SHORT-TERM TRIPS TO THE FIELD

Short-term missions give you the opportunity to serve side by side with missionaries and gain cross-cultural ministry experience. It will be an experience of a lifetime! Over 80% of those who apply to serve as career missionaries have been on a short-term missions trip. Recent reports indicate that American churches spend more than $1 billion a year on short-term missions!

WHAT IS A SHORT TERM MISSION?
By "short-term," we are referring to a visit to the field for less than one year. Those who wish to serve for one to three years, we call "associate missionaries." Those interested in serving for multiple terms, we call "career missionaries."

WHAT CAN A PERSON DO ON A SHORT-TERM TRIP?
What you do on your missions trip depends upon your intent, your ability and the nature of the field you are visiting.

• Your Intent: Some people who visit the field short-term want to merely visit with a missionary family whom they have been supporting or for whom they have been praying. Others want exposure to ministries on the field to evaluate whether God would have them serve with that team. Still others want to be immersed into the culture to prepare themselves for career service in that country.
• Your Ability: Obviously language is a huge consideration. Most short-term missions by Americans are to countries in which English is spoken; in that case, you can speak, sing, do skits, etc. If English is not spoken and you don't know the language, you have basically three options: ministering through an interpreter, doing hands-on ministry such as construction, or having a prayer ministry.

HOW MUCH MIGHT THIS COST?
The cost will vary from country to country depending on airfares and cost of living in that nation. You will want to consider raising funds for airfare, ground travel, food and lodging, and sightseeing.

• Airfares are more expensive during that country's holiday/summer season.
• Ground travel expense may be non-existent if you are flying into the city where you will be staying or will be picked up by the missionary. If you are coming as a team, you may need to rent a van for transportation. Gasoline tends to be much more expensive when you leave America.
• Food and lodging may vary depending upon where and how long you will be staying - whether at a hotel, missionary home, etc.
• Sightseeing funds help defer the cost most visitors incur in going to see nearby sites that are famous. This should NOT be the main reason you take a short-term mission - to have a sanctified vacation!

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
If you or your church is interested in going on a short-term missions trip to one of BMW's fields, please complete the appropriate form and email or mail it to BMW International Office.

• For teams: use the Preliminary Team Information form
  (available in Word and PDF)
• For individuals: use the Preliminary Short-Term Information form
  (available in Word and PDF)

Thank you for your interest and heart for missions. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Director of Mobilization.