Training Missionaries During Survey Trips

I posed a question to a group of missionary women recently. The responses I got were wonderful!

My husband and I were blessed in that when we were on our two-week survey trip, we stayed with some veteran missionaries who intentionally made it a training period. They taught us an enormous amount of practical things! Our first year has been less traumatic and overwhelming because of this training. So, with this in mind, I asked these ladies, "What would you teach a new missionary while they were on their survey trip?" 

Here are some of the responses I got:

• Teach them to hang out in environments as close to the one they are moving to as possible. Get to know the shops, the smells, the crowds.
• Teach them how to use public transportation, bus routes, subway stops.
• Teach them about the medical system, learn from it and not fear it.
• Teach them driving skills/rules.
• Teach them food cleaning and sanitizing.
• Teach them how to properly queue up (line up) at post office/bank/restaurant, etc. Lining up for a turn is different in different countries.
• Teach them how to check the mail at the post office.
• Teach them etiquette and skill on arguing prices/taxes, etc.
• Teach them how to improvise cooking.
• Teach them basic "from scratch" recipes (ex. making self rising flour).
• Teach them the names of kitchen staples.
• Teach them the importance/priority of a close walk with the Lord on the field.
• Teach them shopping, cleaning, cooking, how to take a taxi.
• Teach them necessary items to carry with them when they leave the house: hand sanitizer, toilet paper, filtered water to drink, Pepto, and Cipro!
• Teach them keys to relationship building in the culture.
• Teach them the priority of learning the language.
• Teach them how to conserve water.
• Teach them how to wash clothes by hand.
• Teach them about finding a house and where to get things to furnish that house.
• Teach them the importance of adapting to the culture.
• Teach them measurement conversions.
• Teach them cultural do's and don'ts.

Thank you for your participation, ladies! I hope this list is a real blessing to others who desire to help new missionaries transition to their new home.

In Christ (and He in me,)

Charity -- Southern Asia