Martin, Russel F.  (dissertation)  Training Youth for Service: An Evaluation of Cross-

Cultural Mission Experience for Christian Leadership Development.  Pasadena, Calif.: Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994.

Summary:

Author was involved in planning and leading Church of the Nazarene Youth in Mission STMs to Latin America from 1980-86.  Participants were teenagers from congregations in northern California.  Describes in glowing detail the processes of planning, selecting team members, training (which was quite substantial), etc.

At time of writing sent a survey to as many past participants as he could find addresses for (about 70); half replied, all said the STM had been a positive experience for them and had contributed positively to their lives.  Author admits that due to unscientific nature of study, there is no way to know whether respondents’ current exemplary Christian lives are an effect of STM participation or if they would have turned out great anyway.