Central Asia (College)

What is the Goal of the Trip? 

The ministry partner uses short-term trips to find people of peace, share the gospel widely, and identify truth-seekers. They emphasize that prayer is the work, with teams spending significant time prayer walking and interceding for the city while engaging with people.

How Does The Trip Serve the Ministry Partner?

The team would do outreach in the local context, most likely at a university. The team would be utilizing local translators or try to meet people who speak English. The local people are generally so friendly and welcoming so it should be easy to make friends and have conversations! The ministry partner will follow up with any contacts who seem open to the gospel or who would be willing to study the Bible with them. 

The team would get to work with a ministry partner who has seen a church planted and grown by local refugee leaders. They have come alongside and supported and coached. So the team would also have an opportunity to support the work of that local church and serve their community through various programs they run such as ESL. 

What Heart Posture is Needed for the Trip

As team members are learning from and engaging with others, team members should have a heart posture of humility and remember that culture does not make people, people make the culture.You are part of the long-term team and are expected to participate in all their team-wide activities, events, fasts, meals, prayer meetings, work meetings, etc. Be ready to be flexible, as activities are often subject to change due to various factors (e.g. last minute invite to someone’s home).    

Other expectations include: 

• In light of our value to hear and obey the Holy Spirit, we expect all team members to spend individual time in the Word and prayer outside of group prayer meetings. This may sound far too obvious, but this can be a hard discipline to carry out, especially when on a village trip. We can’t emphasize enough the need to daily abide in the Lord!
• Come ready and eager to learn, as life and ministry here are most likely different from what you’re accustomed to.
• Be aware of your personal needs to maintain spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically health. If you need something, ask. 

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What to Expect

What Does Time with the Ministry Partner Look Like? 

You will spend time with the ministry partner or someone on their team daily as you work alongside them in their ministry. There will also be a daily debriefing time. 

What’s a Typical Day Look Like? 

The ministry partners find that the people are night people and not morning people and that teams meet more people in the evenings so we try to organize the trips that way. Plan to stay up late, but sleep in if you need to. They will likely touch base with the team each morning or early afternoon for a debrief time and then send them out for prayer walking, followed by a break and then going out for the evening to see if they can have spiritual conversations. 

What are Accommodations Like?

• Rooms will be same gendered. 
• The team will stay in a hotel near public transportation where someone from the long term team will meet them every day to go to the ministry site. 

What’s the Location Like?

• Weather - May is the ideal time to be in Central Asia because the weather is warm but not hot yet. 
• City vs. rural - the ministry partner lives in a large touristy city. 
• Air Conditioning - Where you will be staying will most likely have AC, but there is not always AC in public places. 
• Public transportation/walking - Teams will do a lot of walking and periodically will take taxis as a group.
• Traveling there
• Food - There are a lot of options in the city for food so most allergies are fairly easy to navigate. Bread is a staple in their diet though. If you have any food allergies, please let the FTN team know so that we can talk to you about how to best prepare and make accommodations. 
• Culture: Majority of the people who live in the city are muslim. There is a wide spectrum of agnostic to religious muslims. The city is a touristy city so there are people from all over.    

What All is Covered in the Trip Cost? 

Everything you need for your trip is included in the trip cost, which can be viewed here. These amounts are based on preparation costs and costs given to us by the ministry partner.

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Trainings

Trainings are essential for preparing well for the ministry your team will be participating in. Therefore, trainings are mandatory and if you need to miss, you will work with your trip leaders and Mission Lead to make up the content. 

The Heart Behind Training

We desire you to pursue Jesus in your daily life and grow to be more like Him. We will provide trainings that walk through abiding and resting in Jesus (John 15), ministry overview and expectations, culture, and logistics. While we can’t perfectly prepare you for everything you might encounter, we do our best to train you with everything you’d need for your trip. 

What is Covered in Trainings? 

• The vision and practicals of how to support raise. 
• The importance of gospel conversations and prayer coming from a place of overflow from your relationship with the Lord. 
• Gospel sharing tools. 
• How to care for people through prayer. 
• How to engage in prayer walking.   
• What the culture of  location you are going to is like.
• Practice going out and engaging in spiritual conversations with strangers. 

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Trip Leaders

What Are the Expectations of a Trip Leader? 

Being a short-term mission trip leader is a rewarding experience. It makes you a part of the Great Commission, letting you respond to God’s call to the nations in a sacrificial way while also shepherding a group of people. Check out the benefits and expectations here. If you are interested in being a trip leader, you apply through the application and complete the "Trip Leader" question section. 

What does Training for Trip Leaders Look Like? 

Once confirmed as a trip leader, the trip leaders will meet with the Mission Lead from their congregation and the For the Nations staff regularly for ongoing connection and support as well as equipping you on how to lead your team well!

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IRS Guidelines for Donations Given to Fund Short-Term Trips

Gifts to the For the Nations Fund are tax deductible. Gifts to the For The Nations Fund are used to support the church's global mission initiatives. You may preference the use of your gift, and we will endeavor to use the funds as you desire, but in order for the contribution to be tax-deductible, the church must have ultimate control and discretion as to how the money is spent.