Mission Team Leader: Quick Start Guide

Transcription

1 Sharing Christ s love in Haiti. Sharing Christ s love in Haiti. Mission Team Leader: Quick Start Guide Available Dates For the most up to date list of dates and availability please to guesthouse@cvhaiti.org. Typical Schedule Teams typically arrive and depart on Saturday. We will work to accommodate your arriving and departing schedule. Roundtrip airport transportation is included in your stay. If you could assist in allowing our drivers to return during daylight hours, try to schedule your flight to land in Port-Au-Prince (PAP) in the early afternoon. Team Size We can host teams up to 20 members, although it is recommended to keep your group to 15 or less. A smaller team allows for deeper team building experience and allows for ease of mobility. We can host larger groups, but additional transportation vehicles will be required to be hired. Lodging We have two modern facilities used to house teams and guest. Teams are placed in rooms based on space available and requests from teams. Guesthouse (Teams Booked after 6/01/2105 $70.00 per night per person) is a two-story building with six rooms. Each room equipped with bathroom with tile shower. These rooms can sleep up to five people on individual or bunk twin beds. All linens are provided. Mission House ($60.00 per night per person) is a large airy house that has three rooms. Two rooms can sleep up to 10 people each on individual or bunk twin beds. One room is equipped with a double bed for comfort for a couples. All rooms have bathroom facilities in both guesthouses, as well as outdoor showers, which are quick to refresh the weary body after a long day of work.

2 Meeting Spaces We also have a cafeteria used for dining, meeting space, and other scheduled activities. Our campus has several meeting areas that including rooftop, screened porches, patios, and gardens. Costs The base cost for lodging also includes 3 meals per day and airport transportation. Your team is responsible for booking airfare and ground transportation in your country of origin. Project Costs will be determined based on the project you choose to work on during your visit. We occasionally develop projects for teams to adopt. As you begin planning your trip, communicate project ideas with the Guest Services Manager for advice and direction. Team Leader Next Steps After deciding to bring a team to Christianville in Haiti it s time to get to work. Leading a mission team can be second nature or a challenge, and we re here to support you through each step as much as you need help. We ve prepared a general checklist to help make sure things don t slip through the cracks. If you have any questions please to guesthouse@cvhaiti.org. and we ll be quick to help out! Pre-Planning Lock in your date and group size with a $ deposit per participant. Distribute Team Member Packets and visually inspect passports for all participants. Recruit supporters of your mission team to fund the project you ll complete in Haiti Finalize your participant list Planning (60 days before departure) to guesthouse@cvhaiti.org. a spreadsheet of team member s information with the following information. Name on Passport, Passport Number, Gender, Date of Birth, and Mailing Address. Work with the activity coordinator and your team members to select a project that fits your team s skill set, timeframe, and budget. Mail a check to Christianville s stateside office covering the costs of the project you ve selected. Book your travel. Teams typically arrive in the afternoon on Saturday and should schedule the earliest departure flight the following Saturday. Get Excited! (30 days before departure) your itinerary for air travel to guesthouse@cvhaiti.org. Keep us updated with flight changes via even on the day of travel!

3 Check in on any last minute supply needs at Christianville, and find someone you know to donate the supplies to be brought into Haiti. Double check passports if people ordered them specifically for the trip. Mark your suitcases with loud colored Duct Tape on the handles for easy identification.

