General Information Sheet for Work Teams and Visitors to
Thank you for your interest in coming to
Visa & Passport: You need to have a valid passport with at least six months validity to apply for your
Medical Insurance: Few standard medical insurance plans offer covera
Vaccinations: Yellow Fever vaccine is mandatory for anyone traveling to
· Hepatitis A & B (if you can
· Hepatitis A anti-serum if you do not have time for the vaccine
· Typhoid
· Tetanus shot
· Flu shot may be required depending upon a
· Meningococcal vaccine
· Polio booster, unless you’ve already received a lifetime total of four doses
Malaria Prophylaxis: Please consider the serious risk of
The CDC recommends Mefloquine, otherwise known as Larium. If you have a prior history of depression, you should not take Larium. Take your first dose two weeks before you leave so you will know ahead of time if you are going to experience any unwanted side effects. Larium can be purchased in
The best alternative to Lariam is Doxycycline (Vibramycine), 100 mg once a day. However, children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers CANNOT take doxycycline.
Malarone is the latest anti malaria prophylaxis being used. It is expensive, but effective.
Travel Plans: We need to know your travel plans as soon as you know them! It is usually best to e-mail our business a
Living and Travel Expenses: After reviewing the costs, a per diem rate of $30 US per day in
To avoid misunderstandings and confusion, the field leadership would like you to send in advance, adequate funds to cover your per diem and interior travel expenses to the C&MA national office in
Ř Send a check with an explanatory note to The Christian and Missionary Alliance /Finance Department, P.O. Box 35000,
Ř If you could not send your per diem or interior travel money to
Personal spending money should be brought directly to the field in either Euros or US dollars. Please do not bring traveler’s checks. There are some ATM machines in
The Weather vs. Clothing: Except for the months of June through September (which we call the “Dry Season”), the weather is hot and very humid. Temperatures ran
For cultural reasons, we are asking that you dress conservatively. As westerners we tend to “dress down” in comparison with the Gabonese. Cotton or cotton-polyester clothing is the most comfortable. For casual wear on mission compounds, sleeveless tops and Bermuda-length shorts are great. Ladies should wear a dress or skirt (knee-length or lon
For those coming as part of a work team (i.e. prepared to do manual labor), knee-length shorts are acceptable, but you may prefer long loose fitting pants. If you have questions about appropriate dress, please contact your coordinator for more specific details!
Lugga
If you are bringing one or several suitcases of costly supplies, computer equipment, or medical equipment that was donated or purchased with gifts, prepare a “Gift Certificate” following the sample included at the end of this document. A gift certificate is an official statement of the value, purpose, and destination of a gift, and should be written on official stationary and signed by the donor or contributor.
More things to bring: Sun screen, anti-fungal powder, a good flashlight with extra batteries, an alarm clock, an umbrella, unlocked GSM tri-band phone, and a few good books to read (and leave!). Visitors may wish to bring along their iPod or walkman.
Contact lenses are 0K to wear, and the 110-volt sterilizing units work fine with transformers. Contact lens cleaning solutions are NOT available in the country, so bring what you will need.
When you
Housing: Our guest homes are furnished with a frid
Note: Do not take any photographs at airports or any official buildings. It is best to ask permission from the local people if you wish to take their picture
Additional Contact Info & Numbers:
If you are coming to
Gabon Field Director Office: 241-70-21-27 / 241-70-21-24 (home)
American Embassy in
Seven reasons why we believe work teams make a difference for world missions:
1) Work teams do good work that is a gift to the missionaries and the National
2) Team members come alongside missionaries and share their burdens, providing encoura
3) Spiritually mature team members minister in small but significant ways to both Africans and missionaries. Some discover gifts and a call from God that later leads into full-time mission service.
4) By coming at their own expense and working for free, team members challen
5) Team members return home with a new view of missions and a burden for the unreached peoples of the world that they then can share with their families.
6) Work teams infuse new enthusiasm, resources, and purpose into their church’s missions programs.
7) Work teams return home with a heightened sense of gratitude and appreciation for what God has given them.
GIFT CERTIFICATE
To whom it may concern,
This is to certify that the following items being brought into
(please list each item separately)
(item a) (value in
(item b) (value)
(item c) (value)
Total value: ______________
(Pastor*s name typed)
(signature and date)
(official stamp, if any)
You may be asked to bring a computer or equipment that a missionary asked you to purchase or that was repaired in the States and is ready to come back (a frequent occurrence). You can still make the statement that it was donated if the missionary purchased the computer with money given to him for his ministry (almost always the case). Equipment for a missionary whose work in any way relates to the hospital can honestly be said to help the hospital, and should be listed in the same way as equipment, tools, or supplies going directly to the hospital.
