The very first step is to learn the culture of the people you want to serve. The largest reason for failure of any organization is failure to communicate effectively; this goes so much further than just language. Cultural misunderstandings can be the source of financial problems, relational problems, legal issues and just about every other problem.
We believe a good rule of hand is to spend 2 years immersed in a culture before starting anything. Just learn about the people, the traditions, the food, the way people relate to each other, how respect is shown and how respect is earned. We cannot stress the importance of this first step too much.
