Belize Information Sheet for Short-Term Mission Trips

Transcription

1 About Belize Belize Information Sheet for Short-Term Mission Trips Many people, at first, are not familiar with the country of Belize until you mention its former name, British Occupied Honduras. Full independence was gained from Britain in 1981 as a parliamentary democracy. The government is stable with two key parties presently in power. Belize is approximately the size of Massachusetts with a population of 280,000 consisting of a wide array of people and ethnic groups. Located south of Mexico and east of Guatemala, it is Caribbean in flavor, rather than Latin, and speaks English, rather than the Spanish language of its surrounding neighbors. Primarily a tropical rain forest, Belize has two seasons: rainy and dry. During the dry season (late February to May) the temperature and humidity fluctuates and thunderstorms can be expected. In the rainy months (fall and early winter) rainfall can be as high as 150 with high humidity. Belize by and large is an underdeveloped country with the south being further behind in its progress. This disparity is reflected in all aspects of life from economical to spiritual. The country is composed of seven districts. Among the Belizeans, the southern end of the country is known as the forgotten land. The northern part of the country, which relies heavily on tourism, is relatively prosperous with an average income of $1800/month Belize ($900/US). The southern part depends on timber and agriculture with an average income of $800/month Belize ($400/US). With limited access to goods and services readily available up north the cost of living is more expensive in the south. Since incomes are lower yet everyday living costs are higher, we work among some of the poorest in the nation, with our primary cultural groups being Maya Mopan, Kekchi, and the Garifuna. (We ask that you please remember this during your ministry trip. North Americans often come across as affluent and arrogant when we are not sensitive to the cultural contrasts around us.) No visas are required for entry by Americans or Canadians; however, you will be given a small white paper (the bottom portion of what you complete on the airplane ride) as you go through immigration. Please keep this located safely with your passport (it is needed to exit the country). Also- make two copies of your passport picture page. Keep each copy separate from your passport. No shots are required to enter but we do strongly suggest that you check with the CDC at for any recommended shots and Malaria prevention pertaining to traveling in Belize. Cloroquin is sometimes recommended as a Malaria medication (taken one week prior to departure, once during the trip, and 3-4 weeks after returning). Also you should discuss with your doctor any items related to your personal health issues. Statistics At-a-Glance Languages English official Spanish spoken by 50% of the population Creole Kekchi Garifuna Maya Mopan

2 Short-term Missions Trips Cost Information Please do not post official dates for your trip until you have contacted us to ensure the dates your group would like to travel are available on our annual calendar planner. Thank-you! Note: these are approximate costs based on information available as of 4/1/2008. An itemized list will be provided upon confirmation of trip dates, # of team members, etc. TEAM LEADERS: Please be sure when giving your team members their total cost per person to include these things: Airfare, project fee, exit tax, the cost of van rentals, (one van for every 8-10 people to allow for luggage), fuel costs for vans, in-country flights or bus fares, when applicable, any extra costs (for ex: snorkeling trips, etc.) and money for souvenirs. NOTE: PROJECT FEE & OTHER OF THESE COSTS MAY WANT TO BE INCURRED BY THE SENDING CHURCH. In Country Transportation #1 Tropic Air Maya Air $ $ US Dollars One Way Round Trip #2 Chartered Bus $500. US Dollars One Way 1,000. #3 Van Rental * $145. per day* US Dollars Round Trip 15 passenger *includes insurance *We encourage short-term teams to select option # 3 so you will have the mobility you will need to get around the country. Fees Projects fees* ** $ per person * this provides everything needed (including materials for construction & maintenance supplies) for team projects (any funds left over goes towards C.C. Reaching Out To Belize administrative costs for your team outreach- thank you!) ** team projects are subject to change because of constant weather changes (ask Pastor Nate- hint Iris)

3 Local Travel You Better Belize It days are paid for by each team on an- as selected basis. Possible team recreational activities include: Caye Trip snorkeling* $ per boat load (seats people) Blue Creek swimming** $ per person Santa Elena Falls swimming $ per person San Antonio Falls swimming $ per person Mayan Ruins -climbing*** $ 5.00 per person Please let us know before you go which activities you might be interested in so we have time to plan. All activities are subject to change because of constant weather changes. *Pastor Nate s favorite **Melodie s favorite ***Jim s favorite Exit Tax Fee upon departure from Goldson International Airport - $35.00 US Dollars* * Travelers flying Continental Airlines may be exempt from this fee if it is absorbed in the cost of their ticket.

