There's plenty to excite your imagination when you're planning a short-term missions trip: The ministry of your work in the field, the spiritual growth of your group, the opportunity to support a missionary, and to share the love of Christ with people around the world. And there are many details to nail down, including flights, transportation, and accommodations, among others.

But months of planning cannot prevent the unexpected from interrupting even the most meticulously planned itinerary. It only takes a moment—a turned back, a missed stop sign, even just being in the wrong place at the wrong time—and suddenly you find yourself in a dreaded "worst-case scenario" you didn't think would ever happen to you. But by preparing for these unlikely situations before you leave, you can replace panic with a carefully crafted immediate response plan that makes the most of available resources.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for any given problem. Before you ...