Leading a STM Medical Team
Things To Do During The Trip
Debrief and Reflection
Generally a day or day-and-a-half are scheduled for debriefing activities at a site that offers solitude, scenic beauty, and
refreshing accommodations, usually at a location separate from the ministry site, and often close to the departure city. There are many
retreat centers throughout the world that cater to missionaries needing rest. These often provide cafeteria type meals,
single or double rooms with western showers, and well cared for grounds that invite rest, recreation, and reflection.
Time is scheduled in three ways: free time (recreation); quiet personal time (reflection); and group interaction (debriefing
and reflection as a group). Free time, fun, and celebration are self-explanatory and require no additional advice, although the team leader
may want to consider a small token gift/remembrance to present to each team member at a celebration dinner or final meeting. Inexpensive
locally made crosses were given to one team in Ethiopia. Another team received small Gumbi toys to remind them of the motto SFINC: Smile,
be Flexible, Improvise, and No Complaining! The sections that follow will look more closely at ways to direct a team's thoughts
toward positive reflection.
Reflection - Looking Back
Trips such as this often can be "watershed" moments in an individual life.
We realize that the world now looks different and we feel differently about ourselves and our relationship to God, others, and the world.
One way to help
a team articulate this idea is to speak of this as "An End... and a Beginning."
In looking at the events of the trip, it can be helpful to suggest that people might answer, individually or in a small
group, the following questions:
- Between God and me
- An area in which I saw God work in my life was ...
- How was I used in unexpected ways?
- When did I most experience His forgiveness, grace, comforting, or prompting?
- Between others and me
- What are similarities and differences between me and those in ...?
- Which weighed more for me on this trip - the similarities or the differences?
- Within myself
- What have I learned about myself?
- What did I learn about my values (regarding time, material things, work)?
Reflection - Present
In this moment, as we prepare the team to leave the area of ministry and
re-enter the USA, it is impossible not to think about the feelings and emotions
around leaving this country and these people, and re-entering the USA and the culture, people, and demands we will find therein.
We can assist our team
in this process by asking these questions:
- About leaving
- When I think of leaving I feel ...
- My experience has been ...
- For me (the country, the national organization, etc.) means ...
- Things I will miss ...
- Easiest to leave ...
- Most stressful part of leaving will be ...
- About re-entry
- I will be going back to ...
- Going back will enable me to ...
- I think the hardest part of going back for me will be ...
- I think the easiest part of going back for me will be ...
- I am really looking forward to ...
Reflection - Looking Ahead
- Thought questions
- How has my worldview been altered by the short-term experience?
- What new relationships should I now pursue because of my mission experience?
- What needs in other parts of the world should I consider advocating?
- What could my prayers include now that I am back home?
- What did God show me in my short-term experience that I do not want to forget for the rest of my life?
- What are some prayer concerns I have regarding return?
- More thought questions
- What did I learn about myself?
- What did I learn about God?
- What did I learn about community and the church?
- What did I learn about culture and its impact on faith?
- What did I learn about justice and poverty?
- What am I learning about discipleship?
- What am I learning about my lifestyle?
- What am I learning about my vocation?
- Telling your story
- How will you answer this question: "How was your trip to ...?"
- One-sentence answer. Most people will only want this version. You will know they want to know more when they ask a follow-up question.
- Two-minute answer. Family or close friends might want a slightly longer version. Again, steel your heart for the 99% of people who will not really be interested in knowing more!
- Twenty-minute version. Your Bible study or Sunday school class might ask for a report with photos, longer stories, more anecdotes, and more details. This will also prepare you for the few folks who ask for more information.
- Tips for preparing
- Focus in on one or two events or highlights that can help you tell your story.
- People like stories about people; share a personal story about someone from the culture.
- Share how this experience (or person or culture) has impacted you personally.
- Avoid giving too much unnecessary detail.
- Avoid giving a day-to-day narrative of your trip.
- Keep your stories simple. You can answer questions if your listener is really interested.
An Ending ... A Beginning
- Re-entry is both an End and a Beginning … an end to a foreign experience, but the beginning of feeling foreign.
- The short-term mission trip
May have ended,
But
A new life has just begun.
… an end of a trip, but the beginning of another journey.
… an end to being/feeling special, but the beginning of being ordinary with a special heart for God and for people.
… an end to being stared at, but the beginning of looking at people and the world through different eyes.
… an end to simple living, but the beginning of a different lifestyle.
… an end to crowded housing, but the beginning of having more space for God and people.
… an end to eating foreign food, but the beginning of friendships with the strangers and internationals in your midst.
| «Previous Page | Next Page» |