Newsletter Article: Remember Your Global Encounter Forever!
An international trip is usually an exciting blend of discovering a foreign culture, working hard with a team, and growing in faith as you watch God at work. On your trip, it's likely that the memories you make and the lessons you learn will influence who you are for the rest of your life.
Mission trips are busy! With all of the activity swirling around you, it's easy to forget to record what God has been doing each day. And although your camera is great for documenting beautiful scenery and big events, it can't record the lessons you learn. It's up to you to remember your first impressions of the new country, the conversation with a team member, and the triumphs of a day of ministry. To get the most out of your trip, you have to write.But writing doesn't have to be a hard! Since my first international trip to Russia eight years ago, I've discovered five tips that can help to capture important memories of your foreign travels.
1. Plan Before You Go
It's ultimately up to you to learn from your missions trip. Fortunately, you can work toward this long before you zip the last suitcase. A few weeks before you leave, list the goals that you and your parents have for the trip. Also, write down a few of your expectations; you'll enjoy later comparing these with what the Lord taught you.Read about the country before you go. Books or web sites like Wikipedia and Wikitravel can provide a wealth of summarized facts about the country's history, economics, people groups, politics, and educational systems. A web site like Mission InfoBank can give you a great overview of the spiritual state of the country.
2. Stubbornly Make Time to Write
As fun as it is to be absorbed in the moment of your travels, you will probably later regret not being able to remember the major details of what happened. I try to write for a few minutes at the end of the day, as I can summarize what happened during the whole day.Take a mini-notebook or index cards in your pocket during your travels. You can carry them anywhere and use spare moments to capture details you want to remember for later. If it's too late at night, make a quick outline of the most important events of the day. Later, on the weekend or when traveling again, expand these notes in your journal.
3. Record Your Five Senses
When my thinking is foggy, I resort to writing about the five senses:
What I saw today: describe the bluish morning mist rising off the mountains, the characteristics of the people you met, or the early morning bustle in a city that never sleeps.What I heard: write facts you learn about the country, meaningful conversations, street sounds, memorable quotes, and unique noises.What I smelled: your sense of smell is a powerful collector of memories. Years later, smells often bring back a flood of memories from your trip. Diesel fumes and fresh snow sometimes remind me of Russia. Wood smoke smells like Peru to me. In the Middle East, it was crisp air and meat roasted in bustling, open-air markets that defined the locale.
What I tasted: the food you've eaten and how it's different from what you eat at home.What I touched or felt: write about the soft, cool afternoon breeze, pounding nails into tropical hardwood lumber, the cold tile floor of an orphanage, or swinging in a hammock at the end of a long day.Finally, write what you're thinking, how you're feeling, and what you've been learning lately. If you want even more to write, try the five W questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
4. Ask People Lots of Questions
Although it's easier to hang out with other team members who speak English, your trip will be most satisfying long-term if you take time to get to know the local people. Whether it's your translator or your missionary host, ask them all you can about their country:- What kind of plants grow here?- What do people usually eat? How is the food grown and prepared?- How do the poor live here?- What are some of the biggest challenges to the spiritual growth of the people?- How active is the church?- What are the major industries?- How did you come to Christ? How did you come to serve here?- What do people from this country view as important in life?
5. Follow Up
After you get home and catch up on sleep, re-read your travelogue and fill in missing details. I'm often amazed at what I have forgotten to document. As you retell stories to your family or chat with team members, record these too.Finally, identify the biggest lessons from the trip. True learning happens when our actions change as a result of our experience. Right after a trip, I like to make a list of things that I've learned, what was different than I expected, and how I think God wants me to live differently as a result of the experience.Capturing your missions adventure with a journal is a great way to maximize the resources you invested in the trip. With these tips and a little effort, you should be well on your way to learning what God has for you and remembering your global encounter forever!
Russ Bennett seeks to use the tools of communication to help those on the front lines of God's work. He edits a free communication newsletter and organizes words and ideas with Productions of Light. He led a team to Mexico and has traveled in Europe, the Middle East, and South America.