“Remember the time we had 32 people staying at the house and it rained and we had mudslides and the entire city of ten million people lost water for three days? We were one day away from having to tell everyone to poop in bags.“
This was a real conversation my husband and I had the other day.
It happened when we had two mission teams staying with us. (That had not been the plan, but booking mistakes were made. And who can plan for spontaneous rains and a mudslide in the desert?)
Some of our very best and our very worst memories on the field happened while hosting mission teams. Sometimes those good and bad memories happened while we were with them, and sometimes those memories happened because of them.
There were teams that brought so much life and joy with them that we couldn’t stop smiling. They were refreshing and energizing and ready to serve alongside us, and many even wanted to serve our family. They were flexible and resilient and brimming with love. Danny and I and our girls relished those individuals and gave thanks to God for them.
The majority of our teams were like this, and they fueled us as missionaries and the ministry we did. I don’t know what we would’ve done without them.
And then there were a few who weren’t.
They complained, demanded their own way, insisted on a pre-plan agenda, violated critical safety rules, caused drama, and wore us out in ways that knocked us out for days.
Because when missionaries host teams—you all know—we don’t usually stop everything else we’re doing in ministry. Teams are an add-on to it.
And when the teams are great, they caused the ministry to grow and flourish, leaving it better than when they came. When teams are not great, they leave you with triple the work you had before they came.
Have you ever found yourself in one of those situations? Do you wish you knew what you could do to help make your mission team hosting experience a consistently good one?
I’m not going to give you a fool proof list guaranteed to make every mission team hosting experience perfect. Because people are people, and you can’t control everything. Mudslides happen as well as government strikes and illnesses and all sorts of unplanned things.
But I can share with you some things we learned that helped make hosting mission teams consistently way more fun, both for us and for the teams.
Give them a story, not just a schedule.
At first, we thought logistics were the most important part of hosting a team. Where will they sleep? What will they eat? How will we get everyone from point A to B without losing our minds (or a teenager)?
But what we learned over time is that teams don’t just need a plan—they need a story to live inside of.
We started framing every trip like a three-part narrative. That shift made everything better.
Chapter 1: Before they arrive
We helped them think back to the moment God put the idea of this trip on their heart. What made them say yes? What did they leave behind to come? What did God provide to make it possible?
When they could see how God had already been at work before the trip began, it gave them eyes to keep seeing Him once they landed.
Chapter 2: While they’re here
This is where the story gets lived. The smells, the noise, the newness, the discomfort—it’s all part of it. It’s where growth happens.
We let them know: “This chapter will stretch you. You’ll be tired. You’ll be surprised. You’ll be inspired. You’ll probably get annoyed. That’s all normal. But underneath all of it, God is writing something in you and through you.”
We found it incredibly helpful to gather the team early and say clearly, “This is what your trip is about. This is why we’re glad you’re here. This is how we hope you’ll lean in.”
Chapter 3: When they go back
Even before the trip ends, we talk about how they’ll tell the story once they’re home.
Because let’s be honest—there are two ways it could go.
They could tell people, “It was hot, I got sick, the food was weird, and I didn’t sleep much.”
Or they could say, “I met a person who changed the way I think about faith. I saw God provide in real-time. I experienced joy in the middle of discomfort.”
We tell them: You’re already shaping your story by how you choose to engage right now.
That simple framework—three chapters—helped team members reflect more deeply, stay present, and go home with more than just photos. It also helped us feel like we were guiding an experience, not just hosting a group.
Bonus tip: Influence their mindset before they arrive.
When you can, try to be part of Chapter 1. A lot of team dynamics are set before anyone boards a plane.
One way to do that? Point them to pre-trip resources that shape their expectations. We highly recommend The Missions Academy. It gives team members a solid foundation before they hit the ground. If you haven’t already, check out the podcast episode I did with Jesse and Andrea where they explain how it works and why it matters.
Hosting mission teams isn’t easy. It stretches your schedule, your patience, your fridge space, and sometimes your plumbing. But when done well, it can also multiply the impact of your ministry and remind you why you started doing this work in the first place. It doesn’t make the hard parts go away, but it helps them matter in a way that’s actually life-giving.
May many life-giving teams come your way!
