Mississippi Baptist Student missions is a student sponsored program which is supported by the State Collegiate Missions Fund. The money received in the Collegiate Missions Fund comes from Mississippi BSU student contributions. These funds pay all expenses related to orientation for all students.

North America: Travel costs are provided by the Mississippi Collegiate Missions Fund. The North American Mission Board also provides a $75/week stipend for Baptist students. The stipend is paid at the end of the summer. In addition, insurance is provided for each student.

International: Each student is responsible for their travel costs and field expenses. The specific amount varies with each job and is provided with the job description. The Mississippi Collegiate Missions Fund provides some financial assistance to those students that meet all the qualifications and participate in a local interview, a state interview, and attend orientation. Students serving overseas are required to purchase travel insurance through Adams and Associates. Information on how to purchase that insurance will be given at the time of appointment.

The insurance coverage provided is a limited insurance policy designed to supplement personal major medical coverage. The maximum benefit is $5,000 for students serving in North America and Canada and $10,000 for students serving internationally. In North America, the policy is designed to cover anything not covered by a student’s personal medical insurance. Internationally, the insurance can be utilized as primary coverage, if the major medical policy does not apply internationally. The insurance policies also provide benefit, up to the stated amounts, for students without major medical coverage.

1. Go to www.missionsnow.net to begin an on-line application.

2. Complete application, including 4 required references, by November 29, 2010.

3. Participate in a local interview at their local BSU or with their local church.

4. Participate in a state interview in Clinton, MS January 28 or 29, 2010. Interview date and time will be assigned in early January.

5. Attend Missions Orientation and LTC April 8-10, 2011 (Clinton, MS. All expenses covered.)

North America: Usually, the field supervisor will be a career missionary, associational director of missions, or a local pastor. The student will also be responsible to a state supervisor, to the Collegiate Ministry Department, and to the North American Mission Board. In many cases in North America, we personally know the supervisors that our students will be working with. In the few cases where we do not actually know the local supervisor, we do personally know the state supervisor.

International: The field supervisor will usually be a career International Mission Board missionary. The student will be responsible to the International Mission Board and the Collegiate Ministry Department. Because our students have the freedom to choose any student volunteer opportunity available from the International Mission Board, we may not personally know the supervisor. We do, however, know many great supervisors around the world and strongly encourage students to first consider those positions where we have relationships.

North America: The Collegiate Ministry Department will handle all travel arrangements through an approved travel agent. Travel to and from the field will usually be commercial airlines. In very rare circumstances, a student may be asked to take a vehicle to the field.

International: Students are responsible for their own travel arrangements. However, the International Mission Board has a suggested travel agent that they strongly recommend the students use. Detailed information is given about this agency upon appointment. International travel arranged without a travel agent is not recommended due to the changes that so often happen in the midst of traveling internationally. A travel agent can be very helpful in those circumstances.

An orientation for Mississippi Baptist Student Missionaries is conducted in conjunction with Leadership Training Conference in the spring. ATTENDANCE AT THIS ORIENTATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL MISSISSIPPI BAPTIST STUDENT MISSIONARIES. Missionaries are commissioned on Saturday afternoon of Leadership Training Conference. Additionally many supervisors hold an orientation when students arrive on the field.

Most summer missionaries serve with at least one partner. In some instances there may be a team of students assigned together. Partners and/or other team members may come from Mississippi and/or other states.

The field of service will be responsible for missionary living arrangements for the summer. These vary with location. The most common living arrangement is with church families in the community of one's service. Some students live in the home of their supervisor. Students should be prepared to move at least occasionally.

Visits to the field of service by parents, family, or friends are not encouraged. The term of service is usually such a short period of time that visits to the field would be a distraction to the work of the student missionary. However, any necessary visit to the field should be cleared with the Collegiate Ministry Department, as well as the local field supervisor of the student summer missionary.

In such an instance, the Collegiate Ministry Department will work together with you and the local supervisor to determine the best plan of action. Students should NEVER leave the field of service without communicating with their supervisor(s) AND the Collegiate Ministry Department.

We discourage students from leaving the field for things such as weddings or graduations. However, we recognize that sometimes it may be necessary. The students should discuss the dates with the local supervisor AND with the Collegiate Ministry Department prior to the summer. If the local supervisor is in agreement that leaving will not be a disruption to the ministry, the student may return for a wedding or event. All such trips should not last more than 2-3 days and all related expenses will be the responsibility of the student.

We work only with Southern Baptist Missions Boards and Agencies in placing all students. This network includes our career International and North American Mission Board missionaries; students become a part of the greater Southern Baptist mission network and each student benefits from the same levels of security afforded our missionaries. Through this large network, we have long term relationships and easy access to anyone that supervises students. Because of our well-developed network and appointment process, we feel confident that we offer students and parents one of the finest and safest missions experience available anywhere.