International Missions Board
Your Praying | Your Giving | Your Going | Your Knowing

Volunteers serve in a variety of self-funded projects.Short-term missionaries serve overseas for 2-3 years.Long-term missionaries demonstrate a long-term call to missions and initially serve in a 3 year apprentice term.
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Go back to the short-term service opportunities home page.
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Research the current needs from around the world.
An overview of the short-term application process and necessary steps.
Avoid potential delays by reading about issues related to securing medical clearance.
Read the screening process timeline - application deadlines, screening conference dates, and field personnel orientation.
Research the IMB regional Web pages to see what God is doing around the world.
Questions and answers, frequently asked questions and other online help.
Read some postcards from journeyman missionaries from around the world.
Find links to stories about short-termers from around the world.
Information about subsequent assignments - serving another 2-3 year ISC term.
Information about attending a debriefing conference - for returned missionaries after their term of service.
How to mobilize your church or BCM toward greater involvement in world missions.
 
Home > Short-Term > Application >

Field personnel orientation

[ Preparation ] [ Immunizations ]

Approved Journeyman personnel will attend a eight-week orientation at the International Learning Center in Rockville, Va., (just 20 miles west of the IMB home office in Richmond).

Here is where you will learn more about the country and culture of the place you will call home for the next two years. It is a transitional community designed to help you leave the states and prepare for a successful missionary term overseas.

You’ll also develop skills and relationships that you will treasure for a lifetime.

Preparation
There are a lot of issues one must consider prior to field arrival. The student mobilization team has gathered some great information addressing these issues - Go

Field departure
Personnel depart for their overseas assignments following a successful completion of orientation. Not everyone going through orientation will head overseas.

  • Some orientation participants have chosen not to head overseas, for various personal reasons. This can be a good decision, too. People need to go when the timing is right.
  • For others, the orientation experience has provided the IMB with additional information about an applicant that raises concern about their serving overseas at this time.

But, for most folks, they head to the field from one to two weeks after orientation. Face it, by this time you’ll be ready to head out on your Journey of a lifetime! Your regional office will guide you in decisions regarding your field arrival schedule.

Many good-byes are already said prior to orientation so it can be a good decision to depart directly from orientation if your regional office agrees to this timing. One drawback is the luggage allowance for domestic travel is so much less than an international flight.

Days in the States following orientation are at the discretion of your regional office and are not an entitlement.

 

 

Get started in the application process - Research assignments online

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