At various times throughout Brigada’s 15-year-life-span, we’ve sought out ways to connect prospective short-termer with prospective opportunities. Bob pulled us aside recently and asked again for the best way to make these connections and it occurred to me that it had been a while since we asked. Would you please click “Comment” below and list your favorite way to switchboard these two groups together? … the hosts with the short-termers themselves? For example, suppose a prospective short-termer was interested in doing a trip to get pure water for some location that previously had none. Where would he/she begin searching? Thanks for any help you can render.
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Scott Moreau and Mike O’Read recently published a good annotated list on this topic in the July issue of Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ). It’s titled “Finding the Right Missions Service Opportunity.” Find the basic info it covers at http://www.mislinks.org/practical/opportunities.htm
The STM list includes ChristianVolunteering.org, Finishers Project,
Mission Finder.org,
Missions-Trip.com,
ShortTermMissions.com, and more.
I’d encourage the short-term-mission candidate not to just go to the web, but to pursue opportunities through their own web of relationships as well, e.g., among the missionaries and organizations connected to their home church, Christian leaders they know and respect, etc.
I did my dissertation research several years back on the topic of strategic short-term missions in the age of CPMs. You can find the book version here:
http://www.e3resources.org/search.php?search_query=Striking+the+Match&x=0&y=0
The main thing when selecting whom to work with is how your short-term work fits into a long-term strategy (I argue that church planting is the most effective). The ministry that, in my opinion, does this most effectively is http://www.e3partners.org
I’m biased, but, the 2 best websites by far are still http://www.ShortTermMissions.com and http://www.MissionFinder.org for 1 week to 2 month trips.
ShortTermMissions.com gives lots of details about 1200 trips offered by 103 organizations. MissionFinder.org gives a short description and link to about 1200 organizations. Both will serve you well in finding a mission trip that fits you.
But pastors and leaders you know also have great suggestions of places and groups! Be sure to get their valuable input.