1) CALMS shares a complementary copy of the book, "Short-term Missions Workbook" by Tim Dearborn with each team leader to use in preparing his/her team for missionary service. CALMS has reviewed several dozen short-term mission workbooks and has decided to use this one since it includes the information we believe to be important and since it follows a very participatory approach.
2) CALMS also sends to each team leader a number of resources that we have developed such as Bible study guides, team building suggestions, prayer resources, helpful Spanish words, cross-cultural information, a discussion guide about the outcomes of a health church, information about how to work with cross-cultural partners, how to avoid creating dependency, and how to help build the ministry capacity of Central American partners.
3) CALMS is prepared to share photos, Power Point programs, stories and short videos about specific countries and ministries to help your team understand the setting where they will be serving.
4) CALMS also will send each short-term leader helpful links to maps and other useful information about the country to which a team is preparing to visit.
5) Depending on the nature of the team, CALMS shares additional helpful information with the team leader.
a)For example, medical team leaders receive a formulary list to help chose the right medications to take along. Medical leaders going to Guatemala also receive a history of the medical clinic in Guatemala and are asked to sign a covenant document that outlines the responsibilities of all the partners.
b)Housing team leaders will receive information about the family their team will be helping. They will also receive a design for a plaque that they are asked to prepare to present to the family on dedication day. Housing team leaders also are asked to sign a covenant document outlining the responsibilities of all the partners involved in the project.
c) Teams that involved in a capacity-building project such as a seminar for a congregation will receive information about the congregation's history and situation as well as a list of previous workshops shared with that congregation. Based on our experience with these congregations and through dialog with our Central American partners, we will also help you determine the most effective ways to approach your seminar so that it will have maximum effect.
