Having been missionaries to Zambia, Africa, for ten years, we have made several trips across the ocean with our large family of eight. While we love traveling, it has not always been easy. Traveling with babies and toddlers have had their challenges, and flight delays have been burdensome. But through it all, we have learned some hacks and tips for traveling for cross-cultural missions as a family. These are things that we have learned first-hand and continue to use as we travel across the pond each summer with our brood. By implementing these tips, it will make your international travel for ministry and missions run more smoothly.
1. Raise money together as a family
Find creative ways for your family to raise money to go on your missions trip. Whether you have a community yard sale (selling donated items), a bake sale for friends and family, letters to send to church friends and family, a benefit dinner, or Saturdays to do yard work for members in your community, it is a special bonding experience when you fundraise together. We have seen God provide in miraculous ways for friends and family to go on missions together.
Our family is support-raised, meaning we rely on friends, family, and churches to give monthly so we can do ministry. We have been overwhelmed by God’s provision for us during the last ten years. It has stretched our faith as we have seen people of all ages and walks of life give to the Lord in this way. Pray as a family, organize as a family, and keep a chart of how God provides for you! One of our children’s most special memories is of the poster we had of a thermometer which we colored in as God provided for us. We colored it in a rejoiced as the “mercury” inched higher and higher to our goal.
“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-11)
2. Pack some food items from home.
Our family does not care for plane food. When we travel internationally, we mostly fly on airlines based in the Middle East. We are not used to this style of food, and we like to eat more familiar (and bland) food when we are traveling. Because of this, we pack a snack bag in everyone’s carry-on. This is a gallon-sized bag with trail mix, dehydrated fruits, pretzels, crackers with peanut butter, and other snacks to consume as we are in transit. We will often have leftover items to eat when we are in country as well.
When you are in this new country, there may be times that your body needs something to eat from home. You may not be used to the foods that you are served, or you may just not enjoy them. We like to have granola bars or protein bars as well as trail mix and other items to supplement the meals that we are given. Whether you like the food or not, it is very important to eat the foods that you are given as to not offend the people you are ministering to. You don’t want anything to hinder the Gospel or offend the believers where you serve.
It is also wise to bring a water bottle and drink packets (electrolyte packets too) to add to your water. Depending on where you travel, you may get dehydrated quickly. It is easy to add hydrating supplements to your water to make you feel better quickly, instead of missing ministry time to deal with it.
3. Bring medicines and simple first aid supplies.
When you are in a new country, you will want some common medicines or natural remedies to help you with sicknesses. Think about medicines for stomach illnesses, headaches, general pain, motion sickness, dehydration, flu, and cold. In some countries, you will not be able to easily find medicines you are looking for, or you might need to visit a doctor to get a prescription which would interfere with your time for ministry. We would also like to have a small first aid kit with bandages, tweezers, hand sanitizer (it is good for each member to carry one), antibacterial wipes, thermometer, etc.
4. Strategically pack your carry-on.
International flights are notorious for being delayed. While this doesn’t always cause problems, you should be prepared for a delay to your flights. This means that strategically packing your carry-on is essential. Pack things that you would need in a delay: toiletry items, personal care items, an extra set of clothing (for every member of the family), phone chargers, food and snacks that could sustain (especially if you don’t like the plane food), hand sanitizer, etc. We put like items together in a quart or gallon-sized bag in our carry-on to keep things organized. When you put headphones, chargers, and other cables in a bag together, it eliminates shuffling through the whole bag to get the one cable at the bottom of the bag. While plastic Zip-lock baggies work well, cute fabric bags are also available and can help you easily differentiate electronics from personal care items.
When traveling with your children, you will want some fun things for them to do as they wait. And you do a lot of waiting in airports, on planes, in lines, and in vehicles. Think of things that your children will like to play that will not require charging — like card games, word search puzzles, Sudoku puzzles, Rubix cubes, Water Wow! coloring books, and more! Having these interesting items for your children will help them to be happy while waiting.
5. Take great care of your passports
In our experience, it has been extremely beneficial to have my husband carry all our passports and boarding passes. It is great to have them in one spot (usually in a gallon-sized bag in his backpack). We don’t have to worry about where our eight-year-old put the passport. Or if our 14-year-old left it on the counter in the bathroom. It has saved much trouble for our family. We also have taken pictures of the first pages of our passports. It is nice to have this information saved on our phones in case of an emergency.
6. Maintain a good attitude.
Plans will change. Flights will be delayed. Materials will run out. Cell phone coverages will be spotty. Maintaining a good attitude is one of the keys to a successful trip. Often God will be using those distractions or shifts in your plans to carry out HIS purpose in our days. Be flexible. Trust that He is doing what HE wants you to do on this trip. His
Also, remember to be a learner. You have left your home country and are in a new country. This means that things will be different than you are used to. That doesn’t mean that this country does things “wrong”. Americans tend to think that their ideas are superior, so try to learn how and why this culture does things. Learn about their culture and their language. When you maintain a learning mindset and have a good attitude, it will transform your experience and the experiences of those around you.
7. Contact the CDC.
Before traveling cross-culturally for ministry, check the CDC (www.cdc.gov) to verify if there are some vaccinations or immunizations which are suggested or required to enter the country you are visiting. It is good to know what is necessary and what is recommended in that country. Many who travel to our part of Zambia, think they need to take medicines for Malaria, but that is not something that we have ever taken in the ten years we have been here. It is a recommendation but not a requirement.
8. Learn the language and culture.
As you are preparing to travel for your cross-cultural mission as a family, learn what you can about the language and culture. It will be helpful to your trip to learn common phrases in the local language. The people will love to hear you attempt to speak their language. Most of the time you can find out this information online and maybe even Youtube. Learn about their culture and geography as well. What common foods do they like to eat? Where is the capital city? What is their weather like? What religions are most common there? All of these things will be helpful in your quest to better understand the people you will be serving and will make your experience much richer and sweet.
To find out more about our missions organization, click HERE to read about Family Legacy Missions International.
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