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[Pre-Aplication Form]

S.O.S. invites those who are seeking to put their faith into action, to become part of the S.O.S. Prayer Support Team, Home Team or Travel Team. While viewing our Home or Travel Team sites, you will learn of the vital roles these two teams have in carrying out the S.O.S. missionary call. There are many ways to become involved and receive the blessings of helping those less fortunate. If after reviewing the possibilities of mission involvement, you feel called to share your talents or resources, please fill out the Pre-Aplication form by clicking here or on the top link, return it by e-mail, fax or mail to Connie or Ernest Braren at info@sendingoutservants.org. We will get in touch with you to answer any questions you might have. If you are interested in giving financial support please fill out a Sponsor Form. 

THE HOME TEAM - PRAYER SUPPORT
Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II said,

“‘There must be unceasing prayer
to nourish the desire to carry Christ
to all men and women.”

Offering sacrificial prayer is the most powerful way individuals can serve the mission effort. All participants involved in the work of the mission need to be continually covered in prayer because a mission outreach frequently has a far reaching evangelizing effect that touches many lives. For example the people on the Home Team who support the missionary effort, the Maya who the Travel Teams go to serve, and the Travel Team members themselves who come back on fire from the mission experience and witness enthusiastically to their families, friends, co-workers and neighbors. Thus the profound spiritual impact spreads. Whenever there is an opportunity for God’s Kingdom to be strengthened and united and whenever there is a path opened for people to draw closer in their personal relationship with God, the powers of darkness frequently will play havoc trying all kinds of tactics to discourage, distract, divide and flat wear us out. Only the more powerful power of prayer can overcome these obstacles. 

Prayer Supporters are needed:

• to keep the S.O.S. mission leadership and mission efforts covered in prayer on a continuous basis so that God’s desires are advanced.
• to participate in an 8 day Eucharistic Adoration Prayer Vigil that takes place each time the Travel Teams are on mission. From the time the plane leaves Houston until its return, team members are covered in prayer in this manner. Prayers are offered for the intention that the team members will be kept safe from harm and that God’s will be done through them. Currently, this takes place at Prince of Peace Catholic Community.  

One can also participate in these Prayer Vigils by praying before the Blessed Sacrament in ones own parish church, or home. Being unified in our intentions, the Travel Team goes forth covered in a blanket of prayer and in this sense takes the Home Team with them.  And thus it is that when the Travel Team is on mission so is the Home Team. Mother Teresa said it best: “Together we are doing something beautiful for God."

THE HOME TEAM – OTHER NEEDS

The Home Team is the backbone of the whole missionary effort. It consists of myriad of individuals and /or groups who respond to the diverse and changing needs of the mission organization itself and/or respond to the particular needs of the people in the host country.   It may take the form of individuals donating or soliciting, sorting and inventorying specific items needed by the host country like school supplies, medical supplies, etc., or it may involve individuals donating time to write thank you notes, make phone calls, shop for needed items or help with fundraisers. Sometimes specific knowledge and skills are needed to give input and direction. And those that can give financial assistance to help us empower the Maya adults and children and directly impact the quality of their lives, play a vital part of the Home Team.

• Supporting the Needs of the Maya Communities.
  These needs vary from mission trip to mission trip. For example, Home Team volunteers may gather school supplies, library books or school books, Bibles, medical supplies, medicines, toothpaste etc.

• Supporting the Needs of the Mission Organization.
  Frequently we need advice from individuals who have specific knowledge and skills in the following areas:
  carpentry, computers, crafts, creative writing, clearing customs, shipping containers, dentistry, electricity, fundraising, librarian, marketing products, import-export, medical, nursing, nutritionist, organic farming, priest/deacon, publicity/marketing, prayer groups, religious education, secretarial skills, solar energy, public speaking, teacher, translator, youth groups, grant writing.
  
  We need on-going assistance with the following tasks:
  Prayer support team, phone calling, helping with annual garage sale, secretarial tasks, creating videos, writing articles for website, help with inventories, fundraisers, prayer support, translating, preparing newsletter, monthly sale of Guatemalan items, making posters/visual aids, making presentations, data entry, yearly Gala.

• Financial Donations
  Financial donations are needed in three  areas.
  
  To help sustain the ongoing work of the S.O.S. organization in its efforts to bring hope to the indigenous Maya for a better quality of life. Other than an annual Gala, S.O.S.’s only source for funding is from the generosity and trust of our donors who help offset unavoidable organizational expenses.
  
  To give a future to a Maya child by contributing to the Guardian Angel Education Fund.  See S.O.S. Assistance Programs. Once a child receives one of our scholarships, our goal is to see each child through until they finish 12th Grade. This requires a lot of good-hearted individuals contributing into the Fund.
  
  To make concrete improvements in the lives of the Maya through our S.O.S. Assistance Programs.  Funds for these ongoing programs have made it possible to provide the materials to build wood-burning stoves, to buy prescription eye glasses, to cover the costs in making cataract surgery available for rural Maya communities and much more. See S.O.S Assistance Programs

If you feel called to participate in the missionary effort by giving financial support, in any of the above mentioned areas, you can select various ways to execute the process.  Please follow the instructions below and may God Bless you for your caring heart.

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THE TRAVEL TEAM

Would you like a ‘National Geographic’-like experience where you can interact with the indigenous Maya in their mountainous communities 6,500 feet above sea level?

