Quest FAQ

Application Process

Q: What if I have questions that I can't find the answers to?

A: Contact us about Quest.
Q: What is the application process like and how do I get started?

A: Each of the five founding partner ministries have their own systems for taking applications. You must choose a partner. If you already have a relationship with a ministry, choose that one. If you are a member of a Southern Baptist church, choose IMB. If you are interested in eventually doing Bible translation, choose Wycliffe. If you have completed a DTS, choose YWAM. You may also choose Trans World Radio (TWR) and Campus Crusade for Christ.
Q: Where would I be going?

A: Opportunities are available in Asia, South America, Europe, and Africa. We can't be more specific for security reasons.
Q: Can I start communicating with my supporters/family/friends about where I'll be going and what I'll be doing before I attend the training? (Security issues/risks?)

A: You will want as many people praying for you as possible but they don't need the details of the countries, cities, peoples and language(s) involved to pray effectively. For your safety please don't publish such details and please remind friends and churches to not post such details on their web sites unless you're specifically told you're going to a place where it is safe to talk about missions. Besides, there's always a chance your assignment may be altered before you complete your initial training.
Q: Where will training be and how much training will I have? What is involved in the initial training? What is the schedule like?

A: You will have a month of OneStory orientation in the field featuring storying and orality training and using the notebook computer assigned to your team. Then you go to live among your people. Every three to six months you'll come out of the people group for two to four weeks of the next phase of the ongoing training. See timeline. This is different from going to school to learn everything all at once. We train you “just in time” for each phase of your Quest.
Q: Is it possible to communicate with the teams already in the field or get on their mailing lists?

A: Check the home page of this Web site for news fresh from the field. Send an email to StoryRunners(at)ccci(dot)org . We can point you to one or more team blogs to allow you to tap into their experience and know how to pray for them.
Q: Do I need to raise my own support and, if so, how much will I be expected to raise?

A: All CCC, YWAM, Wycliffe and TWR workers raise their own support. It varies by location but is usually $1,500 to $1800 per month plus two to five thousand dollars in start up funds to go on a Quest. If you've been a member of a Southern Baptist church for two years and are accepted by the IMB Journeyman Program or International Service Corps the IMB covers your expenses.
Q: Can I come home for my brother's wedding or Grandma's funeral?

A: It's not an “emergency” but in some circumstances you could be granted permission to leave the field during the 25 months of your Quest. Arrangements have been made to allow Questers to attend an important function back home. Also, your friends, family, and fellow church members are welcome to come and visit you!
Q: I have a love interest, and the relationship might get serious. What if I want to get engaged or married while on my quest?

A: With all the partners except Wycliffe, you must agree not to get engaged or married while on your two-year Quest. Another option would be to get married first and then go on a Quest after taking some time to establish your marriage. At least that way you would know who your partner is!
Q: Are there any limits on age, marital status, or children?

A: OneStory Quest is for single adults and married couples. There are many locations where a family with children won't work. Talk to us and see what kind of options are available though. In some cases families with children may need more than two years to complete a project.

Preparation

Q: What will I be required to do before training begins?

A: 1. Most are required to raise their own financial support. 2. Come to training ready to start at full steam. This means taking care of any newsletter writing, emails, etc. that might be hanging over your head. Once training begins you will NOT have any time to catch up on work that you left for later before leaving the States.
Q: What do I need to bring to training?

A: Bring an adventurous spirit and a willing heart and only what you can physically carry yourself. Be prepared for mentally intense training sessions. Think of it like condensed post-graduate level learning.
Q: What will I be expected to bring with me to the field?

A: No more than a week's worth of clothes and toiletries. Be prepared to dress like the locals do. If you already have clothes that will allow you to fit in, bring them. If not you'll need to buy some when you get there. Bring some stuff that will help you relax too. Depending on how your project is set up you may need to bring a newish laptop to run some of the software for the project. Don't bring more than you can carry by yourself through the airports, bus stations and villages you visit.
Q: Can I find out who my teammates will be before training so I can communicate with them?

A: Quest teams are almost always two people. We'll try to connect you with your intended partner. Last minute changes are always a possibility but there's no harm in getting to know someone who should be in the same training classes as you. If you are married, then you already know your partner very well.
Q: What will I need to take care of before leaving the US and heading to the field?

A: While you're raising support you'll need to get a passport, visas and the proper immunizations. Start now because this takes months. 1. Passport: If you already have a passport make sure it is valid for three years beyond the start of your Quest. You may need a new passport or an extension. If you have anything in your passport dealing with Israel contact your manager to see if you need a replacement. 2. Visas: Some countries require special stamps with the visa to get into certain areas of the country. It's often wise to apply for a long (5-10 year) multi-entry visa. Ask your project manager about this. Also ask if it's best to use tourist or business visas for the countries you're going to. 3. Immunizations: You'll probably be advised by your project manager to have current vaccinations for common preventable diseases: yellow fever, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, measles, cholera, polio, tetanus and rabies. For recommendations by country try IMB's MedInfo and select the "ISC" option.
Q: Do you recommend any reading/visual/audio material for cross-cultural training, spiritual growth, conflict resolution, etc., before coming to and during initial training?

