Ultimately, a team’s ministry is to more than just the people on the field. It’s also to their host. These are just a few of the ways teams can encourage long term missionaries while on a missions trip:

Your youth group has hosted car washes and spaghetti dinners, you’ve bought supplies specifically for your location, and now you are ready for your summer mission trip.

But there’s someone else who’s put in even more work into preparing your trip than you:

Your host.

On an Adventures STM trip, your host is either a local pastor or ministry leader, or a long term missionary. This host has been in constant communication with Adventures and your trip leader, doing on-the-ground work per your leader’s request.

He has scouted ministry locations and arranged schedules with local contacts, he’s set up transportation for your group 15+ people, hired drivers, cooks, and translators; reserved lodging, evaluated safety, and possibly even moved over enough bunk beds for everyone on your team, and scouted out off day excursions.

And he’s done this in addition to his normal daily tasks, which include household chores and the ministry that called him to the field, as well as most likely being a spouse and a parent.

And then for a week or two, he does all of those things while hosting your team.

It’s a big job. One your host enjoys, because mission teams bring new life to ministries. They encourage people on the field and help missionaries accomplish things they can’t do on their own, like manual labor or doing multiple ministries at once.

Teams are a blessing to hosts, but once the mission is done and the last person is back on the plane, the host is tired.

Here are 3 ways to bless your hosts:

1. Find out how you can best serve them.

Your team leader has been in contact with them and found out what their needs are in ministry, how your team can best partner with them, and related those to you.

Instead of having expectations of what you will do on your trip, go without an agenda. Instead have one goal: to join what God is already doing there by partnering with your host. This will serve them more than you will ever know.  

2. Be their student (and listen to what they have to say).

They know practical things like directions and where the hospital is, but they also better understand the culture and language, even if you too are a native speaker.

Ask them their stories; ask their testimonies. If they are from the States, find out why they left to live in a different country. And why they have stayed. What is their heart for their ministry? What has God taught them personally?

Listen to what they say, whether it’s not to go out after dark or to shop at a particular grocery store. There’s a reason for it all – maybe a continuing relationship or a safety precaution, even if they might not explain at the time.

3. Don’t forget them when you leave.

It’s fun to return from a mission trip. Families and friends sometimes show up with signs to welcome you home at the airport. There are celebratory meals out, and the first hot shower after two weeks away from home.

Then there are stories to share, pictures to upload, and two weeks’ worth of life to catch up on from everyone in your world.

Don’t forget your host or their ministry. Don’t forget the people you met. You have direct insight into their world, their needs, and their struggles. You know best how to pray for them! Whether it’s advocating for them for support, directly supporting and praying for them, or just contacting them once in a while with encouragement – they will appreciate it!

Short term teams are an incredible asset to ministries and host missionaries, especially when they come planning to join what God is doing instead of creating their own agenda. What are other great ways to encourage your hosts on the field?

*Top photo by Connie Rock, 2012, of LTM Missionaries to the DR, Miguel and Kristen Shaul and 2 of their daughters

Do you want to partner with what God is doing in the world by going and serving? Click here to see where God could be sending you.