4 Example Time Line We suggest starting the Time Line about 5 months before your departure date. For example, if you decide on a June 1st departure date, we suggest a time line that looks like the following: January 1 st (5 months before departure) Start with a bulletin announcement: announcing the church's plan to send a short term mission team to Belize and ask those who desire to go to place their names on a signup sheet in the lobby. Suggested sign up time: 6 weeks February 15th Schedule and notify those who have signed up of a team meeting on March 1st. March 1 st at your first team meeting 1) announce who the team leader is 2) go over 'team information' from the calvarychapelmissionsbelize.com website 3) encourage team members to immediately apply for passports (for those who do not have one) 4) purchase/reserve airline tickets 5) contact & reserve van rental at: Crystal Auto Rental (reserve with credit card) April 1st team meeting 1) confirm passports have been applied for 2) review 'team information' May 1st team meeting 3) confirm passports have been received 4) review 'team information' 5) we recommend each team member purchase inexpensive international medical insurance for their time in Belize (the cost is around $2.25 per day). Contact Barbara Coetzee at barbarac@doublehonor.net for more information. June 1 st Departure Day!

5 Short-term Mission Trips Team Guidelines & Appropriate Dress Since C.C. Missions Reaching Out To Belize is an ongoing ministry in Belize, while teams are here for a brief amount of time, we have found it helpful to establish guidelines concerning expectations. We ask that you honor these at all times. (Team leaders: please note that it is your responsibility to ensure these guidelines are met. We would like to thank-you in advance for fulfilling your role as the leader.) Team Guidelines Please, no children under 14 years of age, without a parent. Also we ask that: At the Mission House we provide separate quarters for men and separate quarters for women. (Please: for high school teams 1 adult chaperone for each room). The team will be expected to eat their meals together so please be on time. Even though you might think you can t live without your ipod - please leave it at home. ipods tend to isolate team members and could be easily stolen. There will not be laundering facilities available so pack accordingly. The team always stays together unless authorized by the team leader. No loud talking or noise after 10:00pm, please (to be sensitive to those who need to rise early). Appropriate Dress (this is not optional) The weather and environment is harsh in Belize so your clothes are likely to take a beating please do not bring anything you greatly value! Everyday clothing: dress is casual; but modest. Girls: please leave your short-shorts, spaghetti-string tops, and halter tops at home (they are not appropriate in our setting). Also, if you are in a bathing suit it needs to be a one piece with shorts as a cover-up. Guys: no speedos! We do not want to run the risk of offending people in our host culture. For church: girls - dresses or skirts (below the knee); guys - pants and a button down shirt (short sleeve is fine). Shorts to the knees are OK to be worn at certain times. Footwear: Please pack shoes that are durable, comfortable, and dry quickly. Sandals or flip-flops are good to wear while showering. Work boots are preferable for construction projects. For painting projects wear appropriate foot wear. Hats can offer good sun protection while working and conducting outside ministry. Ball caps are fine or hats with a broader bill will provide more coverage.

