SHORT TERM MISSION TEAMS
through our parent organization BMDMI   http://www.bmdmi.org

A. Steps to Joining a Team:

1. Read the "Frequently Asked Questions" section below. If you are still interested and would like more information, request a BMDMI team information booklet either from the BMDMI home office (Request Information) or from the captain of the team you would potentially like to travel with (see Team Schedule lists below). As you await the arrival of this brochure, prayerfully consider if God is calling you to be a part of a mission team.
   
   
2. Once you have read all the information, contact the captain of the team you would like to travel with (see Team Schedule lists below) to see if there is space on the team. If the team you wish to travel with is full, visit the Team Schedule lists again to see if there are other dates you may travel.
   
   
3. After signing up with a team, the captain will send you the necessary application, covenant, and release forms. Please fill out all requested information and return it to the team captain, along with any other information and/or deposit requested by your team. Ask the team captain to let you know what you can do to help prepare for the team trip (pill packing, fundraising, etc).
   
   
4. Maintain contact with your team captain and look forward to your trip! If you have specific questions about your trip that are not answered in FAQ below, contact your team captain.

B. Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be Baptist to participate on a team?

No. We welcome the support of our Christian brothers and sisters. Team members must be professing Christians involved in a local church.

Do I have to be a medical/dental professional to go on a team?

By no means. There is always a need for support personnel on each team to help with such things as children's church, the team kitchen, evangelism, the pharmacy, crowd control, etc. There is a place for everyone.

How much does it cost to go on a team?

At present, the cost is $1225 per person (price subject to change). This price includes your international round-trip air travel, accident insurance (including emergency medical evacuation), meals at the mission home, lodging and transportation on the field. However, this amount does not provide for your team’s purchase of food, medications, and supplies to carry to your assigned village; check with your team captain about how these additional team funds are being gathered. This price also does not include the cost of travel to and from your residence to your point of international departure (i.e. New Orleans, Houston, or Miami).

What travel documents do I need to have?

You need a valid passport that will not expire within six months of your scheduled entry date into Honduras or Nicaragua. U.S. citizens are not required to get a visa to enter Honduras or Nicaragua; a visa will be granted to you as you enter the country with your valid U.S. passport. (People traveling with a non-U.S. passport must check the regulations for entry into Honduras and Nicaragua.)

Do I have to speak Spanish to participate on a team?

By no means. The Mission will provide translators as necessary.

Do the team doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists have to provide license and diploma documentation?

Yes. Any doctor, dentist, nurse, and pharmacist who will be offering their professional services on the field must provide several additional documents (copy of annual license, diploma, passport page copies) to the team captain. Make sure you know exactly what documentation the team captain needs from you. This information is needed on a timely basis as our offices in Tegucigalpa and Managua must process the documentation with the appropriate government offices in order to obtain your temporary work permit.

Can a team member stay in Honduras or Nicaragua for an extended period of time?

A team member may elect to stay over for an additional week to work with the following team for an additional cost of $200 (price subject to change). These stay-overs must be pre-approved by the Team Activities department as well as by both team captains.

Do I need vaccinations to travel with a team?

No vaccinations/inoculations are required at this time. However, we highly recommend that you be up-to-date on your tetanus vaccination. And if traveling on a team between November and April, a flu shot is strongly recommended for the protection of the Central American people you will be ministering to. Check with your local physician about any additional vaccinations that he/she feels you ought to have before traveling.

Are there any dress/clothing restrictions for traveling with a team?

Yes. Your team booklet will cover this in detail. Ladies must wear skirts or dresses. Men must wear slacks or jeans.

Is it safe to travel to Honduras and Nicaragua?

Yes. BMDMI has been traveling to Honduras since 1974 and to Nicaragua since 1989. By the Lord’s good grace, we have not had any incidents of harm to our volunteers. As with any travel, though, there are certain risks for illness and/or accident.

What airlines do BMDMI teams travel with?

Currently, BMDMI uses the services of TACA, Continental, and American Airlines.

If I get sick while on the field, are there medical facilities to treat me there?

If you get sick and your team physician is not able to help you adequately, there are hospitals in Honduras and Nicaragua that are able to offer a certain level of medical care. Rarely does a team member ever have to go to one of these facilities. In extreme medical emergencies, you may be evacuated by private medical jet to the nearest care facility in the United States; the cost of this emergency medical evacuation insurance is included in your team fee.

Should I bring extra money with me on the trip?

Bring only the money you think you will need on the field. You will need additional money for any souvenirs that you may want to purchase as well as any snacks you may want to buy (can drinks, crackers, etc). You may also wish to bring extra money to give the village church as offerings at the evening church services. It is better to bring small bills (1’s, 5’s and 10’s).

Can I use traveler’s checks?

Yes.

What kind of jewelry should we take?

A good rule of thumb: Don´t take anything you would hate to lose. At times, things get lost in the shuffle while on the field. You’ll be moving around constantly and sleeping in large quarters with lots of people, lots of boxes, and lots of stuff.

Can I make a call to the U.S. from the field?

At times, yes, depending upon the status of the phone line as well as the line of people in front of you. A good rule of thumb is to tell your family/friends that "no news is good news." In case of an emergency, your team captain will call the team contact in the states who will in turn call the emergency contact for team members. If you do make a call to the U.S., you must have a credit card, calling card, or make a collect call.