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2007 Team
Leader Planning Guide
(please click
here for a printable PDF version)
6-9 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE
- Contact Bill Cox about available dates:
billcox@nicamissions.com, 731-660-4985 (home), or
731-697-8377 (cell). As you consider dates, also consider your
location for ministry—Leon or Matagalpa. Bill will work with
team leaders in determining general parameters for team
ministry. A detailed itinerary will be developed 2-3 months
before departure. Please emphasize to team members that all
questions and correspondence with El Ayudante should be
through the team leader unless authorized by the team leader.
- Submit
“Mission Team Application” online at
www.nicamissions.com
- Mail $250
deposit to: El Ayudante, Inc., HCN Mission Team, P.O. Box 152,
Brownsville, TN 38012. This deposit will be deducted from the
total team fee.
- Review the
website.
- Recruit and
select team, obtaining a commitment by requiring deposits to
be paid. Give team members the website address. Hold
informational meeting. A PowerPoint presentation will be
mailed to you to share with your team.
- Begin making
travel arrangements (flights, passports, vaccinations, etc.)
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html is the
link for U.S. Passports. It is required that your passport be
valid at least 6 months beyond the dates of your trip and have
two to four blank visa/stamp pages.
- Develop a
budget (see “Potential Team Leaders”) and inform team members
of payment schedule (if applicable). All team
ministries are financed with team funds.
- Begin fund
raising projects and securing team finances
2- 6 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE
- Involve
sending / sponsoring congregation and local community in the
mission
- Collect
supply items that will be distributed in Leon or Matagalpa
(school supplies, hygiene items, etc.)
- Hold
additional team meetings / orientation for team. Ask each team
member to fill out a “Medical Information and Release Form”
and the “El Ayudante Release Form.”
- Continue to
be in prayer, individually and as a collective body in Christ
- Secure
travel insurance that includes medical evacuation. Each team
member should check with their health insurance provider to
determine their coverage in Nicaragua.
- Confirm all
travel arrangements.
- Contact Bill
Cox to develop an itinerary consistent with the gifts and
passions of team members.
- Team leaders
will receive an e-mail with details concerning lodging in
Managua the night before departure.
- A cell phone
will be given to the team leader upon arrival in Managua. (The
cell number will be sent to the team leader before departure.)
This phone provides a means of communication between team
members and their family/friends in the US. Team members can
buy calling cards in Nicaragua to call home. Calls from the US
to this assigned phone will be charged to the US caller only.
Wireless internet service is available at El Ayudante’s team
house in Leon. We encourage teams serving in Leon to bring
wireless laptops to communicate by e-mail. Teams serving in
Matagalpa have opportunities to e-mail either from the
location of lodging or internet cafes.
- Order
t-shirts, if desired. See information under “Order T-Shirts”
link.
3 WEEKS BEFORE DEPARTURE
- Mail the following to: El Ayudante,
Inc., Nicaragua Mission Team, P.O. Box 152, Brownsville, TN
38012
- $425 per
team member. Subtract $250 sent for deposit.
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Construction and other ministry funds should also be sent.
Please do not send funds for purchase of groceries for Bible
Schools and care packages (These funds are to be brought in
cash.)
- “El
Ayudante Release Form” for each team member
- Complete the
“Team Information Form” and submit online.
- Complete the
“Team Roster” and submit online.
- E-mail a
detailed list of all medications, medical supplies, and
medical equipment on Word or Excel to
billcox@nicamissions.com according the format located on
the “Medical Ministry” link. For physicians/dentists/other
medical personnel who will be practicing—a scanned JPEG copy
of their medical and specialty licenses.
- The team
leader will take 2 copies of each team member’s medical form
to Nicaragua. Give one copy of each medical form to El
Ayudante staff upon your arrival. The team leader will keep
the other copy with him/her at all times. The team leader will
also keep the photo page of the passport in case a team member
loses his/her passport.
- Ask a team
member to prepare and submit a team testimony and pictures of
your mission trip to be posted on our website. Please e-mail
this team member’s name and e-mail address to Bill Cox at
billcox@nicamissions.com. This team member can e-mail this
information to this e-mail address or mail to the above
address.
AFTER YOU RETURN HOME
- Go to website and complete the “Mission
Trip Evaluation Form.” This form is submitted online.
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Remind your team member to please submit a testimony and
pictures. We need and appreciate any additional pictures that
you and your team members can send.
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