Please leave home without it!
#10 -Traveler’s checks
I’ve never had luck cashing traveler’s checks overseas. I am sure there must be some places where they are accepted, but in a lot of countries people are unfamiliar with them and/or afraid to cash them. Dito for any type of U.S. check. Take cash and/or use credit cards for purchases or cash withdrawals in the local currency.
#9 Valuables
If something is valuable to you, don’t take it overseas, especially if it is something that cannot be replaced. You shouldn’t wear any jewelry, even costume jewelry, because a would-be thief doesn’t know the difference, he just sees an American and assumes what you are wearing is valuable. Buy a cheap department store watch and give it away when you leave.
#8 Work
Most volunteers are glad to leave everything behind for a few days and submerge themselves in the mission trip experience. A few, however, can’t seem to break away from work and allow it to disrupt their full participation in the project
#7 Preconceived ideas
Enter into your mission trip with a blank slate and try not to have a lot of preconceived ideas about how things should be done. This doesn’t mean you should not prepare yourself as much as possible and learn as many accurate facts as you can about your host country and culture, the local Baptists, and the missionary’s work before you go, but after you arrive continue in the learning mode during the entire trip.
#6 Pictures of possessions
Imagine if Bill Gates came to visit you and kept flashing pictures of his mansions, yacht, plane, and luxury cars. What would your attitude be towards him? Avoid taking pictures of possessions and instead put photos of family and friends in your album.
#5 Excess pounds
No, I’m not referring to your luggage. Part of being your best on the mission field is being in the best shape possible. The IMB will not allow missionaries to go to the field if they are not within the minimum standards for their Body Mass Index or BMI. It’s a great goal for anyone. Here’s a link to one of many on-line BMI calculators: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
#4 Superior attitude
Without thinking about it, we have a tendency to be egocentric when it comes to our attitude about the superiority of the US. Unguarded, this can cause us to “have an air” about us or cause us to be critical of the way the nationals do things. Remember, just because we do something one way in the USA doesn’t mean it’s the best way in a foreign setting.
#3 Expectations
Expectations of how you think things will be can cause you to experience undue stress, frustration, and even anger. Don’t allow yourself to get bent out of shape over an unmet expectation.
#2 Unresolved relational problem with a team member
If there is pre-existing friction between two or more team members don’t expect the mission trip to somehow resolve their differences. Although it is true that team members usually grow closer during a trip, the mission field is no place to work things out. This also applies to married couples. The team needs to arrive as healthy as possible, especially in the area of relationships.
#1 Tobacco products
Most overseas believers consider partaking of tobacco products to be a major indiscretion equivalent in our Christian culture to smoking marijuana. Use of tobacco products on a mission trip can have devastating effects.
