What do I need to pack?

Before packing, please make sure you adhere to the airline requirements: Each bag may only be a maximum of 50 lbs and 62

  • linear inches (total length + width + height)
  • Tag luggage with name and address in the event theyare lost.
  • Bring clothes that are cool, light and require little maintenance. Remember it will be hot and humid.
  • No camouflage clothing allowed
  • Pack enough clothes to last the entire trip.Clothes used for ministry can be used more than once. Washer and dryer are not provided.
  • Don’t bring your best, most favorite clothes.
  • It’s a good idea to pack your clothes in a water proof bag (extra large zip lock bag).
  • Bring shoes that can be worn every day. Make sure they are durable, comfortable and cool. It is recommended to bring 2 pairs of shoes.
  • Slippers or shower shoes
  • If possible, avoid bringing hair dryers, curlingirons, clothes irons and other large items. It not only takes up space, but adds to the weight of your suitcase. Check the power requirements for the country you are visiting to ensure they are compatible with the United States. For Honduras, Nicaragua and the Bahamas, the power requirements are compatible.
  • It is a good idea to use a back pack instead of a purse. A purse is easier to misplace or for someone to pick up.
  • Bible
  • Notebook or journal
  • 2 water/drinking bottles to be used throughout the week.
  • Hats and sunglasses
  • Flashlight, extra batteries
  • Hand sanitizer, sunscreen and bug repellent. These are a must!
  • If you are packing snacks, pack them in a Ziploc bag. This will help guard against the humidity and insects.
  • Bring a camera and extra batteries/memory cards as you will want to document your trip and share with friends and family.
  • A poncho or rain jacket. (It rains sporadically throughout the day)
  • Bring your regular toiletries and 2 toothbrushes
  • Modest swim suit for the excursion day.Tankinis are allowed (Honduras and Bahamas only)

Do I need to be bilingual to participate?

No hablo espanol? No problemo? We will work with locals in country to hire individuals who are fluent in English in order to effectively communicate. It is helpful if you know some common words such as hello, goodbye, thank you , etc.

I cannot afford the cost. What do I do?

First of all, we highly encourage all your missionaries to write to friends, relatives, church members and business associates and let them know that you will be going on a mission trip

For many of your friends, the idea of going on a mission trip is way out of their comfort zone, but they will gladly support someone like you financially.  For those of you can afford the trip on your own, remember that other s are able to be a part of the trip by donating.  Don’t take the blessing away from them by being shy or timid about writing a letter.  We have provided a sample letter to help you get started.

When you write your letters, you first want to ask for their PRAYERS.  Prayer is the key to a successful trip and even if the person will not donate to your trip, they will still pray for you.

Finally, if you still fall short of the total cost of the trip, you need to let your team captain know and he will contact the mission office. Money has never been an obstacle to prevent someone to go, there may be others who received more than enough to cover their cost and can help defray your cost.  In short – “Do not worry about the money!”God has an awesome way of providing for his children.

Is there any danger involved?

Someone once stated, “You can’t be any safer than where God wants you to be.” I firmly believe that. Let’s face it. We take our lives into our own hands driving down the interstate. People will stay in groups if they go into the local village and common sense dictates that you don’t wander off alone. We will have security when we are in the local villages if needed, but remember, the people of the village appreciate our presence.

What are the living conditions like?

This depends upon where the mission field is and access to facilities. All of our lodging facilities will include modern bathroom and shower facilities. Air conditioning at night is available if needed, and there is WIFI. While in the villages during the day, the bathrooms will be generally acceptable, but not what you are accustomed to back home. We will eat well. Three meals a day are available during the day and all the food we eat is safe and bottled water is provided.

What are the physical requirements?

You must be at least 15 years old AND accompanied by your parent, unless prior approval is obtained from the mission office. Or, you need to be over 18. As far as physical requirements you know your body better than we ever will. If you know you have some physical handicaps or medical history that would make most people think twice, then I ask you to prayerfully consider being a “sender” instead of a missionary.

If you’re in relatively good health then we welcome you! If you have any questions, please contact your team captain who can help you with this decision.

What can medical personnel expect on the mission trip?

Medical personnel can expect to see upwards of 2,000 patients during the four days we are providing services.  Most of these patients do not have immediate access to health care so they use a medical team, such as this, to obtain the services they need.  Many of the patients will have general concerns with their stomach, skin irritation/rash, eye or hearing problems.  There will be many women who are either pregnant or of child bearing age that will need a general check up along with their children.  For all pregnant women, we provide vitamins to last through full term (iron, folic acid, calcium, etc) Sexually transmitted diseases are present.  There have been cases in the past of more advanced situations, such as cancer, birth defects, tumors, cyst and broken/dislocated limbs  In some cases we are able to help immediately by removing the cyst or help with the dislocated arm, but in many cases we will work with the locals to assist them in getting advanced care when possible.

What documents and vaccinations are needed?

You will need a valid US Passport, which must have an expiration date that will last six months AFTER your return from your trip. If you hold

a non-US passport, then please contact your team captain to determine if a VISA is required for the country that you will be visiting.

There are different vaccinations needed based on the country that you will be visiting. Below is the link to the MDTravelHealth website for each country that outlines the different requirements.

What is a typical day like in the field?

Early days and late nights are the best way to describe a day on the mission field. Each morning will begin with breakfast, prayer time and then travel to the village or location. Travel time to ministry location varies by country, but typically no more than an hour travel time.

For medical/dental ministries, you will spend 9-10 hours working to provide services to the local community. In years past we can see up to 600 people in a given day. People are registered in groups of 150 where the adults are taken to the church service and the children to children’s church. After the services, the people proceed to the triage, medical, pharmacy or to the dental area based on their need. Once they have received their services, they will exit the school. This process will be repeated many times during the day based on the volume of people requesting assistance.

For deaf education ministries, each day will be spent working the local children, youth and parents to provide resources, help them expand their vocabulary and learn new techniques. In addition, testing will be performed to determine opportunities for hearing aids to enhance their ability to hear the noise of their surroundings.

For sports camp and Vacation Bible School ministries, the mission pre-arranges with local schools to come in for the day and minister to the children. The team will alternate between soccer camps in the morning and VBS in the afternoon. In both of these ministries, there are countless opportunities to connect with the children and share the Gospel message. It is at the schools that you will witness many coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. You will go back to the team home with great satisfaction and certainty that God used you and worked through you.

For the construction ministry, a local building project is identified and pre-arranged. The projects vary based on the need and in the past we have been involved with fence building, expansion of a residence and even agricultural activities.

Each mission trip is different and incorporates one or more of these ministries. For additional information, please contact NTM or your team leader.