5 Modern Ways to Prepare for Long Term Missions

Technology can steal precious time and opportunities from right under our noses, literally. But over the past few months I’ve found it to be super helpful when planning and preparing for our move to Budapest, when I’m not mindlessly scrolling the Interwebs. Here are just a few of the ways that we are preparing for our journey that missionaries even just a decade ago didn’t have access to. So why not take advantage?! Pivot some of that wasted time towards something more time-worthy!

1. Duolingo

Or any other language app that is more to your preference. This one is at the top of the list for a VERY good reason! We’ve been told nothing but intimidating things about the new language we are supposed to acquire when we move, cough, Hungarian, cough. But this wee little app and their owl mascot has me studying up a storm every evening earning experience points and banking up words and phrases in my head. Such a dream! A decade ago, you would have had to find a class that taught the language that happened to be on at convenient times. Or if the language was more obscure, you would have had to find a person in your town that came from there and started up some sort of informal class. And while these options are still great and have their perks, there is nothing like the immediacy and availability of a language app on your phone! Why wait until you’re in the country to start learning phrases that could make that transition a little bit easier? While my husband and I felt like absolute noobs spouting words at each other for the first week or so, it soon became comfortable to say words and phrases of our new language out loud #stoked. Get amongst!

2. Flexible study options

Sometimes in order to be sent overseas, study needs to be commenced. This study is usually to better prepare one for the missions field and all the weaknesses that can be unearthed through missions, such as cross-cultural misunderstandings, spiritual deficits, and my personal favorite, everyday life in an unfamiliar country. And while study doesn’t answer all the questions, it certainly does seem to help! A decade ago, missions study was only available on campus. So you were more than likely going to have to quit your full time job, collect full support or get a student loan, and then commence study for 2 or more years before even heading out! And while this still has a place in today’s world, there are so many more options out there now, and they’re exciting! There are evening classes, weekend classes, long distance courses, webinars and so much more! We are so privileged to be going out with One Mission Society, who have been so flexible when dealing with our job and life situation. We’ve been doing evening theology classes as well as a long distance cross-cultural paper, all from the comfort of our home at times that suits our young family. That would have been near unheard of 10 years ago!

3. Becoming a part of the team online

Facebook has the potential of becoming a massive time-waster, as touched on in point one, but this is yet another way to put a rein on it and point it in a direction that is super helpful. Our future team in Hungary has a few people as part of the team already, around 16 to be exact. And to keep everyone in the loop, they have a private Facebook page where they put up notices, a weekly video update from the team leader, and general chit chat relating to the current goings on in Budapest. And while we’re not there yet, it has been so good to see what’s happening while we’re support raising from New Zealand. As well as keeping our minds on our long term goal, it keeps us up to date with goings on and feeling like we’re part of the team already, which has been so valuable when times have become tough. So if there are a couple of people already on the ground where you’re looking to head, or you currently run even a small team, I would highly encourage looking at this as an option.

4. Follow some interesting podcasts and blogs

When we signed up to long term missions, we had no idea it was another whole subculture. While we knew that missions had been going on for centuries, we were unaware of the number of organisations and experiences there are out there. And one of the ways we’ve been able to tap into all that history and experience is by reading blogs and listening to podcasts. Everyone’s experience is going to be different, and while some of the other missionaries might be going to completely different cultures from you, it is super interesting hearing all the commonalities and what sets the success stories apart. And don’t limit yourself to missions only! I’ve found so many applicable resources through leadership podcasts, creative blogs, musings of interesting people, and wise words from leaders I look up to.

Make a shortlist of some local spots to visit

it’s getting a little informal down here at the lower end of this list, but there needs to be some fun right? One of the ways we are keeping motivated and on track with our tasks and study on this side of the adventure, is by looking up local places that we’d love to go visit and cute spots that could become our new date night prospects. While missions is obviously not going to be all flat whites and bliss balls, finding cute cafes that I could visit in my new city, for me especially, is helping keep me on track. And while not every missionary will be heading to a big city, there is always going to be a space where you can wind down and catch your breath. And if possible, being able to see that space from the other side of the world can very comforting.

Well there you have it! Let me know if the comments below if there’s something new you’re doing to prepare for missions that hasn’t been mentioned here, would love to hear your thoughts!