Would you like to connect one human being to another and come to experience the daily life and struggles of a Maya man, woman or child is?  Would you like to share with them some of our cultural traditions while learning from them the blessings of a simpler life?

These are some of the S.O.S. Travel Team mission realities. Perhaps joining one of the  S.O.S Travel Teams is for you.

There are two to three opportunities a year to join one of the S.O.S Travel Teams. A mission trip is scheduled for a 8 days duration. The Large teams are comprised of no more than 20 people of diverse ages, backgrounds and parishes while the Specialty Travel Teams are smaller in number. Youth must have reached age sixteen. The primary requirement for going on mission is to have a missionary heart —one that has an attitude of servant and is flexible. One should be in good health so as to meet the demands of a busy schedule, high altitude (6500 ft), bumpy roads, and reasonable amount of walking, sometimes on inclines. It is helpful but not required to be able to speak Spanish since the Mayan speak a dialect of Quiche. However, we always have a great need for bilingual team members to serve as translators from English to Spanish. The Mayans provide translators from Spanish to Quiche. One does not have to be Catholic to participate in a Travel Team but must be willing to fully participate in every aspect of the mission experience which includes prayers, evening Mass and reflection times.

There are four to five Mandatory Team Formation meetings that are held on Sundays from 11am to 5pm. During the first Team Formation meeting each team member is assigned to an activity that he or she will be working in while in Guatemala. Each of these activity groups will be expected to meet amongst themselves during the ensuing weeks so as to formulate mission plans and visual aids. Be prepared to give time & effort to this area. Past teams have worked in one of the following areas: Family Spirituality, Catechists, Music, Carpentry, Health Promotion for Children or Adults, Religion classes for grades one to six and Vision Screening. Members of one of the Large Travel Team usually will be involved in one of the following areas: Family Spirituality classes or Music classes for Maya women and men, or Religion classes for grades one to six for the rural Maya children. These are areas the Maya have expressed an interest in. In contrast to the Large Teams, Small Specialty Travel Team members are involved in conducting vision screening and vision assessments, providing education on maintaining healthy eyes, assembling and dispensing prescription glasses and sun glasses; preparing candidates for Cataract surgeries and medical referrals; giving support to Cataract Surgical Teams.

During the Team Formation Meetings, the team will become culturally and spiritually prepared as well as guided in the "nuts and bolts" of the trip itself such as packing lists, safety issues etc. Included in these meetings is a three hour mini retreat.

Because we believe that God has called each team member to go to the mission field and that He has something unique to teach each of them, we therefore, while on mission, gather every evening for a time of prayer, reflection and Mass if possible.

What do I need to join the Travel Team?
Every team member must have a passport and a current Tetanus shot. It is recommended but not required to have a Hepatitis A series . This is a two injection series the first of which should be taken at least six weeks before leaving the country. The cost of the trip varies from trip to trip depending on the price of the airline tickets. Generally, it has been running $1,000 – $1,300 for the 8 day trip. This covers everything but your souvenirs for 8 days. However, we strongly feel that if it is on your heart to go to the mission field do not let the lack of financial resources stop you. God will provide a way for you to go if it is His will. We can help you with some ideas for funding resources and there are some other options that can be discussed on an individual basis.

Joining an S.O.S. Travel Team involves a number of personal responsibilities. To learn more about these, click on Travel Team Commitments for details.

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THE TRAVEL TEAM COMMITMENTS

There are frequently asked questions from those who are unfamiliar with S.O.S., questions such as "What is involved with being on an S.O.S. Travel Team?" or "What would I have to do?" S.O.S. has evolved its Travel Team preparation policy based on its founding principles and on experience gained from numerous mission trips. The following points answer the critical question of "WHAT WILL I BE COMMITTING TO?"

An S.O.S. Travel Team Member commits to:

• Attending all MANDATORY TEAM FORMATION MEETINGS - typically there are four to five meetings and are held on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Attending your assigned Group Activity Meetings in between Team Formation meetings. During these meetings, specialty groups are expected to develop lesson plans, visual aids, etc., for the classes they will teach while on mission. These meetings usually occur during the week as mutually agreed upon.
• Submitting as a group an Activity Lesson Plan to the Team Leadership prior to the mission trip.
• Being faithful in praying daily for your secret team prayer partner throughout the preparation period as well as during the mission trip. During the first Team Formation Meeting, team members will draw a name of one of their team members and that person becomes their secret prayer partner. It is a way to bind the team together in prayer. At the Sharing the Experience Night, team members reveal whom they had been praying for.
• Helping on designated Sundays with the parish sign-up for prayer coverage of 8 days of 24 hour Adoration for the team while S.O.S. is on mission.
• Attending the Team Commissioning during one of the Sunday liturgies before our departure.
• Participating in a Packing Party during which all the team supplies and donations are packed to go with the team.
• Cooperating with the team leaders throughout the whole process and to abide by the Team Covenant.
• Filling out and submitting your post trip evaluation report of your mission experience.
• Completing and submitting a follow-up evaluation of your Activity Group with recommendations for improvement or alteration for future teams.
• Attending the Sharing the Experience Night held approximately two weeks after the trip. Family members, friends and parishioners are invited to this potluck event to hear each team member share his or her mission experience.

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