St. Luke’s Anglican Church
Sharing the Gospel on a mission trip

Have you ever thought about going on a mission trip? But like Jonah you raised all sorts of objections about why you shouldn’t go. How could I contribute on a mission trip? Don’t I need a lot of money to finance a trip? How safe will I be traveling to a foreign country?
     St. Luke’s Mission Committee has compiled a number of questions and answers below about mission trips to help make you more at ease as you plan and undertake a trip.
     The Committee is comprised of a group of parishioners, who help parish members discern how God may be calling them to fulfill the “Great Commission” (Matthew 28: 18-20). It is the committee’s desire to help you experience a positive, significant spiritual encounter with some of God’s people in different cultures.

Q. What is a short-term mission?
A. A visit to another culture for less than a year to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Q. Do I need to have specific gifts to go on a short-term mission trip?
A. There is always a place for your gifts on a trip, which might include: teaching, healing prayer, construction, or inter-cession. 

Q. How can I benefit from going on the mission trip?
A. You will be blessed as you bless others. 

Q. What happens on trips?
A. You will go to a pre-arranged location with a team of other Christians to share your God-given talents with people of another culture. 

Q. How safe are the areas I will be visiting?
A. On-site missionaries and the mission committee will be able to provide you with information about physical safety, including food and water. It is always wise to leave valuables at home. 

Q. Do I need to know the language?
A. Interpreters are usually available on mission trips. 

Q. How long do most trips last?
A. Usually from seven to 14 days. 

Q. Do I need special immunizations?
A. Check with your county board of health to see what immunizations are required for the area you will be visiting. You must receive all immunizations recommended in order to participate in a St. Luke’s-sponsored trip. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a web site (www.cdc.gov/travel/) for updated travel information wherever you may be interested in traveling. 

Q. Where does St. Luke’s currently offer foreign mission opportunities?
A. St. Luke’s is active in supporting ministries in Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, Panama and the Ukraine.
     In Recife, Brazil, St. Luke’s supports the ministries at Casa da Esperança (House of Hope) that include day care and after-school activities, medical and dental clinics, a food ministry, prenatal care, a church, English language lessons, and arts, crafts, cooking, and computer work-shops.
     New short-term opportunities in Kenya under the direction of Father’s House International include ministering to children and staff at an orphanage in Kakamega, completing work projects at the orphanage, and visiting poor and sick villagers.
     In Matamoros, Mexico, St. Luke’s assists in the construction of a complex that houses Castella del Rey Church and a church school. Other ministry opportunities include hospital visitation, participation in Vacation Bible School, and sending teachers to train missionaries and seminarians.
     Agape Mission Society in Panama, which is led by Dale and Kimberly Kapsar, is a ministry that primarily serves indigenous peoples by teaching English language skills, helping with home construction, Bible studies, medical outreach, and teaching vocational skills, and hygiene and sanitation.
     Father’s House Church in Kharkiv, Ukraine, is the center of many outreach opportunities for short-term missionaries such as: leadership training, marriage counseling, inner healing, youth leader-ship, and ministry to the local Kharkiv community. 

Q. How much might a typical trip cost?
A. For 7-10 days in Brazil, the approximate cost is $1,300.
     A two-week trip to Kenya costs approximately $3,000.
     One week in Mexico costs approximately $750.
     A seven-day trip to Panama costs approximately $700.
     The estimated cost of a two-week trip to Ukraine is $2,500.
Prices quoted include air fare.

U.S. citizens traveling to all these countries must have a valid U.S. passport. Your passport must not expire sooner than SIX MONTHS before the completion of your trip. A visa is also required for travel to Brazil and Kenya. 

Q. What procedure must I follow to go on a mission trip?
A. 1. Match your gifts with mission opportunities on the St. Luke’s web site www.stlukesakron.com. 

2. Contact a Mission Committee member for a mission trip request form: 

Roger Ames              330-665-2227
Bing Henderson         Unlisted
Kevin Krupp              440-774-5092
Ken & Sylvia Lutke     440-238-6382
Chuck Rankin            330-239-2868
Ron Winters              330-342-0588

A Mission Committee member can provide you with information on the timing and needs for your particular area of interest, and can assist you in forming a team and picking a team leader. 

3. The team leader should attend a mission committee meeting with a com-pleted request form, no later than SIX MONTHS prior to the intended departure date. 

4. After your team leader attends a mission committee meeting, a committee member will be assigned to your team to help walk you through the preparation process. 

5. After visiting a mission committee meeting, the committee may approve a scholarship of up to one-third of the cost of a mission trip sponsored by St. Luke’s parishioners. An applicant should be aware that he/she is expected to provide at least two-thirds of the cost of the trip. These two-thirds can be raised from friends and family subject to Mission Committee guidelines. In determining your cost for the trip, you may not include the money that you would lose in wages or salary due to missionary travel. 

Q. Will someone debrief me upon my return home?
A. The Mission Committee will provide you with a debriefing opportunity upon your return.

Hoping to hear from you soon,
Mission Committee Members