6 Short-term Mission Trips Packing Suggestions Packing for a short-term mission trip is usually an adventure in and of itself! Let s see what will I need? What might I need? What if I forget something? What if they need something? These are all questions that are often asked of us. So we put together the following list of what you need to bring, what you may want to bring, and what would be helpful for us. Being located in Belize, our ministry often finds it hard to purchase items that are readily available in the states. Many things are either not in our small stores or too costly to justify purchasing out of a fixed ministry budget. That s what the next page is all about - items for short-term trips to consider bringing with them. If each team member packs 1 or 2 items from the list (you do not need to have each person get everything listed) it will help the ministry tremendously. Thank-you for your generosity this is a huge blessing to us! Packing What you need to bring What you may want to bring Passport (must be valid for 6 months from date of trip end) Money US Cash clean, crisp bills $20 and lower Airline ticket Bible Any personal medication you require (do not plan to re-stock while you are here) Good quality flashlight (and extra batteries) Water bottle (or canteen) Towels & washcloths & chigger repellent!* All personal toiletries (including toothpaste, soap, and shampoo)* 2 pairs of jeans or comfortable work pants 4-5 pairs of shorts (no short-shorts thank-you!) A bathing suit (1-piece for girls) - & cover-up (no speedos guys!) 7-8 T-shirts (girls: no tank-tops) 1-2 long sleeve T-shirts (for bug prevention) 1-2 pairs khakis or nicer-than-jeans pants (guys) 1-2 shirts w/collars (guys) 1-2 skirts/dresses (girls) Underwear and socks as you see fit Sandals and sneakers Construction shoes *check airline for size requirements Baby Powder Bug Spray* Camera Dirty clothing bag Extra zip-loc bags they come in handy here Flip flops for outdoor shower Hand sanitizer* Hat (baseball or wide brim for sun protection) Immunization record Kleenex Medication: diarrhea, sinus, etc. Notebook to journal Pen/pencils Rain poncho or collapsible umbrella Small first-aid kit Sunglasses Sunscreen* Water shoes for swimming Film (it s expensive here) *check airline for size requirements Our ministry is often located near or in the jungle so please expect it to be rustic. We do have electricity but it cannot always be counted on due to storms and power outages. Rememberif you do bring items requiring electricity you may not be able to use them.

7 Big-Item Wish List People often ask what our biggest needs are in our goal to Reach Out To Belize. Well, being located in Belize, and working among some of the poorest people in the nation, finances are always an issue (how can we pay for construction supplies, labor, etc.?) In addition, we often find it difficult to purchase items that are readily available in the states (there simply isn t a Home Depot, or Lowes, anywhere in the country of Belize). Many things are either not in our small stores or too costly to justify purchasing out of a fixed ministry budget. For this reason we have prepared our wish list for churches or organizations to consider contributing toward or shortterm teams to consider helping with. Thank-you for your generosity this is a huge blessing to us! The Wish List $$$ - is always welcome we always have needs expected and unexpected (who would have ever guessed we would have had the worst hurricane (Iris) in 65 years in 2001?) House-hold goods (these change from time to time so please ask). Kitchen-Aid mixer series Financial contributions also help us in purchasing items here that are too large for teams to bring with them.

8 Our Promise to You! OK we realize it is rare for a Mission to offer a promise to you - the person traveling to minister to us but we believe it is important to show you how serious we are about helping you grow as you give. (And no, team leaders, this is not a money back guaranteed pledge nice try, though!) We promise that while you are with us you will be inconvenienced! There will be days when you are hot and sweaty, tired and cranky, dodging scorpions or tarantulas or biting ants meanwhile longing for an ice-cold Coca-Cola (or Mountain Dew or whatever soda you like). And when this happens (notice that it is not if but when ) we ask that you choose to display an attitude of gratitude rather than an air of ungratefulness. Give thanks for all you have that makes life so convenient on a regular basis back home (like air conditioning, and indoor plumbing, and all kinds of stuff!) Count your blessings! Trust us if you do we promise that you will become grateful rather than grouchy. Stop and apply this Holy Habit from God s word: Be joyful always: pray continually; give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God s will for you in Christ Jesus I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV If it is an issue of being out of your convenience zone be joyful, pray, give thanks! We promise that while you are with us you will be out of your comfort zone! There will be days when you are asked to do something you don t normally do (something outside of your gift mix, natural abilities, or areas of interest). Maybe it is to assist with a construction project or clean-up duty, or maybe it is to sing a song or share your spiritual journey with people you don t know very well- when this happens we ask that you s t r e t c h! That is the Potter s Hand taking the clay and reshaping it to be what He knows is best. We can only be His masterpiece when we trust the Master with and during the molding process. Stop and reflect on these truths from God s word. Woe to Him who quarrels with His maker does the clay say to the Potter, what are you making? Isaiah 45:9 NIV. Yet, O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, you are the Potter, we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 NIV Notice the plural tense of the second verse God wants to mold you with others! If it is an issue of being out of your comfort zone stretch! Let the Maker mold you! We promise that while you are with us you will be in the conviction zone! There will be days when you re nudged by the Holy Spirit (that little tug on your heart that says, you shouldn t be doing this it s wrong or you need to ask her for forgiveness ). When that happens we ask that you address it quickly! If it is something that requires long-term processing, then make a commitment to work on it over the long haul! But do not squelch the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Romans 1:18 talks about men suppressing the truth. Romans 1:25 is a sad report of the truth of God being exchanged for a lie. But the good news is that John 14:26 introduces the Holy Spirit

