Prep for Mission Trips - It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

By Gail Marsh

So you’re thinking about your upcoming mission trip . . . wondering how this year’s trip can leave a lasting impression on the people you’ll serve, as well as impact the people on your mission team. It’s easy to make an impact with products from CTA’s Custom Connections—as easy as one, two, three! With CTA’s Custom Connections, you do these three steps:

1. Log on to http://www.CTAinc.com/CustomConnections.
2. Choose a product.
3. Make your personalized selections.

Custom Connections does all the rest! Your custom product will be made exactly as you’ve detailed. You just wait for delivery, pack your bags, and go!

How can Custom Connections enhance your mission team members’ experience? Let’s count the ways:

1. Matching hats, t-shirts, or bags imprinted with your church’s logo or mission theme will set your team apart. (Hint: matching colors can help you easily track team members in a crowd.) Order here! 
2. Gifting team members with a themed key chain can do double duty. It can serve as a luggage tag and also as a souvenir of your trip! Check out the Custom Connections selection of key chains. A wide variety of shapes and sizes are available.
3. Team members will use practical items like flashlights and drinkware every day—on the trip and afterward. Each time they take a sip or turn on the light, the personalized message will remind them of your trip and its purpose. For drinkware, pick your favorite style from a wide selection of water bottles, coffee mugs, and more! Are flashlights, tools, and gadgets more your group’s style? Why not put your logo on a tape measure, screwdriver, or LED torch light?

Custom Connections can also leave a lasting impression on the people you’ll meet and serve on your mission trip. Here are just three possibilities:

1. Many children’s items can be personalized with your message. Custom Connections offers sunglasses, zipper pulls, and bracelets. But don’t stop there! Take a look at even more kid-friendly gifts here. For very little cost, your team can leave a lasting impression on each child you’ll meet. 
2. Customization can feature your church or ministry organization’s name, of course. But feel free to think outside the box a bit. Perhaps you’d like a specific Scripture verse or Gospel truth imprinted on your giveaway items. Or, consider printing your mission theme on the gifts you plan to leave behind.
3. If your destination is a Spanish-speaking community, don’t forget that many of CTA’s items are also printed in Spanish. Your mission team can hand out bookmarks, children’s activity booklets, Gospel Story by Colors bracelets, and more—all written in Spanish! These Bible-based items will be read and treasured long after your mission team returns home.

To bring everything together, consider one final thought: give each mission team member one of CTA’s mission trip prayer journals to be used before, during, and after the trip.

May Jesus empower your mission, keep team members safe and healthy, and multiply your efforts to share his grace, forgiveness, and peace in the world!

We want to know! Where is your mission team heading this summer?

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use when you include this credit line and receive no monetary benefit from it: © 2019 CTA, Inc. Used with permission.