A mission trip is a big deal for anybody at any age. For parents, youth mission trips carry an extra weight because of the uncertainty involved. Even the best planned international mission trip can involve some unexpected events. One event that worries parents the most is the possibility of their child getting sick during a summer mission trip. Here are some tips to help you be most prepared in the event that your child does get sick during a mission trip.
- Get to know who your child is going with on the trip. Spend some time speaking to the adults who are volunteering on the trip. Knowing the people who are going to help keep your child safe will help ease your mind if your child gets sick.
- Help with the preparation for the trip. Ask questions at the meetings before the trip and know what the plan is if somebody gets sick. Sickness can be avoided during an international mission trip by paying attention to proper food preparation and knowing where your water comes from. Make sure you listen to these types of warnings at the prep meetings. Remind your child of these things before it’s time to leave.
- Follow the plan in the event that your child does get sick during a youth mission trip. Your group organizer probably has an email chain in place or in case something happens. Trust that the organizers know what they’re doing, and that they know where to get medical help if necessary. Do your part by praying and trusting the plan.
The opportunity to volunteer abroad can impact your child for a lifetime. As a parent, you can’t know every possible event that might pop up during your child’s international mission trip. However, with good preparation, active involvement, and following plans, you can know what to do in the event that your child gets sick on a mission trip.
At Mission Discovery, we have all of the tools to make your child’s next opportunity to volunteer abroad a success. Check out some of the amazing youth mission trip opportunities that we offer in the U.S. and abroad.
