Brethren programs sponsor Bread for the World guide for short-term missions.

"Getting Ready to Come Back: Advocacy Guide for Mission Teams" is a new resource from Bread for the World, with sponsorship from more than a dozen Christian groups including the Church of the Brethren. The church’s Global Mission Partnerships along with Brethren Volunteer Service and the Global Food Crisis Fund are partners with Bread for the World in publishing the book.

"For anyone doing a short term mission trip or a workcamp, this can be a helpful way to understand the context," said Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission Partnerships. "The intent is to help people answer the question, how do I grow from this experience, with an emphasis on the life-changing possibilities of the trip on the person’s return home."

The book is intended to help short-term mission teams traveling internationally to understand the root causes of hunger and poverty in the communities and countries they visit. The guide may be useful to church members who are participating in international workcamps, Christian Peacemaker Team delegations, or Vacation Bible School experiences in the Dominican Republic, for example.

The paperback spiral-bound book includes workbook sections to help participants research the host country and people; links to online resources for such research; scripturally based group study sessions to help groups process the experience; study guides for individual journals; worship resources including prayers, scriptures, a "stone by stone" activity, and a litany by Church of the Brethren pastor Jeff Carter; and ideas for participants who want to do advocacy for the places and people they have visited, after their return home.

Purchase "Getting Ready to Come Back" from Brethren Press for $10 each, or $25 for a pack of five copies. Shipping and handling charges will be added. Call 800-441-3712.

Source: 6/17/2009 Newsline