Would you believe me if I said clothing can hold people back from serving in missions? It’s true though. The two questions that are repeated to me most when planning mission trips are:
- What will we do?
- What should I wear?
For anyone who has served others, whether locally or globally, these are hardly the most important questions to ask! Nevertheless, they often cause potential missionaries to decline the call to serve. It’s not wrong or heretical. It’s just basic human psychology; it’s the way our minds work! Maslow wrote about it at length in his hierarchy of needs. He suggested that our minds can’t conceive of much when our basic needs aren’t met.
And since Genesis 3, clothes have been a basic need.
I’ll answer the question of “What will we do?” on another day. For now, here’s what I would recommend to wear on a mission trip.
Outfits
When planning your outfits, first check the weather. If you’re traveling to a rainy climate, you’ll need a rain jacket. If you’re traveling somewhere warm, you’ll want light, loose-fitting clothing. Many places near the equator or with higher elevation will be hot during the day and chilly at night. Don’t let the sun deceive you when it sets! Pack a sweatshirt, even when going to warmer climates like this. You may also want a hat for sun relief.
Next, check your itinerary. Most mission trips include a church service, which you will want to dress appropriately for–more on this later. Oftentimes you’ll be interacting with kids at schools, playing games, or even just in the community streets. For these situations, jeans or basketball shorts, and t-shirts work well. If you’re completing a building project, you’ll want closed-toed shoes and clothes you can get dirty.
Finally, consider the culture. For daily wear and especially for the church services you’ll attend, research the culture to learn what’s appropriate. Modesty standards differ in each community. I’m not talking about the theology of modesty here, nor what the Bible says about it. When Scripture mentions modesty, it’s almost always referencing wealth. Being modest by biblical standards is not about what skin is showing, it’s about showing off. This is simply about entering into a new place, with new people, a new way of life, and being respectful of what you’re entering into. For many places, this means longer skirts or pants are appropriate for Sunday morning worship. Look at pictures of the mission and church you’re visiting and see what people are wearing, then pack that!
Aside from clothes, be mindful of your shoes and accessories. Sandals are usually fine, but you’ll also want tennis shoes for long days of walking and working. It’s best to keep any sentimental jewelry at home. As a general rule, only pack items you would be okay with not coming home with. When traveling with groups of people, things can easily go missing or get misplaced. It’s no one’s fault; it’s not a matter of trusting your mission team or the people you’re visiting. Instead, it’s just one of those mysteries of life, like when both socks don’t come out of the washer and dryer.
Many mission sites will also invite you to leave your clothes behind. They will wash and donate or sell clothes and shoes as they see fit based on their communities’ needs. Keep this in mind when you’re packing, and take clothes and shoes with you that you’d be willing to leave behind if you have any. Not grubby or overused clothes; something you would still consider buying from a thrift store.
… But Remember
The most important thing to remember as you’re planning your outfits is the reason you’re there. No one cares if you have a new outfit; they care about how you act in it. How you love, listen, and learn in it.
Don’t get too stressed out about buying the right clothes, packing the right shoes, or presenting yourself in any particular way. You’re there to build friendships; to remind the locals of their value in the eyes of God and experience that value for yourself. So just be yourself. Be authentically you, with a posture of learning about and embracing a new culture.
It wouldn’t make sense to present yourself one way on a trip that’s not aligned with who you truly are. Relationships are built on trust, including relationships on mission. It may sound silly, but especially when meeting people for the first time, authenticity in the way you present yourself is part of that trust.
One Last Thing
When in doubt, ask! Ask your mission trip leader or someone who has been on a mission trip before. You could even ask a local if you have the opportunity. Think of the relational equity that’s built when you learn something new! Helping each other brings us closer, and giving someone the opportunity to serve you by educating you on what to wear is just one way to grow.
To prepare for your mission trip in other ways, download the EMPOWERED Mission Trip Devotional Journal, a 10-day guide to missions that values people over project.
