While on your PVT, you may see hungry children, or pastors struggling to care for their congregations. There may be women caught in unthinkable situations. The needs will often be great, and it causes us to recognize how much we really have. We begin to think how much good, from a North American viewpoint, we can do with even relatively small amounts of money. We address this now, not because we require you or even expect you to give financially while on the trip, but because we know from experience that hearts are often broken and compassion is stirred by the things you may see on the trip.
The impulses of compassion and a desire to help are good things. They reflect the heart of God toward those who are suffering. And while we never want to squelch what the Spirit is stirring or speaking to your heart, the issue of “the best way to help” is not always a simple one. However, there are some widely accepted best practices that grow out of an informed sensitivity to the situations in which we minister. We want to do everything we can to avoid being paternalistic Westerners who go into a different culture and think we have all the answers. Therefore, we work closely with our ministry partners and with our long-term missionaries on this.
The infusion of cash into a culture vastly different from our own, without awareness of its full impact and without accountability, often causes more harm than good after we leave. Therefore, we ask you to not give direct financial assistance while on the PVT without the specific input of the PVT Facilitators. This includes responding to begging children or handing someone a few dollars* or donating to a larger project or organizing a fundraiser for a need you observe. For those of you who want to help financially, we will provide opportunities to do so after the trip. We work with our local partners, and with our long-term missions teams, to identify the areas where your financial assistance will have the greatest impact and be administered in a way consistent with the needs and ministry in that area. (*A few of our ministry partners may have a different policy regarding small amounts of money given to people you encounter. If that is the case, we will let you know.)
First and foremost, we must honor our ministry host's guidelines on alcohol and tobacco. Some locations allow alcohol to be consumed outside of ministry time, while at others it is strictly prohibited. We need to be mindful that our actions reflect upon our ministry contact's reputation after we leave. We do not allow ministry funds to be spent on alcohol. If the ministry allows alcohol to be consumed (for instance buying drinks in bar ministry), we cannot use trip funds for those purchases. That MUST come out of the participants' pockets if they feel led to do so. Gap Year participants are not permitted to either consume alcohol or use tobacco under any circumstances (even if legal age in country). They sign an agreement to this policy before going onto the field.
Adventures in Missions is not a medical practice. We cannot give you recommendations about immunizations and other health related issues. Our facilitators and mobilizers can only share their experiences and are directed to point everyone to the CDC Website.
As a photographer, it's easy to see a poor, cute African child and think, "that would make a great photograph." Your intentions may be to show the poverty and need to people back home, but you must first remember you represent Jesus Christ and Adventures in Missions. In addition, there are stereotypes associated with being from the West that we want to avoid. Although most countries do not have the same laws in regards to photography that we do in America, there is still a certain etiquette to consider when taking pictures at your ministry sites.
Be sensitive to the culture and individuals you photograph. It is pretty rare, but there are still some cultures that in general do not like their pictures taken. More commonly though are individuals who may shy away from the camera. If someone doesn't want his or her picture taken, be respectful, don't try to take it anyway.
Try to blend in. You will already stick out because you are a Westerner, and in most places (especially in Africa), the second you pull out your camera children will run up to you begging you to take their picture. While these can be fun shots of their smiling faces, it brings a lot of attention to you and can be very distracting.
Get to know the subject of your photograph. You can snap a picture of someone who is dirty and poor, but the picture will have a lot more meaning when you hear that person's story first. We've also found you actually get better pictures when you take the time to talk to them and become their friend first. A good rule of thumb is not to take a picture of someone if you haven't asked for and remember their name.
Be aware of the sensitivity of our ministries. In some cases, posting pictures to the Internet can be dangerous for the person in the picture. In China, we do not allow any pictures of locals to be posted because of China's proselytization laws. In all cultures, you must be careful of taking pictures of women who are caught in prostitution or have been freed from prostitution because they may have been trafficked. Any publicly posted pictures from the Red Light Districts need to have faces blurred out. Also, we recommend steering clear of naked children, no matter how innocent. In Ireland, it is illegal to take a picture of a child, period. When you enter a country, ask your contact what is okay in order to ensure the safety of the ministries.
When in doubt, ask permission. This is true especially in sensitive cases like visiting hospitals, orphanages, and church meetings. Double check with your contact or someone working at the facility before pulling out your camera.
Remember you are first here to minister. For an avid photographer it is easy to want to capture every moment with your camera, and while this can be a ministry in and of itself, be aware of the times you need to put the camera down and just love someone.
P V T E M E R G E N C Y N U M B E R : 877.356.9266
A D M I S S I O N S A D V I S O R : 770.744.4542