9 as the one who will teach us and remind us. John 16:13 says the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. When we ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit we squelch God s work in our lives. That s serious stuff. So If it is an issue of conviction address it quickly! So where are you on the G-meter? Grouchy? Grateful? Grumbling? Growing?

10 (Your Church or Organization Name Here) Short-term Mission Trip Team Covenant Please give a copy to each team member and have them read and sign. Please bring all signed copies with you and give to team coordinator in Belize. Thank you! I realize that the following principles are crucial to the effectiveness, quality, and safety of our mission together. As a member of the short-term mission team, I promise & covenant, by God s abounding grace to: Remember that I am a representative of (your church or organization here) and as such I will seek to represent the spiritual values, moral conduct, and likeness to Christ that are embraced and embodied by that assembly. Remember that I am a guest working at the invitation of the personnel in the host country. I agree to respect and support their leadership. Remember that I have come not only to teach, but also to learn. I may be exposed to procedures and practices that I feel are ineffective or insufficient. I may also be confronted by attitudes that I feel are narrow or close-minded. As this occurs I will resist the temptation to correct my hosts and inform them about how things are done back in the United States. Instead I will be open to the opportunity of learning other culture s methods and ideas. Respect my host s culture and distinctive practices of Christianity. I recognize that the Christian faith has many different faces throughout the world, and that one of the purposes of my trip is to witness and experience faith lived out in a different culture. Develop and consistently maintain a servant s attitude toward all nationals and my teammates. Respect our team leader(s) and their decisions. Refrain from gossip and keep my promise of giving only good reports. If there are policies and decisions made by the leaders with which I disagree or do not understand, I will go to the team leaders in private and make my concerns known to them rather than to other team members. In so doing, I will avoid the possibility of sowing seeds of dissension and division. If someone on the team offends me, I promise to remain silent and forgive the person before God in my heart (Mark 11:25) allowing love to cover a multitude of sins (I Peter 4:8), or go to the person privately and seek reconciliation. I will resolve to approach an offender in the spirit of gentleness and genuine love, having first corrected my own attitude and actions (Galatians 6:1-2). Only if I am unable to restore an offender will I share the problems with others according to the principles of Matthew 18: If I violate these aforementioned principles, I resolve to ask the forgiveness of my brother or sister and the Lord, knowing that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). By doing all these things I will seek to promote harmony on my team. Be patient, forbearing, and forgiving toward the failings of the other members of the team. Refrain from complaining. I realize travel can present numerous unexpected and undesirable

11 circumstances, but patient endurance will help me grow. I resolve to be flexible, supporting, & adaptive on such occasions rather than grumbling when circumstances are difficult. Respect the work that is going on in the host country with its pastors and leaders. I realize that our team will be there for just a short time, but the local mission/school, is there long term. I will respect their knowledge, insights, and instructions. Refrain from negative comments or harsh discussions concerning the host country s politics and culture. Remember not to be exclusive in my relationships with the team. If my sweetheart or spouse is on the team we will make every effort to interact regularly with all members of the team. Refrain from activity or undue interest that could be construed as a romantic interest toward a national. I realize that certain actions that seem innocent in my own culture may be inappropriate in another culture. Refrain from any consumption of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and liquors. While this is not an attempt to bind the conscience, I understand that such indulgence may cause another to stumble. I realize and accept that failure to adhere to this mandate will result in my exclusion from further short-term trips with (your church or organization name here) Seek to live an exemplary life of holiness and obedience to God s commands. Remember my financial commitment and investment as a team member in choosing to be part of this team. Signature: Date: