Posts Tagged ‘international missions trip’

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Monday, January 9th, 2012

Raising Funds for a Mission Trip

The excitement of an upcoming mission trip is often dampened by the realization that the funds aren’t readily available to pay for it. That’s when we have to get creative!

With a good plan and the determination to make it happen, you can raise the amount you need.

Start by writing a letter to your family and friends describing the mission you are undertaking and ask them to consider supporting you. Hand-written letters will come across as more sincere and heartfelt than emails, so bear that in mind. Include a pre-addressed return envelope for their donation.

Reach out to friends for their ideas on ways to raise funds. They might be willing to help with car washes, bake sales and other events, and they might have contacts at restaurants and other businesses that could hold fund-raisers  on your behalf.

A great idea for a fund-raiser is to sell hand-crafted items from the country you are planning to visit, with a portion of the proceeds going to your trip. Use your social media pages to promote sales and let friends know about your upcoming trip.

Finally, take a close look at your budget for luxuries you can do without for a while. Deferring monies normally spent on those daily lattes, nice restaurants and premium cable channels to your trip fund will reap rewards in no time.

So, if you’re excited about serving abroad but are apprehensive that you won’t be able to come up with the money, pray about it and create a plan. Don’t let fear keep you from doing what you feel led to do. Use the suggestions above and you will raise the money — and grow a lot in the process!

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Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Use Timeline, Checklist to Plan 2012 Trips

Next summer’s mission trip abroad will be much more successful and enjoyable if you start planning right now, and follow a careful timeline. Travelers who plan ahead and allow sufficient time for paperwork to be processed find fewer inconveniences and unwelcome surprises along the way.

For best preparation, follow this timeline to get ready for your trip.

Six to nine months ahead

Book air travel: This is the time to confirm your travel details with your destination office. Contact Ministry Travel so we can obtain the best airfare and other rates for your group. Discuss your needs for travel insurance with your agent.

Pay deposits: Your agent will provide specific details for your group, but deposits will be required not long after reservations are made. Refund terms vary depending on whether payment was made by check or credit card.

Review visa requirements: Your Ministry Travel agent will advise you how to determine the visa requirements for the country or countries you plan to visit, and assist you in obtaining any necessary documents.

Determine immunization requirements: Check with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find out the most current immunization requirements for the country or countries you plan to visit. Then, receive the required immunizations. Check with your physician about whether you should update your tetanus, polio and other standard vaccines as well. Obtain proof of all immunizations for the visa process.

The CDC provides information and printable forms for recording what vaccines were received and when.

Four to six months ahead

Apply for visas. Complete visa applications and gather signed passports and photos for submission. The U.S. State Department’s website provides detailed visa information, searchable by country.

Two to three months ahead

Submit final list of travel group. The airline will want a final list of the members of your group several months before departure. This will vary depending on the destination and the airline. Also, remember that the names on the list must be identical to the names on their passports.

Update group members. This is the time to remind fellow travelers of the due date for the balance of the trip expense and the final amount due. Double check the names on tickets and itineraries for accuracy, and contact us at Ministry Travel if there are any discrepancies. Also, if you have not bought travel insurance for this trip, you may still do so. Your agent can explain the various options available to you.

Consider baggage regulations. Check with your airline or agent about current baggage rules and regulations. You need to know what is allowed for free and what additional baggage charges will be. In addition, it’s good to know about restrictions on imports, so you don’t bring anything with you that is not allowed into the country you are visiting.

Two weeks ahead

Check in with field office. This is the time to check with those at your destination about who is meeting your group at the airport, and obtain phone numbers for your contacts there, in case of emergency. In a safe place, record the addresses and phone numbers of the American embassies or consulates in the nations you are visiting. You can find a list here.

Double check credentials. It’s important to make sure everyone in your group has passport and visas, plane tickets, immunization records, a copy of the passport in case of loss or theft, and any applicable missionary credentials.

One week ahead

Secure transportation to the airport. Make sure your plans allow adequate time for traffic delays and airline check-in — note that international flight check-in takes longer than domestic check-in — and adequate space in the vehicles for everyone’s luggage.

Three days ahead

Confirm flight plans. Call the airlines to confirm flights for departure and return.

Day of departure

Final credential check: Before heading to the airport, make sure every passenger has his or her airline tickets, passport, visas, medical documentation and other necessary credentials for foreign travel. Check to see that all luggage is properly identified.

 

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Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

Preparing Mission Teams for 2012 Airfare Increases

The continued soft global economy has airlines cutting flights and raising prices, and that could have a major impact on missions teams and their 2012 budgets. In addition, with the Olympics coming to London next year (a major transfer airport for missionary teams) airline prices are being driven up even more.

USAToday reported that airfares rose in the U.S. nearly 10% for the 12 months ending in August compared to the previous 12 months, and the major U.S. airlines will cut capacity 2%-4% next year. This means 2012 airfares could go up even more. Baggage and miscellaneous airline fees are also on the rise.

In addition to fare increases, travelers can expect tax increases in 2012, especially on international trips. The White House has proposed travel tax increases, the UK is threatening increases, and various individual countries have already raised their taxes. Bulgaria, for example, just raised one of their travel taxes by 8%.

What does all of this mean to the mission traveler? Here are four things to keep in mind:

You can’t use last year’s mission trip budget. If you base your 2012 trips on what you paid for your 2011 trips you can expect to be greatly disappointed. Instead of guessing, call us and let us give you a no-obligation quote so that you can work with realistic numbers.

You may need to alter your trip dates. It is always true that flexible travel dates often lead to substantial savings; this is especially the case for 2012.

Consider alternate airlines. Some frequent missionary travelers have their favorite airlines and will stick with them even if they have to pay a little more. In 2012, however, you could be paying a lot more. Be open to considering other airlines. Your Ministry Travel agent can give you all the details and let you make apples to apples comparison of airlines.

Watch the luggage weight. It is reported that some airlines are charging as much as $450 for overweight bags on international flights. Pay attention to the airline weight rules and know that if your trip involves different airlines, there may be different weight restrictions. This is especially true if you are transferring to smaller regional or national airlines. For example, with certain tickets a team traveling to Tanzania from the U.S. can have three 50-pound bags, but if they take an in-country flight the national airline limits them to one 44-pound bag. Again, contact us for details on luggage rules and for information on our special tickets that allow for free extra bags.

As always, the earlier you can plan your trips and purchase your tickets the better off you will be, especially going into a volatile 2012. Contact Ministry Travel today at 1-877-541-5726 or www.ministrytravel.com and find out about our airfare discounts for your 2012 international mission trips.

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Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

Discounts and Tips for Missions Teams Traveling Through London

Your short-term missions team has landed in London and you have a long layover before you continue your onward journey. Like many other teams, you will probably want to venture into the city to do some sightseeing. Here are some tips to help you save money and make your group’s experience better.

Group Discounts

The London subway system offers discounts on unlimited day-use tickets for groups. The savings are significant, about a 75% discount off peak tickets. You can purchase tickets right outside of the arrivals hall of Heathrow’s Terminal 5. You will need to have one person pay on behalf of the group. The tickets provide unlimited travel at any time of the day within the zones that you pay for. Most likely you will want to get tickets for zones 1-6 as those include the airport and central tourist area.

The Original London Sightseeing Tour—the tour with the double-decker red buses–offers group discounts (www.theoriginaltour.com). To get the best discount, you need to purchase tickets online prior to your travel to London. The challenge with this, however, is that you have to buy tickets for a specific departure time, which is difficult to do when you don’t know if your fight will be on time or how long it will take to clear customs, etc.

A better alternative, although not quite as much of a discount, is to buy tickets as a group at the bus itself. Again, you will need one person to actually pay for the tickets, but the savings is worth it. The best place to start the tour is near the Piccadilly Underground Station, which is about a 45 minute subway ride from London Heathrow. The tour departs from the McDonald’s about two blocks from the station. This is also a great area to eat as there are several fast-food restaurants there.

Luggage

For eight British Pounds you can securely store your carry-on bag at the Left Luggage center near the rail station entrance at Heathrow airport. It is well worth the money to not have to lug your bag all over London.

Change for Restrooms

Some restrooms charge to use the facilities, so be sure to have some British coins with you as you tour the city.

Hopefully these tips will help your international missions team the next time you find yourself traveling through London. As a reminder, Ministry Travel offers discounted airfare for missionaries and humanitarian teams on most major carriers to just about every place in the world. Contact us today at 1-877-541-5726 or www.ministrytravel.com for a no-obligation quote and see how much money we can save your missions trip.

 

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Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

Little Things Make a Big Difference

Our Christian mission clients who traverse the globe to bring hope to the hopeless know what a big difference little things can make in developing countries and remote parts of the world. They know that there are so many things that we take for granted in the West to which others around the world have little or no access.

Deborah shared this story on our Facebook page:

In China, I joined a national/international group that trekked to a remote village bringing school supplies, shoes, and treats. It was amazing to see the conditions in that impoverished community. They still rely on outhouses and only have cold water spigots that came to their yards. The whole village has one phone. Needless to say, the candy was consumed almost immediately! Similarly, the international Christian school I worked at in Bolivia took Christmas presents to street kids living in an orphanage. We were able to link up with Operation Christmas Child. It was incredible how a little box of toys was cherished. It was a joy to bring Christmas to these children in different parts of the world. I thank God for the opportunity to serve and to bless. 

As millions of children return to school in our country, complete with backpacks full of supplies, Deborah’s story is a great reminder of those who struggle every day with limited resources. But as she said, she was blessed because she had the opportunity to go and share things as simple as candy and school supplies. That’s the double blessing of mission trips: needy people are touched and encouraged abroad while touching and impacting the lives of those who go. 

Ministry Travel is proud to arrange thousands of missionary flights every year to just about every place imaginable. We are unique in that we are a mission travel agency—that is our single focus. We’re not trying to sell vacation packages to top holiday destinations. Instead, we help people like Deborah save money on their international airline tickets so that they can buy a lot more of the “little things” that actually make a big difference in the lives of others. We are blessed when we hear stories like Deborah’s. 

Do you have a mission trip story that you would like share? We would love to hear it. Visit the discussion tab on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ministrytravel.

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Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

USA Passport Day Set for September 17

Are you going on your first international mission trip or getting ready to take a mission team abroad? Then chances are you or someone on your team still needs a passport. Here is a great opportunity to get it. 

The U.S. State Department, which issues passports for U.S. citizens, will have its regional passport offices open on Saturday, September 17 with no appointments needed. You also will be able to apply for standard processing (4-6 weeks) at the normal fee. Typically, you must pay an expedited fee any time you submit an application in person at a passport agency or center. 

The State Department plans passport-themed events for children and adults at the passport agencies and at thousands of passport acceptance facilities around the country. You can visit one of the offices and apply for either routine or expedited processing. The State Department has opened several new regional passport offices over the last several months, bringing the total to 26. For a complete list visit http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html.  

New passports for adults (age 16 and older) are $135. Renewals are $110. Minor passports, both new and renewals, are $105. Currently, routine processing is taking four to six weeks. Expedited service, which costs $60 more, takes about two to three weeks.  

If you need your passport quicker, Ministry Travel can help you secure either a new one or a replacement in as quickly as 24 hours. We also can help secure travel visas. For more information on this service, visit http://www.ministrytravel.com/travel-services/missionary-passport-visa.shtml. 

If you already have a passport, here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Check the expiration date. Many short term missions travelers fail to do so, only to discover just before a trip that it is expired. No one wants the extra stress, anxiety and expense of trying to renew a passport when they are preparing to leave. Passports are valid for 10 years for an adult and five years for minors under age 16.
  • Make sure your passport will be valid for at least six month after you start your trip. Some countries require that your passport be valid for at least this long or they can refuse entry.
  • Locate your passport 3-4 weeks prior to your mission trip. We have heard many, many stories of short-term missionaries getting ready to leave for the airport and not able to find their passport.
  • Cary a copy of your passport with you when you travel. In case your passport is lost or stolen, the copy can make it easier for you to get it replaced while abroad. If you are leading a team, you should keep a copy of each team member’s passport. 

