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"SAMPLE VIEWPOINT"

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Post-Field Triage

The Triage Concept

To help illustrate the Triage Concept, let's say you take a team of 12, ages 16-49, to Bolivia. After returning from the mission, your team members fill out their post-field evaluations. Their answers reveal that they each fit into one of three basic categories.  Everyone goes on a short-term mission for different reasons, their experiences are diverse and the application of these events in their lives varies greatly. How do we deal with the diversity? How can we follow-through on everyone who goes on a mission?

Category One Team Members

Here are examples of what these team members could do:

1. Attend three follow-through team meetings.

2. Participate in the Reporting Home service.

3.  Receive a field update from the team leader two months after the STM.

Category Two Team Members

This category receives the same follow-through listed in Level One with more customized attention. Encourage them to do the following:

4. Lead an aspect of next year's STM

5. Join the church Missions Committee

6. Challenge them to organize items from the 20 Mile Markers.

Category Three Team Members

This category receives the same follow-through as listed in Levels One and Two with even more customized attention. If they want to be missionaries, Bible translators, pilots, senior or youth pastors, they may want help choosing an educational path or a mission. They'll need practical involvement in ministry at the local church level. For example: 

7. Encourage them to attend (or take them to) missions-specific conferences such as Urbana.

8. Arrange appointments with sending organizations.

9. Recommend books, videos, organizations, websites, and magazines related to missions.  Click here. 

With the Triage Concept, you can structure your follow-through process to include spiritual challenge and encouragement commensurate to everyone on your team. Working smarter, not harder; more for those who need more, less for those who need less. It's a way to best use your time and energy and still minister to all.

Chapters seven through eleven, The Next Mile Resource CD, and the website contain helpful ideas, recommendations, samples, and links.