoming more Christ like. They state that, "You cannot share Christ unless you become like Him. And you also cannot share Him unless you become somewhat like those you are sharing Him with." This is very true and key to short-term and long-term mission work. Unless one is like Christ in the world it is highly unlikely that one's message of Christ and salvation will be received. A startling yet not really shocking thing is that in the book they said that, "All (yes all) long-term missionaries interviewed for this book said that the majority of the short-term mission teams do not spend an adequate amount of time learning beforehand about the culture and the spiritual climate of the nation, or preparing themselves spiritually for the challenges ahead." I would agree with this statement. I think that not enough preparation goes into short-term missions. After taking my first short-term mission to Juarez I realized that we did not have enough training before the trip to be prepared physically, mentally and spiritually for the challenges that awaited us. The two most important things this book addressed was one, "Short-term missions however helpful they are, do not balance a real decline in long-term commitments. Many talented and spiritually minded folks like yourself are being sent all over the world for short-term mission trips, while there are many who want to be full-time missionaries that can't raise the support." This statement really ca