For more information on U.S. passports, including how to apply for one, visit http://travel.state.gov/passport. For information on visas and other international travel related issues, visit http://travel.state.gov. For discounted airfare for missionary and humanitarian travelers, click on the “Mission Travel Quote Request” link on our website at www.ministrytravel.com.

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Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Mission Round-Up: Denominations Highlight Global Missions Needs

Several major U.S. Christian denominations recently held their annual meetings, and missions continues to be a major topic of both discussion and action. They are appointing more long term missionaries as well as encouraging short-term volunteers.

The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. recently appointed several missionaries to work in the new African nation of South Sudan. Their focus in the fledgling nation will be on community based development, evangelism discipleship and ethnic conflict resolution.

The United Methodist Church (UMC) is commissioning 26 new missionaries today. Throughout the year, the various conferences that make up the UMC focused heavily on disaster relief, global malaria prevention, and feeding the hungry.

Southern Baptists spent much of their annual convention emphasizing the world’s 3,800 “unengaged” people groups and the need for more churches to take a proactive role in missions. Birmingham, Alabama pastor David Platt challenged the group of church leaders to take seriously the need to engage unreached people groups. “This is a problem for every pastor and every local church to address,” he said during a sermon.

Nearly $1 million was pledged for missions during the Foursquare Church’s annual meeting. This was a historic event, according to Foursquare Missions Committee Chairman Richard Casteel. Writing on the denomination’s website, Casteel thanked the pastors who made the commitment for their “generous act of faith in funding the expansion of the gospel throughout the world… (which) will help fund strategies to reach more people who have not yet been reached with the gospel of Jesus.”

During our nearly 12 years of service, Ministry Travel has worked with every major Christian denomination and missions agency in the U.S. as well as with a number of smaller and independent Christian missions groups. We’ve also served scores of churches taking missions trips to just about every place imaginable. We are glad to facilitate the travels of missionaries and groups engaged in missions work. If your denomination, church or organization is planning a mission trip, be sure to contact us at 1-877-541-5726 and ask about our special airfare discounts for missionaries and non-profit groups.

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Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Helping the Mission Trip’s Bottom Line: Ministry Travel’s Social Media Month in Review

Expenses are always a factor in missions. Yes the focus is on ministry, but making the most of every dollar is critical to missionaries and those on international mission trips. This past month we highlighted several stories in our social media channels Facebook (www.facebook.com/ministrytravel) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ministrytravel) that were relevant to finances and mission trips. Here are a couple of those items in more in depth.

The first was a fun chart created by a group of number crunchers over at The Economist (http://econ.st/q7YTnm) and put into a more visually appealing format by the folks at Credit Sesame (http://bit.ly/nKsIUL). The chart compares the value of a Big Mac in different countries. This is a guide to the purchasing power of the dollar around the world.

Why is this important to mission travel? It will help you in budgeting and could even be a factor if you are choosing between countries for your mission trip destination.

A Big Mac in China is 44% cheaper than the U.S. which implies that the Chinese currency is undervalued against the dollar. Take a missions team to Brazil and you will pay 51% more for those two all-beef patties with special sauce. The implication, at least in theory, is that you could expect your in-country expenses in Brazil to be 51% more than what you would pay for something comparable in the U.S. once you factor in exchange rates and the value of the currency.

By the way, India has the best deal on Big Macs and Norway has the worst.

Arthur Frommer, of Frommer’s Travel Guide, recently blogged that the best deals on currency exchanges are at ATMs rather than at airport or train station exchange kiosks. In Frommer’s example, he saved 15% by using an ATM. We have heard similar stories from our missionary clients.

One word of caution, however, is that not all debit or cash advance credit cards will work at all ATMs around the world. Europe seems to be the most compatible. You should, however, always do your homework before you rely solely on ATMs to get your cash.

The biggest expense for any mission trip is usually the airfare, and that’s where we work hard every day to help keep your costs down. Contact one of our missionary travel consultants for your next trip and let us stretch your international ministry dollars. You can request a no-obligation quote online at www.ministrytravel.com or by calling 1-877-541-5726.

Also, if you’re not getting our daily Facebook or Twitter updates, be sure to sign up today and we will keep you informed on all the latest travel news, stories and tips that are relevant to Christian missions and travel.

