There will be occasions during the trip when you will be asked or led by God to give your testimony. Following is a list of tips for preparing a translatable testimony:

1. 1. Write out your testimony. No matter how comfortable you are with public speaking, you should write out your testimony. If you can deliver your testimony without referring to the notes, great! But if a translator or a commotion in the congregation distracts you, you'll wish you had notes to get back on track.
2. Keep your comments brief. A 3-minute testimony is adequate.
3. Open with a greeting in the people's language. Even if your accent is terrible, the people will appreciate your effort to communicate in their language.
4. Tell what Christ has done for you personally. How were you convinced of your need for a Savior? How has your life changed since Christ came in? How has Christ helped you recently?
5. Avoid going into detail about your sins in the past. Emphasize the redemptive work in your life.
6. Avoid slang or idioms. Think about what you are saying. What do your words mean literally? How would "a ball park figure" or "his face fell", or some current slang term translate?
7. Keep it simple. Remember that most of these people do not live in the high tech, computer, fast food, modern world that you do.
8. Avoid long sentences.
9. Avoid Christian clichés such as "soul-saving salvation".
10. Avoid references to small geographical areas in the US. Your audience's knowledge of US geography will probably be limited. Rather than saying you came from Illinois, Colorado, or Texas, tell them you grew up in the flatlands, in the mountains or along the sea.
11. Avoid stressing your material success. Some in the congregation may put in 14 hours of hard, manual labor each day and still not have a change of shoes. In other countries, dreams plus hard work don't always equal material success.
12. Avoid speaking of the sacrifice you made to get there.
13. Avoid using acronyms, acrostics, alliteration, jokes, and poetry. They simply do not translate as you think. Don't quote from songs. In some languages the lyrics of familiar hymns have been rewritten to fit the music meter.
14. Be ready at any time to share your testimony. You never know when an opportune time will arrive or when the leader will ask you to share.
15. Try to practice using a translator. It can really throw you off if you have never used a translator.

Here is an acronym to help you remember what to include in your personal testimony:

The Apostles Got Spiritual Receiving Daily Bread

Thank -- Thank God for the opportunity to be here.

Affirm -- Affirm the people, their country, or church. Perhaps it is something you've just seen or something someone has done with you (e.g. I had fun playing soccer). Thank them for making you feel so welcome¼. etc.

Greetings -- Relay greetings from your church or family or home.

Self -- Tell a little about yourself, your family, and or your job.

Real -- Share how has God become real to you. Relate a story of something that has happened in your life that affirmed how real God is to you.

Difference -- Most importantly, share how God has made a difference in your life. You simply tell your story, and in doing so, witness for Jesus! People can argue and debate if you are trying to convince them logically about the Gospel, but no one can deny your story! Don't focus on you or your problems; focus on the God who put your feet on solid ground!

Bread -- End with a Bible verse that has special meaning for you.