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TEAM LEADER

TRAINING MANUAL

MISSION ON THE MOVE

TEAM LEADER

TRAINING MANUAL

Revised 11-28-12

INTRODUCTION

  1. What is Mission On the Move?

MOM is a Christian mission organization designed to provide a channel whereby Christians may offer their skills and talents for Christian service at home, in Africa, Honduras, and Mexico. These short term mission assignments are at the expense of each individual. The emphasis is upon the projects supported by MOM in each of the countries mentioned.

Mission On The Move:

  • Operates on a sound theological and Biblical basis of Christian mission. I Corinthians 12 is a good example.
  • Personalizes mission; Our approach is hands-on experience and this hands-on type of experience makes missions come alive like no other means available.
  • Transforms all who serve: The overwhelming testimonies from participants describe how the experience has enriched and transformed their Christian lives.
  • Directly exposes volunteers to poverty and the experience of new cultures.
  • Provides for renewal of your church; By broadening the local horizon, it becomes an avenue for your church to come alive in mission.

IIHistory

Mission On The Move was started by a retired Methodist minister the Rev, Ed Cadle in 1986. Mission On The Moves’ purpose was to help the people on the move in the heart of the Americas. In Tapachula, Chiapas in Mexico, a refugee center was built and used to care for the refugees on the move through Mexico. In 1996 the mission was converted into a home for street children and in 2002, Steve and Hope Shearouse became the first missionaries for MOM and moved to Tapachula where they reestablished a home for boys who came mostly from the prison where they lived with their fathers. In 2003 a girls home was opened and in 2005 a new girls’ home was built. In 2009 another boys’ home was completed. Nearly 40 children live in the three homes.

In Honduras, in 1994, MOM began a ministry for children. MOM has several properties for ministry. The education program is run five days a week teaching the children about Christ and helping them to get an education so they can get above the poverty level in which they and their families are living. MOM has a certified pre-kindergarten and kindergarten school along with a ministry for first through six grades. Middle school and high school students are given the opportunity to complete their education and attend a school of higher education if they desire.

MOM also has a medical ministry in Honduras, hosting several teams a year. The medical clinic is used by these teams to serve the people in the Lake Yojoa area of Honduras.

In Nakuru, Kenya, Reverend Isaac and Margaret Mwangi are missionaries with Mission On The Move. They are from Nakuru and were commissioned by MOM in 2007. Their ministry is in planting churches and running a nutrition program for 50 children, also helping the children with education and medical.

MOM receives underwear from Jockey International and other items from individuals and businesses. These items are all stored in the MOM warehouse in Springfield, GA. The clothes & supplies are distributed throughout the United States and around the world through other mission organizations.

The Mission On The Move office is is located in Springfield, Georgia and has a Board of Directors made up of people across the USA. MOM has one paid staff and over 86% of all funds go directly to the mission field, helping others around the world.

  1. Purpose and Need

The purpose of MOM is to provide a readily available channel to which the supporters can offer their time and talents here at home and in Mexico, Honduras and Kenya. Above all, our mission is to be obedient to the Sprit of God, who continually calls the church to missions around the world. We can feed them, clothe them, house them and meet their medical needs, but most of all, we are called to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

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HOW TO GET STARTED

  1. Sponsoring Body

A.Developing Interest

Someone must have the desire to be in service and have the leadership qualities to organize people into working groups. This interest may be initiated from a number of sources, but someone must first have the interest to ignite the spark, and that someone is you.

  1. Establishing the Sponsoring Group

The interested persons should meet and decide who will be the sponsoring group. This group could be within your church or a combination of several churches. The sponsoring church should agree to provide the leadership, training, and support necessary to organize and implement a successful mission project.

II.Team Leader and Assistant Team Leader Recruitment, Selection, & Training

The selection of a team leader is MOST IMPORTANT. This person will be the major factor, from the beginning, in the success of the mission experience. It is imperative that the selected leader have some experience as a team member or co-leader. The importance of this background cannot be overstated. Team training for leaders is invaluable.