4 Team Participant Guide About Christianville Established in 1978 by Jim and Carol Herget, Christianville sits on 30 acres of land donated to the foundation by Jean Claude Duvalier, former president of Haiti. The foundation was formed to establish an orphanage and meet the spiritual needs of the Gressier area. Throughout the decades, God has exponentially magnified the efforts of many people who had served through Christianville. The programs of the mission are evolving to meet the needs of the community, but the goal of loving God and the people of Haiti has not changed. We currently focus spreading the gospel through Education, Nutrition Programs, Health Initiatives, and Economic Development. Christianville is operated by a Haitian-national executive staff that provides leadership and execution of the mission in their hometown. We rely on partners throughout the world for financial and program success including churches, nonprofits, para-church organizations, and individuals. About Haiti Once one of the richest of the western colonies, the country of Haiti is now one of the poorest and most densely populated countries in the world. Of the 9.6 million people that call Haiti lakay (Creole for home) over 80% live below the poverty line with 54% of the population in abject poverty. It makes sense that Haiti literally means high place since over 70% of the country is mountainous. Basic infrastructure including maintained roadways, a stable electric grid, and public works services do not exist. A trip to Haiti may be a life changing experience. Haiti is a third world country and living conditions are quite different from life in the United States. We have made every effort to make your trip to Haiti enjoyable, safe, and meaningful. In Country Experience TRAVEL You ll arrive into Port Au Prince via plane where you and your team will be picked up by our in country staff and taken to the Christianville campus. Travel is difficult in Haiti due to the road conditions and traffic issues. You may travel in a school bus or the back of a pickup truck so be prepared for anything. It is suggested to eat a meal and fill water bottles at your US departing airport. Christianville is located 18 miles west of the airport, but traffic can make the journey long. LODGING We have two modern guesthouses and various other lodging options on campus. We also operate a full service cafeteria used for dining, meeting space, our vocational culinary arts education program, and various other functions. Teams are placed in accommodations

5 based on available space and request by the in country guesthouse team. All rooms have bathroom facilities and are located near two outdoor showers, which have become a guest favorite. We also have a multitude of meeting areas including rooftops, screened porches, patios and gardens. WORK PROJECTS People come to Christianville for a variety of reasons from building a chicken coop to executing a large medical related mission. These projects vary depending on skills, funding, trip length and community needs. Your team leader will work with the staff to establish the best use of your time in Haiti. The teams should be self-funding, meaning if there are materials or other costs needed to complete the project, the team will raise funds in advance of the trip. The team should have raised the money so we can be ready to execute the project when you arrive in Haiti! BEFORE YOU ARRIVE Medical Concerns The CDC recommends the following precautions for travel to Haiti. Please stay up to date on CDC guidance at cdc.gov! Vaccines: Hepatitis B (particularly if you re working in direct patient care) Hepatitis A Typhoid Vaccine Tetanus Booster within 10 years Malaria Prophylaxis Your doctor may recommend Chloroquine phosphate or Doxycycline. If you have medical conditions that may affect your experience in Haiti (allergies, diabetes, pregnancy) please let us know vial . NEXT STEPS ON YOUR JOURNEY TO HAITI Submit your application, deposit, and liability waiver to the Christianville USA office. Scan all passports and a copy to guesthouse@cvhaiti.org Attend a conference call or hangout before your trip Check with your healthcare provider to make sure all vaccinations are current Pay the remaining balance at least 5 business days before your departure. Pack Leave for Haiti

6 Sharing Christ s love in Haiti. Packing List Passport, Copy of your Passport at Home, Copy of your Passport in a checked bag Cash for purchase at the airport and souvenirs (small denominations are best) Clothes Medicines (Prescription and Over The Counter) Water Bottle (we have clean drinking water!) Sunblock Hat, Cap, or Sombrero Small Backpack for in country use Mosquito repellent (high-deet concentration) Work Gloves Flashlight(s) Camera & Charger Personal Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, nose hair trimmer) Earplugs (if you don t like the sound of dogs barking and roosters at 3am) Large Garbage bags for dirty laundry or wet clothes Flip Flops Snacks Packing FAQs Q: Do I need to bring a towel or bedding? A:We provide bedding and a towel and washcloth with each bed. Q: What type of clothes should I wear? A: It will be hot. Men and women can wear conservative shorts while working and on campus. Men can wear shorts while traveling and working. Women should wear long pants or capris off campus. When possible, wear nice church, as dressing up for church is the culture. Men typically wear dress pants and a button-down shirt; women are often wear a dress or skirt. Q: Should I bring a hair dryer or curling iron? A: No, we operate our own power grid with generator and battery system. Q: Laundry? A: Yes, laundry service is offered for longer-term guests.

