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Planning a Foreign Language Team
by Rob Loach
Bob Jones University

If you are considering taking a group of young people to a foreign country or culture, I am certain that you have many questions. Here are some questions and answers about teams.

Why?

To spread the gospel.
To expose your young people to the mission field. (We have too many "Dead Sea Christians".)
to see a devoted missionary and his family
to see the need that exists (The fields really are white already to harvest.)

To help and encourage missionaries
To encourage national believers

Why not?

A negative testimony can do great harm, at times irreparable, to a missionary's work.
Some missionaries are "teamed to death".
You personally are disorganized and poor at planning and carrying through. Poor planning leaves everyone frustrated and unsatisfied, and it is a gigantic waste of the Lord's money.
Who?

Young people with a heart for God.
who are regular attenders and participants at church services and youth group.
who willingly and eagerly do required reading, Bible studies, and written reports in preparation for the team.

Young people who are willing to be flexible and willing to move way outside their "comfort zones".
No one whom you are pressured to take.
No one that you have to "keep after" to meet deadlines or that you have to "carry" financially.

With whom?

Missionaries who really want you to come.
Missionaries whose ministry you are confident that you want to help and promote. Being out under a particular mission board does not guarantee that a missionary shares your standards and values. Know as much as you can about the missionary, from more than just prayer letters.
Missionaries who can use your team to good advantage.

How long?

If air travel is involved, try to go for a length of time with advantageous rates.
Ben Franklin said, "Fish and visitors smell in three days." Don't wear out your welcome. It's best to leave with everyone wishing it could have been longer.
How?

Each young person could work to earn part of the necessary funds.
The bulk of each individual's support should come from people who have confidence in that young person. Discourage a young person's family from paying his way.

What to do in general?
(Try to work out much of this with the missionary beforehand.)


What the students' language skills can handle.
What will give the missionary and his people the most help in accomplishing something they don't have the time, resources, or manpower to do.
What will give the students a sense of satisfaction -- that they have done something that meets some immediate needs of others and something of eternal value.
Keep a checklist so that you're sure to take along everything that you'll need that you can't readily get where you're going.
Encourage the missionary to have everything for the work he has planned for you on hand when you arrive. Otherwise much time is wasted.
Try to fit in some kind of sightseeing.

What specifically?

Memorize at least a dozen songs in the language (whole group, small groups, solos).
Each person should memorize the Romans road in the language.
Each person should memorize a testimony in the language.
Generally - be as organized as possible. It will save work for the missionary!
Have a personalized information packet on each person on your team. (vital information in case of emergency).
Photocopy of passport
Insurance info
Parents' names, address, phone number
List of necessary medications, any allergies, etc.

Keep everyone's tickets.
Give each person a packet with information he will need.
How to make a phone call in that country
The missionary's name, address, phone number
The name, address, and phone number of the family the student is staying with
Information concerning daily schedule of activities, housekeeping/cleaning responsibilities, etc.

Find out what is the most tedious task for a missionary, and offer to do it for him. (filing things, painting, heavy cleaning, anything . . . )
Instruct the young people to be extremely sensitive to the missionary, his family, and the nationals -- little things count.
Respect the privacy and property of those you stay with. (In many cultures, some rooms of the house are off-limits to visitors). No, you are not free to raid the fridge!
Consider the expense of what you do. In many other countries, utilities are very expensive -- take short showers, don't leave lights burning, etc.
Teach the students not to comment negatively or derisively about differences -- weird milk in little cartons, no Mountain Dew!, etc.

In our churches and Christian schools, as we train young people who live in the midst of a self-centered culture, one excellent thing that we can do is to introduce our young people to selfless, dedicated role models such as godly, hard-working missionaries. Perhaps the Lord will use this exposure to convict some young hearts that they too should dedicate their lives to serve our Lord.