Preparation must entail more than Uncle George's slides of his fourteen trips to Haiti. Balanced preparation considers the local church's mission vision, the sending agency's policies, and the receiving church's goals. Team leaders can prepare volunteers by encouraging spiritual growth. They can guide team members in the development of positive team relationships with each other, missionaries, and local people on the field. Training should also include cross-cultural instruction.
Effective training requires input from many perspectives.
The volunteer is responsible. A commitment to go is a commitment to preparation. Ideally, a team meets for at least four, two-hour training sessions before departure and a debriefing session at the close of the trip. If no training classes are planned, the volunteer should consult the team leader or sending agency about recommended reading. The sending agency, usually a missions organization, is responsible.