7 Sharing Christ s love in Haiti. Complete Travel Guide Departure Keep your luggage ID tags. Port Au Prince airport requires the tags to be presented to exit the airport with your luggage. Check with your airline in advance to see if there is a box embargo. This often happens during the summer months and at Christmas. Eat lunch before your flight! You may want to bring a snack and purchase a bottle of water after passing through the TSA checkpoint in the airport. Delays and ground traffic in Haiti are common and it may be hours before your next meal. Arrival at Port Au Prince Fill out your immigration forms and custom forms on the plane. NEW, Haiti has imposed a $10.00 US Dollar tourism fee. Please have your money ready. Follow people to the immigration line, wait behind the yellow line to speak to the customs agent. You ll need to give him your Green Form. Keep your immigration card! The immigrations agent will give you a card after the interview. You need that to exit the country. After your group has cleared immigration, head downstairs to the baggage claim area. Take an immediate left off the stairwell and rent a luggage cart from the booth at the wall for $2.00 US. Take the ticket to the man guarding the luggage carts and pick up your cart. Politely decline (No, mesi/ No, Thank you) help from the luggage handlers, we have someone waiting for you at the door to help you get to our car. After making sure everyone has the entire luggage, move through customs as a group. Big our hired airport contact will have a card with your group s name. He will assist will with the luggage and get you to our driver. Usual tip is 3.00 per bag. If you have missing luggage visit the airline s baggage counter before leaving the airport. Get the expected arrival time of your baggage and a pickup ticket so we can get your bag for you later in the week. Leaving Haiti We ll drop you off at the arrivals part of the airport. Again, typically we decline help with bags complete the check in process with your airline. Clear the first of two security checkpoints, removing laptops from bags, shoes, and belts like TSA requires in the USA.

8 Proceed through Customs/Immigration with your passport and green immigration exit card. There are two restaurant areas in the airport. One area specifically for the American Airlines terminal, through the second security area and upstairs. The other is for all terminals, before the second security checkpoint immediately up the stairs when clearing the immigration checkpoint. Near the boarding time, you ll need to clear the second security checkpoint and wait near your gate. In your USA destination follow signs to immigrations officers for US citizens. Each family may be processed together. Pick up your checked bags, and then proceed through customs. Take your luggage to the baggage drop area for your connecting flight, proceed through security, and continue travel home. Remember if you purchased liquids at the airport in Port Au Prince you must move these liquids into your checked bags before you drop it off.

9 Team Gathering Guide Gathering as a team for planning, team building, prayer, and having fun is important to the success of any mission team. We recommend connecting as a team frequently, and have provided a few types of meetings that should be included in the process of bringing a team to Haiti. Organizational Meeting An organizational meeting should be scheduled to conduct initial planning, development of team goals, deciding on the type of mission program and developing team dynamics. The overall goal is to have God centered mission journey and make an impact in Haiti. During this time decide on the project you ll be working on in Haiti, and establish a plan to raise money to fund the project. Pre-Trip Meeting About two weeks prior to departure, a final meeting should be conducted to finalize team goals, review of travel plans, and answering questions. Send your prayer items and any questions to guesthouse@christianville.org and our staff will join with you in prayer and answer any questions you may have. Recap Meeting After you get home your team members may feel alone or isolated, as they are the only people who experienced the same thing you did on the trip. It s a good idea to connect a few weeks after you return to recap and reflect on your experience. We want to hear how things went, and ways we can improve.

10 Frequently Asked Questions What s the trip like from the airport to the Christianville campus? Christianville is about 18 miles from PAP, however due to traffic the trip could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours. If this is your first trip to Haiti you ll experience many sights, sounds, and smells that you re not accustomed to. You ll have a chance to see some of the severe poverty of the country on this trip. What s the food like at Christianville? Our chef and kitchen staff prepares and provide three meals Monday-Saturday, along with Sunday Brunch and Dinner. Most meals are Haitian in origin with a focus on rice and beans, sauces, pumpkin and bean soups, fried bananas, amazing bread, and various fruits. You may want to bring along snack foods to share in the evenings and protein bars should your appetite be larger than typical portion sizes. What do I wear? First, when in doubt if you can wear something, don t bring it! Women are encoraged to wear modest style shorts and pants in Haiti. For church bring a skirt/blouse combination or slacks and a polo or button-down shirt. Be sure to wear/bring comfortable shoes for working and walking. If you plan to visit the beach on your trip, remember an appropriate swimsuit choice is important. Should I bring money? We recommend for offerings or souvenir purchases, along with whatever money you deem necessary for emergencies. Remember to bring small denominations that you can keep track of. US currency is difficult to exchange if bills have marks or tears.