The summer mission trip season is only 5 months away. By now, you probably know the students and adults who will be going on your mission trip. I know that feels like the important work (can’t have a trip without people, right?) but getting everyone ready is just as important – especially the adults.

Here’s a few important things to focus on as you prepare your adults for their experience:

Refresh

Mission trips can be stretching, challenging, rewarding, overwhelming and inspiring. But let’s be totally honest. They are tiring. Your adults will be serving long days. Working hard on projects. Dealing with youth and issues and other adults. They’ll be getting less sleep than they are used to. That’s a recipe for exhaustion. You will need to think ahead and take advantage of every opportunity to “Take care of yourselves.” You will need to look for opportunity to grab downtime while on the trip. Agree together to be honest with each other during the week of the mission trip. If anyone needs a break or a nap or just a quick run to get a cup of coffee, make a promise to tell each other. Your teenagers will know if you are worn out, tired and maybe grumpy. When there’s a chance to get a break, take it.

Something else that’s part of Refresh is “Be a bungee cord”. Mission trips are hard work. It will feel like you’re “on” 24/7 each and every day of the trip. And, truthfully, you are. There may come a time where an adult may just want to throw in the towel. They’ll feel things like – It’s too hot, the kids are too difficult, the food is not like home, I can’t sleep on my air mattress, I’m way out of my comfort zone. You will need to bounce back when things are harder than you thought. All the youth on the mission trip will pick up on the attitude and behavior of you and your adults. You are the example the teenagers will follow. Be ready to bounce back from whatever may happen on the trip!

Relate

Your adults will be relating to a bunch of teenagers on your mission trip. Here’s some ideas to help us Relate.

#1 — Don’t be a Control Freak!

Remember the trip is about the teenagers — not us. Your role as adults is to encourage and guide. Not be a director or dictator. One way any of us can fall into being a dictator is on the project site. Allow the kids to lead. You’ll be there to give guidance and encouragement. The one time you need to be sure to be the leader is when it comes to safety at your project. If you ever see something at camp that looks unsafe or inappropriate or just something you are uncomfortable with, please let the mission trip staff know right away.

#2 — Don’t be creepy.

Being a creepy adult is not something that any of us want to be. But you need to make sure that none of your adults are interpreted that way. A creepy adult is someone who acts inappropriately — telling off-color jokes, makes comments about teenagers of the opposite gender that could be construed as sexual in nature, or makes inappropriate physical contact. And yes, that could even include a misinterpreted hug. The key is “misinterpreted”. There have been adults that have done things or said things unintentionally that still made a teenager feel uncomfortable. Our advice to you is to always err on the side of being overly cautious. Nothing would ruin your trip faster than someone not understanding something any one did or said. Enough said.

RELAX
Your adults are going to do a great job serving on your mission trip. You are going to be with some of the best, most idealistic people — teenagers. They feel indestructible and invincible. They are willing to take anything on and believe they can accomplish it. Here’s a great way to Relax and still be the adult on your mission trip. “Play zone defense.” This means giving kids some space and seeing how things work out. Playing zone defense is another way to say that you and your adults are present. You are setting the big guidelines and boundaries but allowing your teenagers to grow and learn within the experience of your mission trip.

And the last idea is simply — “Look to Jesus.” There will be moments of joy, stress, anxiety, excitement, fun, and any other emotion you can think of. Jesus will be right there with you. Know that. Look for ways to help your youth understand that. God is right there with you the entire mission trip. That’s the magic of a mission trip. You’re immersing yourself in what God is doing — every minute of every day. So be ready for God to show up and do something!

These ideas and principles will help your adults be ready for the greatest week possible!