"Letter to Parents"

Dear Parent of a Student Missionary:

Congratulations on your student's appointment as a student missionary with the International Mission Board (IMB). We want to assure you that you and your son or daughter have our full support during their preparation for, travel to, and service on the mission field. We are excited to help your student take the Gospel to the nations of the world.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the important materials related to the missions assignment sent to your student if he/she is an individual youth or college applicant. Additional items included with this letter for your benefit are as follows:
(1) Answers to questions frequently asked by parents of student missionaries
(2) A list of questions your student may want to ask the field supervisor
(3) A timeline noting deadlines for mission preparation
(4) Debriefing materials that will enable you to help your student re-enter the culture of the USA after the student mission project.
All of these items will help you to understand your student's mission preparation and experience. Each of these items is also available on our website at http://thetask.org/students/Info/parents.htm.

The Approval Packet sent to your student is comprised of information in two parts: part one contains materials sent by postal mail; part two contains materials available on our website. Part one contains the following information:

• Project request

• The request provides all of the details of the assignment, including the location, cost on the field (food, lodging, and in-country transportation), nearby medical facilities, and the contact information for the field supervisor.

• Security Information

• If your student will serve in a security-sensitive region of the world, security information is included in the Approval Packet. If your student will serve in a non-restricted region/country this information will be omitted from the Approval Packet. The security level for your student's assignment is on the project request in the "General Information" section.

Part two of the Approval Packet is posted on the IMB student missions web site at http://www.thetask.org/students/approved. Part two contains the following information:

• Travel insurance

• http://www.thetask.org/students/Approved/
  default.htm#travel on the "insurance" link.
• Your student is responsible for enrolling for travel insurance at least 3 weeks before departing for the mission project. Travel insurance from Adams and Associates is required for all student missionaries and is available for $2 per day. The coverage is comprehensive travel insurance, not just medical insurance. The website for all coverage information, on-line enrollment, and claim forms is in the packet. If you prefer a paper copy, please contact our office at 1-800-789-4693 or studentteam@imb.org.
• Please remind your student to list a beneficiary on the insurance enrollment form. This information is not optional as the form indicates.

• Spiritual Preparation

• www.thetask.org/students/Approved/default.htm#go on the "Spiritual Preparation" link.
• Preparing spiritually is the most important aspect of a student's training for international mission service. Bible studies and other guides for personal spiritual preparation are included in this section.

• Travel Agents

• www.thetask.org/students/Approved/default.htm#travel on the "Travel Agents" link.
• Your student is responsible for contacting the assigned travel agent and making travel arrangements to the mission field. We recommend travel agents according to the part of the world in which the students will serve. The use of the recommended travel agent is not required, but is strongly advised, as outlined on our website at http://missionarytravel.info/whyuseus/.
• The recommended travel agents will only use reputable airlines and will be available to assist your student as needed during travel, should mishaps occur.

• Immunizations

• www.imb.org/medinfo
• Immunizations must be completed by one month before leaving the USA for the vaccine to be active. All of the required and recommended immunizations for your student's country of service is included in the packet as designated by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

• Visa

• www.thetask.org/students/Approved/default.htm#travel on the "Visas" link.
• Does the country in which your student will serve require a visa? If so, what is the visa application process? Answers to these questions are provided in the packet. If a visa is required, the travel agent will assist with this process.

• Physical Preparation

• http://www.thetask.org/students/Approved/default.htm#go on the "Physical Preparation" link.
• This manual gives tips on packing, staying healthy, and keeping safe on the mission field.

• Funding

• www.thetask.org/students/Approved/default.htm#go on the "funding" link.

• Prayer Support

• www.thetask.org/students/pdfs/prayer_strategy.pdf on the "prayer support" link.

• Cross-Cultural Training

• http://www.thetask.org/students/Approved/UpdatePages/
  tips_crossingcultures.htm. Many state conventions and other entities in cooperation with the IMB now offer specific training for volunteers in how to minister in another culture. This training is a required part of your student's preparation.

For questions about logistical arrangements (travel, passport, etc.) for your student's project, first see our website www.thetask.org/students/Approved.
If you still have questions about project logistics, please contact the Student Mobilization Team at studentteam@imb.org or 1-800-789-4693.

For specific questions related to the country in which your student will serve, we recommend that your student contact the field supervisor listed on the project request. Please keep in mind that some field personnel work in countries that are not open to missionaries or to the Gospel. We consider these areas "high security" areas. The security code for the country in which your student will serve is listed on the project request in the "General Information" section. If the security code is 2 or 3, please refrain from using vocabulary which indicates the religious nature of this trip such as "missions," "evangelism," "God or Jesus," "church," etc. when communicating with the field supervisor. If questions arise about the security level or the appropriate language to use in communication with the field, please ask your student to contact the Student Mobilization Team at studentteam@imb.org or 1-800-789-4693.

We look forward to working with your student to take God's glory to the ends of the earth.

Blessings,

The Student Mobilization Team, IMB

Encl.