An international security expert provides five valuable tips for planning the safety of short term mission trips.

"My experience in the security sector has given me a good appreciation for planning.  Those groups that literally “wing it” on international trips put themselves in harm’s way without proper preparation. God gave us brains to think and plan. Let’s use the gifts God has given us! Safety should always be a priority in your preparation process when traveling to places your group is not familiar with. So, I have five easy and practical recommendations for those of you planning a team mission trip to another country".

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These five tips will increase your mission team’s safety and help your team members enjoy their ministry experience.

1. Assign responsibility for security planning and briefing to a member of your mission team.
2. Assign responsibility for host country research and...

How can ministry workers in the field receive member care for trauma counselling?

Our Christian Ministry Maven for this episode is Patricia Jehle, a university instructor in Switzerland and a business coach. Often the questions of why and how to find member care for overseas ministry workers and missionaries are real and pressing.  Patricia Jehle addresses the issue of critical incident trauma often experienced by ministry workers and how to find help. Patricia points out the why and options for missionary and other ministry workers receiving member care while they serve in remote locations. Our Ministry Maven responds to this listener's request:

"One of our close missionary partner families were brutalized by thieves in their own home several years ago. I had to get them to hospital and then arrange for their evacuation home. Now I can't sleep through the night and constantly have nightmares. I can't seem to focus. My ministry is suffering. I know I'm suffering...