Short Term Teams

Purpose
MVA Mission teams and individuals work through our Field Coordinators in the Asia Pacific to help the national churches in teaching, training, holding outreaches and working on specific community projects. However the main purpose of each mission team is to share the love and message of Christ where ever they go.

Team Information

Length of Short Term Mission Trips
The length of most trips is two weeks. This can vary to meet the needs in the field and the needs of those going. We can arrange for individuals to go for up to three months if the need is there.

Size of teams
Teams vary in size to meet the needs in the field and according to the location. A team of approximately 3 - 12 people is a good size. MVA will also send individuals to meet specific needs in the field. A team can be built with members from one church or a number of churches.

Trip Costs
All team members are responsible for their own expenses. MVA works with our Field Coordinators and travel agent to put together a trip budget. The quoted cost of a trip includes all airfares, in country transport, food, accommodation, Visas, airport taxes, travel insurance and team training. We require a deposit of $150 with each team member's application form. (refundable) .

Age of team members
The age of team members vary from youth to older adults. Parental permission is required for those under 18. Parents and children of all ages are welcome to join teams.

Team Leaders
Team leaders work under the supervision of the MV Field Coordinator to utilize individuals on the team in their areas of gifting and talents. Most team leaders have participated in prior short term trips with MVA. MVA holds training for short term team leaders.

MVA Short Term Team Training
Our passion at MVA is to send out well trained effective teams that are culturally sensitive, teams that will make a difference in the lives of the people they are going to. Teams that will demonstrate the love of Jesus at all times in all they do and say.

To enable this we seek to take each team through a detailed training program that will equip them individually and as a team for the job they are to do.

The MVA training involves team members meeting once a week for 6 -8 weeks prior to the trip where we cover what we call the Seven Essentials of Short Term Team Training.

These Seven essentials are…

Types of Teams

Youth & Children
MVA has short term teams that work in orphanages, children's homes and also with churches that require help with their children's ministry. These teams get involved in Kid's Clubs, dramas, puppetry, child evangelism, teaching English in schools, telling stories, running camps, building relationships and helping to set up feeding programs.

Youth
The energy and excitement that is generated from a youth team can have a tremendous impact on a hurting world. Youth can use their creative talents and God given gifts to evangelize, equip and train others through creative arts, puppets, personal testimonies and construction projects.

Many young people return home from mission trips with a fresh vision for missions, one that God can use to mould and shape their futures, also becoming more involved in the ministry of their local church.

Opportunities exist for young people to be involved in basketball and discipleship programs, surfing and evangelism, youth training camps (Mission Bridge) and evangelistic outreaches and much more.

Evangelism/Preaching/Teaching
MVA holds Evangelistic crusades, Bible teaching Seminars for churches and Pastors & Leaders Conferences doing Bible teaching and leadership training. These are very well received and much needed in the churches of developing countries throughout the Asia Pacific.

Mixed Teams
Mixed teams seek to combine interests, skills and strengths to meet the needs in the field.

English Teaching:
Teaching English as a second language is in great demand and we receive many requests from countries like Indonesia for people who will go and teach English. We need teaches to teach English to both adults and children even in Muslim schools. The doors are open for English teachers.

Professional and technical Skills:
There is also a need for professional and people and those with technical skills who can go and teach these skills in a developing country.

We need people skilled in English Teaching, Multimedia, IT, Crafts, Music, all the various Trades, Dress making & Hair dressing etc.

Training & Equipping
MVA uses the Mission Bridge Training program to train mainly young people for life and ministry. Mission Bridge involves MVA team members leading a 5 day camp for national Christians of varying age but mainly young people. During the camp the participants are involved in teaching sessions (2 a day) discussion times, prayer and times of impartation.

Special electives on leadership and other areas of need are also held. During the camp participants are trained and equipped with tools for evangelism. They are taught dramas, action songs, ways of sharing the gospel and their testimonies as they reach out the lost of their nations.

Following this training time all camp participants (including the Australian team) go on a 5-7 day outreach living and working in villages. On this outreach they are given opportunity to put all they have learnt into practice.

Prayer Teams
There are opportunities for us to take teams into very sensitive countries where we are unable to do any mission work or even to meet with the national churches as it would put them at great risk. However we are able to go in as tourists and pray especially doing prayer walks. We are keen to do this and are always looking for people with an intercessory burden to be involved in this type of team.

Medical & Community Health
Medical teams reach out to help meet the desperate physical and spiritual needs of impoverished people. Through these teams, needy people experience the loving hand of God as their physical and spiritual needs are met bringing relief of pain and a new hope of tomorrow. MVA holds medical and dental clinics in churches, schools, community centres and where ever they can to touch lives in a practical way with the love of Jesus.

There are many opportunities in the field and we are always in need of medical professionals and those who are interested in the area of Community Health.