Spring break trips: January 21st
Summer trips:       April 10th

1. Team leader approved by campus pastor and National XA office.
2. Team members approved by campus pastor
3. Decide on where (flexibility is a virtue)
4. Contact XA Missions office and connect with your host missionary
5. Application process:
   Mail entire team’s info together, at least 6 weeks in advance. Enclose:
6. • - Team Sheet
   • - An application for each participant
   • - Background check release form for each participant
   • - Passport Copy for each participant
   • - Letter of invitation from your host missionary (can be emailed)
   • - One check (application fee and insurance) for the entire team or Call the office and provide your credit card information.
7. XA Missions office will email team leader confirmation or application approval and two information sheets. Print and take on trip.

• Ask him/her to email you a a short letter of invitation.
• What size of team is preferred?
• Costs: Per diem, visa, approximate plane ticket, misc expenses? How should we obtain our visa?
• Climate and weather conditions?
• Clothing type? (Culturally modest and activities to dress for)
• Cultural overview: Religion, social norms, food
• Do’s and don’ts: hand gestures, visible tattoos, make up, etc.
• Group money: ATMs? Cash?
• Is this considered a sensitive country? If so, what should we expect?
• Any rules about online communication? (email, Facebook, Myspace, etc.)
• What airport should we fly into?
• Should we register with the embassy? Get immunizations?
• What types of ministry are we going to be doing? Do we need to bring anything to adequately fulfill those responsibilities?
• Ask them if there is anything else that they think you should know for the planning moment. Your host missionary may have a list for you as well.

Represent Jesus Christ, no complaining and go with the flow.

• What do I do when a new and interesting food is presented to me?
• How can I seek to bless my host missionary and family? What can we bring them?
• When something isn’t the way I like it, how do I yield?
• How can I be flexible when plans change?
• How to go with an “It’s not about me” spirit.
• No complaining
• Be willing to take direction from your host missionary and team leader.
• Teaching on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (attached)
• Have a great attitude and be ready to see God do great things!

The missionary who is hosting you will guide you through the visa process. Some visas will be purchased at the airport when you arrive other visas may need to be purchased far in advance. Speak to your host missionary as soon as possible to follow the process in a timely manner.

You are responsible for covering the entire cost of your trip. You can raise your funds individually or as a team. Anything from writing letters requesting assistance to car washes, bake sales, lawn mowing, events, etc. Please consult your team leader for the best method for your team. NEVER let funds dictate your missions destination. BELIEVE that the Lord will provide and step out in faith together.

When working with your host missionary, make sure to get a list of what you should plan to pack. What clothes would be culturally inappropriate, what is the weather, etc.

Always plan to BLESS your host missionary, ask them if there is anything that you can bring them that they can’t get where they are located. Some missionaries request a suitcase of peanut butter or oreos or a wide variety of other products that are more accessible.

Your host missionary will have the best method for obtaining funds.

Your host missionary will have the best knowledge of the country you are going to serve. Please follow their directions seriously. Especially by means of communicating with the states, how you refer to them, and anything else they might mention. Sensitive countries are NOT good locations for immature behavior and attitude issues. (Neither are any other countries) Remember, you represent Jesus, do it well.

If you are traveling to a sensitive country, your host missionary will give you instructions based on what they would like for you to do. Feel free to ask them.

Fast and pray individually and corporately as a team before departing. Prepare to step out in faith. Ask your host missionary for a list of things that you can pray for deliberately. Research your country, the religion, government, foods, people groups, etc. and begin to pray deliberately.

Team Leaders must be approved by both the campus pastor and the National XA office. Requirements vary based on the campus pastors discretion. Team participants must be approved by the campus pastor and team leader.

YES! And don’t forget to send the check for the application $25 and the insurance $2.40 per person/ per day.

Team leaders are responsible to organizing the purchase of the teams tickets, this can be accomplished by purchasing all together or having individuals purchase their own tickets. Please follow your team leaders instructions. If the team leader isn’t sure how to go about this process, please contact the XA Missions office.

When the applications are sent with the check for application fee ($25) and insurance fee ($2.40 per person/ per day), they will be processed. The team leader will be emailed two informational sheets that they should print and take with them on the trip. Every team member MUST be covered for every overseas trip. Stateside trip insurance is left to the discretion of the team leader, you can contact the XA Missions office for more information.

• Register with the U.S. Embassy for the country you are traveling to, please speak with your host missionary prior to this for wording.
• Immunization- Ask your host missionary if they recommend any immunizations prior to departure. Check statedepartment website for recommended immunizations.
• Passport- Please make a copy of your passport. Do not ready display your passport publicly regardless of location. Place a copy of your passport in each piece of luggage and carry a copy of your passport and visa with you when in country. Follow the directions of your host missionary.
• Make sure that you provide an emergency contact number on your application.
• When traveling have your host missionaries contact number readily available in case something occurs at an airport.