Some qualities of a Team Leader are:

  • Must be an active member of their local church
  • A demonstrated commitment to Christ and to the mission work of the church
  • An encourager
  • A problem solver
  • A person with gifts of humility, discernment and patience
  • Previous experience as a MOM team member (minimum of 2 times)
  • Flexibility and openness
  • Organizational & leadership skills
  • Financial management skills
  • Willingness to invest the time and energy to properly prepare, guide, and supervise mission team members
  • Familiarity with group dynamics
  • Enthusiasm and energy
  • Ability to set a good example for the team members and carry out the ideals and guidelines of MOM
  • Maturity
  • Know the strengths and weaknesses of your team members
  1. Selection of a Project

There are as many types of projects as there are talents of people. Some projects consist of some form of building construction, evangelistic, medical,dental, staff relief, education and skill training. It is imperative that the project is one of MOM's choosing and not that of the team leader or the church who is sending the team.

  1. Questions to be Considered

The selection of a project that is appropriate is most important. The following questions should be considered:

  • How much project money for building materials, medical supplies, etc., (not including travel, food, and lodging) is the church willing to contribute?
  • What will be the cost per participant for personal expenses including travel, food, lodging and insurance?
  • How drastic are the cultural, geographical, social and language differences?
  • How many people and what age groups are involved?
  • What time factor is involved? (week-end, week, month,etc)
  • Is the time of year a critical consideration for either the team or area in which you will be traveling. This is important because of holidays within the country and the local weather.
  • What special skills do team members need?
  1. EstablishCommunications with the Resident Missionary

The team leader should consult with the Director of MOM and/or the resident missionary to establish the dates for the mission. An official team calendar is in the MOM office. It is also very important to consult with the missionary to establish the team size and to make arrangements for accommodations.

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TEAM RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

IQualifications

It is important that team members have certain basic qualities of character and commitment. The team leader recruits Christian people:

  • Who wish to participate for the purpose of serving God through work and witness, providing a unity of purpose
  • Who serve in a sense of friendship with the people at the work site and the host missionary?
  • Who can cooperate with the team leader and the resident missionaries at the project site, understanding the work must be done as requested by the missionary
  • Who function well in situations of language problems and conflicting work methods?
  • Who can commit to orientation and training meetings?
  • Who serve in a spirit of humility and joy?

It is helpful to make these desirable qualities clear to prospective team members at several points in the process of organizing the team.

Some health problems or emotional problems may cause undue hardship for the team, and the person whose health is impaired. Careful consideration should be given to this area, even if the person is insisting on being a part of the team.

The MOM experience is more than just work. It is the ministry and love that is shared, the team working together hand in hand, obeying the will of God. For this and other reasons, diversity of age, sex, race and skill levels within the team is advisable.

IIPUBLICITY & PROMOTION

Recruitment starts with publicity. In order to be effective it must include personal contact with people. Early publicity is a key element in team recruitment.

  1. Team Recruitment from a Single Church

When an individual church is organizing a team, the sources of good publicity are usually clear. The church may put notices in the bulletin or newsletter, which are both motivational and explanatory.

Use whatever communication the church uses for announcing new programs. Put up a poster on a bulletin board, ask the pastor to announce the trip from the pulpit, and send out letters to persons who might be interested.

Be available to speak to Sunday School classes or evening services. Presentations by MOM team members and short slide shows are effective in giving others a sense of the excitement of a mission trip. Be sure to make a list of all those who show an interest. Keep interested people up to date on plans.

  1. Forming a Multi-Church Team

Most churches need help in recruiting a full team and raising money for materials. Connect with other local churches to find interested people and work to have their church become involved in the project.

Additional methods of connecting with other churches:

  • Getting two or more churches to agree to help start the project, through pastors or missions committees.
  • Speaking to other pastors in the area. Someone may have already expressed an interest and they can announce the trip in their churches.
  • Being available to speak at Sunday night services. Always ask for interested persons to express their interest, getting names and addresses.
  • Ask the MOM Director or missionaries for a list of possible team members.

It is important to establish the number of team members early. If two or more churches agree to cooperatively publicize the trip, make sure each church knows how many people can be sent from each church. A 'waiting list' of interested people may be kept if the team roster becomes full.

Recruiting skilled people is very important depending on the type of mission team…construction or medical. Don’t over staff with unskilled people.

IIIRECRUITMENT

A few people will inquire and volunteer after seeing the early publicity. Most members, however, will have to be cultivated and approached personally.