A: We highly suggest you watch Dr. Grant Lovejoy's lectures on Orality and read Making Disciples of Oral Learners (a printed version only costs $4.95 or you can download the free PDF ). Very soon the audiobook will be available from StoryRunners.com. Visit Church Planting Movements for books both for sale and free. Read up on the religion you might be going to or spend time in a comparative religions text that covers the Big Four: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Animism. Listening and learning several of the stories in this sample 33 story set is worthwhile.

Life on the Field

Q: What will I be doing for two years? What will the schedule look like?

A: See timeline. Regular training times are designed to prepare you “just in time” for the work among your people group.
Q: How much involvement will there be with the people group that I will be working with?

A: You will live and eat with them, dress like them and immerse yourself in their language and culture as much as possible. You will spend up to three months at a time working directly among your group for a total of about 19 months during your 25 month Quest.
Q: Will I be the one telling the stories to my people group?

A: Not directly. You'll be working with a few mother tongue storyers from the people group who speak the language and know how to craft stories in the appropriate local styles. You help the storyers learn the Bible stories, and they will tell and spread the stories long after you are gone. One of your project outcomes is to see reproducing churches started among your people group, and you can't do that by telling stories yourself! You are the bridge allowing God's word to enter the local culture.
Q: What kind of electricity will I have in the field? Will it be 220 volts or 110 volts?

A: Most electricity overseas is 220V (or at least it's supposed to be.) We show teams how and why to depend on a step-down transformer and surge suppressor to protect sensitive electronics (even those devices that are “rated” for 110V up to 220V.) If you bring things you want to plug in you may buy an additional step-down transformer.

Technology

Q: Do I need to bring a computer or any other equipment?

A: You might have to. It depends on which organization you join and how the project is set up. If you have to provide your own computer it should be pretty new and have a reasonable amount of extra hard drive space to use for audio recordings. You'll also need some way to backup your files like an external hard drive or a way to do CD/DVD backups. Most people also get a voice recorder to use for language learning and then to record stories. Find out from your project manager what you should bring.
Q: How much technical background do I need for this ministry? Will I be able to function if I don't have that much of a technical background?

A: You'll only need basic familiarity with a PC running Windows before training begins. Experience with a word processor and spreadsheet is useful. We will train you in the other things you need to know.
Q: How will we get high quality recordings of the stories once they're crafted?

A: In many cases we will train you how to do it. You'll learn how to set up a makeshift studio and how to use the hardware and software to record and edit the stories. In other cases it may make more sense to use a local studio for this.
Q: I have lots of personal pictures, music and email. Can I bring these with me?

A: You may have some personal music and photos on a ministry computer. However if the hard drive starts to fill up with work data some of your personal files may need to move to make room. Bring blank DVDs to back up personal photos and music. Email is a bit harder to set up. It's not guaranteed that your archived messages can be transferred to a ministry-owned computer. Outlook Express is especially problematic.
Q: I have a digital camera and a PDA; will I be able to install the software for them on a ministry computer?

A: Drivers to operate such gear won't be a problem to install. Please assume that at some point your computer will have a problem that requires completely erasing and restoring the hard drives. You will need to bring CDs with you to reinstall those drivers again. To safeguard your original disks, make a copy and leave the originals at home.
Q: What kinds of programs will I be working with for the computer/recording equipment?

A: In your day-to-day operations you can expect to use an email program, a word processing program, and a spreadsheet program. There are a range of things you might use to stay in contact with supporters (internet/blog, desktop publisher, pdf maker, etc). It would be good for you to become familiar with the above programs before training. For audio recording/editing you'll use Steinberg's WaveLab or Adobe Audition or Audacity (freeware.) For the documentation and consulting process you'll use SIL's Toolbox and Translator's Workplace programs. You might also have to learn an encryption program to secure all sensitive ministry data (photos, email, documents, manuals, address lists, recordings, etc.). We will teach you how to use all the project related programs, so don't worry if you haven't even heard of them.
Q: Will I have Internet access?

A: You'll need it somehow to interact with your manager, consultants and others. BUT it may not be the way you're used to. Depending on where you are you may send and receive e-mail once a week or once a month. You may be working in pretty remote places. Not every team can get on-line whenever they choose and even if access is available it doesn't always work. You may have the adventurous challenge of traveling several hours to get on-line.
Q: What about security issues? How much can I tell my friends and family about where I will be and what I'll be doing?

A: It all depends on where you're going. In some places this is a big issue in others it's not. The people you communicate to in the field will help you with this.
Q: How safe are online email services like Yahoo, Google, etc.? Will I be able to communicate securely with my partners, family, and friends from the field?

A: There is little or no privacy or security with free (or even most paid) email services. You'll need an account with a free email provider like Yahoo or Gmail as an emergency backup, but normal traffic should use the more secure ministry account set up for you. Of course all the security in the world does you no good if you have friends and family who email or publish sensitive information like the name of your people group and location.