SHORT-TERM FAQ'S
Who is eligible for a short-term missions trip?
SAMS' emphasis is on sending Christian teams who are interested in short-term mission opportunities and are willing to agree to the application process and training procedure recommended by SAMS.
Lots of teams are made up of people from one or more churches in a community or diocese.
Who arranges the logistics for the team?
SAMS site coordinators and missionaries take care of all of the in-country arrangements for your team. They will work with you before you arrive to provide the best conditions for your team at a mutually agreed upon cost.
What do we do to get started?
Contact our short-term ministries coordinator or call SAMS at 724-266-0669.
SAMS offers Team Leader training every January in Ambridge, PA. We also offer the training at different church locations throughout the year. Check our website for training dates or contact our office if you like to host training.
What will our team do?
As a Christian missionary team, the first priority of each team member is to be an ambassador for Jesus through their personal demeanor. The goal is to leave the people in your host country wanting to know more about Jesus. Relationship building is your first priority as a team.
SAMS teams engage in a project determined by their missionary site coordinator. Quite often the teams provide the funding for the project and work alongside nationals in their host country to complete the project. Projects are not always construction projects; sometimes the teams are asked to get involved in social ministry projects. Sometimes teams are asked to engage young people in sports, cooking, or endeavors that don’t seem like service to North Americans. Remember, the goal is to be a witness for Jesus and that happens through building relationships.
What is the length of a short-term mission trip?
SAMS defines short-term missions as a period of time from one to two weeks. Generally the team departs the U.S. over a week-end, serves in their host country for one week, and returns home the following week-end.
What about a team from my Christian college group?
Great! As long your team leader has attended a SAMS Short-Term Mission Leaders’ Training Workshop and each team member can provide the Pastor’s Recommendation Form which is standard for all team members, your group can work with SAMS missionaries
What is the cost?
The cost varies according to the location in which the team serves and the cost of the mission project. Check our budget link for items that you need to cover as you plan your mission.
What is a good team size?
Generally three to twelve people make up a team. The larger the team the more difficult the logistics in your host country.
When can our team travel?
SAMS' Short-Term mission opportunities occur throughout the year depending on the needs of the site coordinator. Please consider serving at times other than the U.S. summer months as help is needed year-round.
Where will our team serve?
SAMS' short-term mission sites are defined by the location of our site coordinators. Site coordinators are generally SAMS' missionaries serving in the field. Find out where we serve.
We consider the gifts and skills of the team when we match your team with our site coordinator. If your church support’s a missionary and you will want to serve alongside your missionary, of course we will work with you and do our best to make that happen.