IVAPPLICIATION and SELECTION

MOM has developed an application form that must be completed by potential team members. The form must be signed by the applicant's pastor. If the person does not have a pastor because he or she is not in a church, then maybe you need to question if they will be an asset to the team.

Minors should be selected with careful consideration and after consultation with parents. MOM recommends youth be 16 years old. In order for a 14 year old to be a part of the team, the parent also has to participate on the team.

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DEVELOPING the MISSION TRIP

ITime Line Development

An effective team leader creates and distributes a time line to those involved in the mission experience. Some important dates to include are:

  • deadline for submitting applications
  • departure and return dates for the mission team
  • date to start publicizing
  • deadline for paying for airline tickets if using the MOM credit card – 1 week after purchase
  • deadline for registration fee – your date will not be reserved until the deposit has been received in the MOM office
  • deadline for sending team money to the MOM office for wiring to the country in which the team will be serving – 3 weeks before team leaves the USA
  • dates for orientation and team meetings
  • date to hold a Sending Forth Service/commissioning for the mission team

IIBudget Preparation

In establishing the various types of expenditures a team will encounter, the team leader must calculate carefully and comprehensively. Some type of budget building experience is recommended. Major expense items are:

  • round trip airfare
  • daily living expenses (i.e. food, lodging & transportation)
  • Pre-departure expenses (i.e. correspondence, phone calls. Orientation costs, postage, etc.)
  • medical supplies
  • project contributions / Bible School, Construction & Education

There are a number of costs that are very often forgotten or unanticipated. Some of these are:

  • Departure tax - a number of foreign countries charge this tax as you depart from their country: your resident missionary can give you specific information about the country to which you are traveling.
  • Bottled water for drinking or soft drinks
  • Tips for airport porters and hotel bellhops
  • Monetary gifts for the staff
  • Fees for overweight luggage
  • Transportation to and from the airport

A sample budget is attached for Honduras and Mexico

IIIAccommodations and Meals

Arrangements should be made in advance for food and shelter. Teams will stay in a hotel in Honduras and Kenya and in the children’s homes in Tapachula. Some questions the leader should have answers to prior to leaving the United States are:

  • Where will the team stay?
  • What types of facilities are available?
  • Will linens & towels be supplied?
  • What is the distance to the work place?
  • Who will prepare meals and shop for food?
  • Will pure drinking water be available?
  • Electricity – 220 in Kenya and 110 in Honduras and Mexico

IVOn-Site Work

On-site work is the team's most time consuming activity. Whether the project is construction, medical, agricultural, or evangelistic, this phase of team life requires careful supervision. Constant communication with the local missionary is essential. The team leader and construction coordinator must remember to follow the local construction work methods. Teams will be resented if the team members try to force their construction methods on the local people.

VWorship & Music

Plan to attend worship services and participate if invited, but this depends on the country you are serving. Be prepared to speak to the local people about personal faith and reasons for involvement in missions. It is helpful to take song sheets for the team members to use in group devotionals. Everyone loves music, and it is not only fun, but also educational to share music across cultures.

Additional questions the team leader may want to have answered prior to leaving are:

  • Will there be a minister on the team to preach?
  • Should the group prepare special music?
  • What special evangelistic opportunities are available?
  • Who will be responsible for Vacation Bible School if that is a part of the ministry for the week?

VIVacation Bible School – only in Honduras and Kenya

Many mission teams have held highly successful Vacation Bible School programs in conjunction with the other mission projects. Remember, VBS requires much advanced planning. The most successful VBS have all materials prepared, music planned, stories ready, recreational games and material organized and snacks planned and organized prior to departure. A well-conducted VBS requires more advanced planning and preparation than any other phase of the mission. The team leader must carefully choose a person to coordinate the VBS and lend a helping hand when guidance and directions are needed. The VBS coordinator must be able to relate well to various personalities as well as skill levels. The responsibility of the VBS coordinator is discussed in greater detail later.

Hint: January and early February is the best months for VBS in Honduras. In Kenya, August is a good time because children are out of school and there is very little rain.

VIITravel Arrangements

Travel arrangements require varying degrees of planning, depending on the distance and means of travel to the mission. It is wise to begin arrangements for the international travel several months in advance of departure. This not only ensures plenty of preparation time, but also can usually aid in securing lower airfares, as well as ensuring adequate time for securing passports and immunizations. This is just one reason it is important to have your team organized several months in advance.