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Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Missions Round-up: New Tools for Missionaries

Those preparing for international mission trips will be especially interested in some new tools, training and resources that are being used to impact needy people around the world.

e3 Resources has just introduced the MalariaCube, which is the size and shape of a Rubik’s Cube, but has panels that open with pictures on it. The tool is used to educate people about the prevention and causes of malaria, which affects millions of people each year, especially in Africa. Although the tool focuses on the mosquito-borne disease, there is another use. “Our goal at the end of the day is to share the gospel. And in the area of malaria, it’s such a problem that we can tell this story and grab people’s attention—where their heart beats. And then we share the gospel as well,” said Casey See, Executive Director of e3 Resources in a recent interview with Mission Network News. e3’s other “cube” resources include the Evangecube, which has been used by tens of thousands of people world-wide to share the gospel, and the HopeCube, which teaches about HIV/AIDS.

White buckets by the thousands are heading to Africa to help those ministering to people with AIDS. The In-Home Care Kit program of Baptist Global Response (BGR), an international relief and development organization, has provided medical and hygiene supplies to help Christian caregivers and ease the suffering of people affected by terminal illnesses. According to a recent Baptist Press report, more than 4,700 of the five-gallon plastic buckets have been sent over the past two years to South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Guinea and Niger. BGR is hoping to send 6,000 this year. The buckets are filled by U.S. churches and then BGR distributes them through their African network.

With a large percentage of the world that cannot or does not learn from reading, the importance of using stories to share the gospel is taking on more prominence. Many short term teams are getting training in oral communications strategies, and more and more mission agencies are dedicating staff and resources to it. Several of these organizations sponsor workshops to equip people to use stories to tell Bible events and biblical truths. One organization, Mission Aviation Fellowship, is sponsoring a training next month in Boise, Idaho. You can get more information at http://www.maflt.org.

Just a reminder that whether you are taking a mission trip to Africa, tackling a humanitarian project in South America, or flying anywhere for missionary or humanitarian purposes, Ministry Travel can help you save money on missionary airfares. You can request a no-obligation quote from one of our travel consultants at www.ministrytravel.com.

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Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Layover at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5

The three-person mission team stepped off the airplane from their overnight flight from Africa and walked into Terminal 5 at London’s Heathrow Airport. Having spent the last 10 days eating rice, beans and other African “delicacies” the team wanted some familiar food.

After clearing security, one of the guys asked the purple shirt-clad airport information representative where the closest McDonald’s was. “We don’t have McDonald’s or any fast-food chain here in Terminal 5,” the man replied. “This is a new terminal and it was designed to be upscale.”

If you fly through London from the U.S., you probably will spend time in Terminal 5. So that you are not too disappointed when you can’t find a Big Mac there, here are some tips to finding other food and shops in the terminal.

While you won’t find a McDonald’s in Heathrow’s Terminal 5, you will find a Starbucks (guess a coffee chain  is in a different category) and some great specialty restaurants. There is a traditional British restaurant called Huxleys on the Departure (upper) level just past security on the north side. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has a food stop just south of the central waiting area, also on the upper level. Wagamama, which is a noodle bar restaurant, can be found near the north seating area.

Our favorite Terminal 5 restaurant, however, is Giraffe, which features international food accented by global music. The service is quick, the food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. It is located on the upper level near security and next to the London 2012 Store.

Speaking of the London 2012 Store, this shop just opened last month in advance of the Olympics which will be held in London next summer. The store features mostly Olympic apparel but also has a selection of gift items including Olympic trading pins.

Besides the typical airport bookstores, duty free shops and convenient markets, Terminal 5 also has a Harrods Department Store, luggage store, travel store and a large electronics shop. Most of those are located on the Gate (middle) Level.

If you have a long layover and decide to venture out of the Terminal and into the city, there is no need to take your carry-on bag. Just stop by the Left Luggage center in the arrivals area near the rail station entrance. For eight British Pounds they will securely store one piece of luggage for up to 24 hours.

No, you won’t find a McDonald’s at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 but you will discover some great food and unique shops.

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