TRAVEL & HEALTH
Q: Is a Passport or Visa required?
A: Yes, a USA Passport is required for all persons traveling. Persons 18 and under must also have a notarized parental consent form. If a Visa is required for the country you are traveling to, Encounter Group will provide it.
Q: Do you provide Travel Insurance?
A: No. Contact your local travel agent for any travel insurance program availability.
Q: How much luggage can we take?
A: Most airlines will allow 2 bags per person and each bag can be no heavier than 50 pounds or there will be an extra charge. Don’t over pack! Remember that you will be staying 4 people to a room. Many teams elect to bring one bag of personal items and one bag of items that can be distributed in the local community in which you will serve. *Please note that beginning in 2008 some airlines have opted to charge a fee for all checked luggage. Contact your airline carrier or travel agent for further details.
Q: Do we need shots?
A: A current Tetanus shot is required for ALL Encounter Group trips. Additional shots are listed below by region.
Bahamas: No additional shots are required
Dominican Republic: Hepatitis A is recommended.
Ghana Africa: Hepatitis A and typhoid shots are strongly recommended for this trip. A yellow fever shot is necessary, and you must bring the completed form to enter Ghana. A preventive prescription for malaria is also recommended; ask your physician for the appropriate RX for your specific location.
Peru: Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B shots are strongly recommended. If you plan to travel with Encounter Group to the areas of the Amazon River, you will need a Yellow Fever shot and prescription pills for Malaria.
Vanuatu: No vaccinations are required but anti-malarial precautions and Hepatitis A are recommended.
Q: Am I covered through medical insurance?
A: Your primary coverage is through your personal medical insurance. Encounter Group provides secondary coverage up to $50,000.
Q: Prescription Medicines?
A: All prescription medicines require the original prescription container or a doctor’s prescription. U.S. Customs will allow you to bring back up to a 60-day supply.
WEATHER
Q: What’s the weather like?
A: Detailed below by region.
Southern California: During the summer months Southern California can be very sunny and extremely warm. Daytime highs can range from 80 to 110 and evening lows range from 60 to 75. Proper hydration and lots of sunscreen are a must!
Dominican Republic: The Dominican Republic has a semitropical climate. During the summer months, temperatures range between 80° and 95°F. Humidity is a factor so make sure that your team is drinking lots of water and wears sunscreen.
Ghana: Ghana has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. The north has a rainy season from March to November, with a dry season in the remaining months. The south has two rainy seasons, one from April to July and the other from September to November.
Peru: When it's summer in the U.S., it's winter in Peru. Weather during this time is usually damp and cool (low 70°s daytime temps, 40° at night). It’s always best to dress in layers.
Vanuatu: The South Pacific islands are very tropical. The warmest months are November to April averaging 84°F. The summer months average 75° with a low of 60°F.
Q: Will I need sunscreen?
A: Yes! It is highly recommended that you bring sunscreen with you on your trip, especially for groups traveling to destinations in the Caribbean. NOTE: Sunscreen should be applied multiple times throughout the day.
FOOD
Q: Is the water safe to drink?
A: In any locations where the water is unsafe, Encounter Group will provide sanitary drinking water.
Q: What type of food will we be eating?
A: In order to maintain a healthy diet for all participants the food is prepared with a mild local flair while keeping familiar American dishes as staples.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Q: How safe is the location?
A: Safety must be a priority and it is! Encounter Group works closely with government agencies year-round and throughout the duration of your trip in order to ensure that all precautions are taken to maintain safety for your team. Whether political unrest, medical outbreaks or severe weather conditions Encounter Group is one of the first to be notified and our mission teams are immediately protected with the aid of local government agencies. All teams are housed in secure hotel or dormitory facilities for the added benefit of health and safety. Also, included in your mission trip tuition is medical insurance for every person in your group as previously stated.
Q: What does “Quad-Occupancy” mean?
A: This means that your tuition is based on there
being 4 people per room. Any rooms with less than 4 people will incur minor additional charges. Please note that Quad-Occupancy may not apply to all housing arrangments.
CULTURE
Q: What is the common language?
A: Detailed below by region.
Ghana: English.
Mexico, Dominican Republic and Peru: Spanish.
Vanuatu: There are 115 distinctly different cultures and languages in Vanuatu. Vanuatu is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.
Q: Can we use American dollars?
A: Detailed below by region.
Dominican Republic: The peso oro is the currency of the Dominican Republic. The Peso is used at approximately $30DR to $1US. Your money can be converted at the hotels.
Ghana: The cedi is the unit of currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas, but due to inflation, no coins with a denomination lower than 10 cedi are currently in use. There are 9050 - 9600 Ghanaian cedis to one U.S. Dollar.
Peru: The nuevo sol is the monetary unit (currency) of Peru. It is subdivided into 100 céntimos. There are 3 – 3.5 Peruvian Nuevo Sol to one U.S. Dollar.
Vanuatu: The Vatu is the official currency of Vanuatu. There are 107 Vatu to one U.S. Dollar.
EXPENSES
Q: How much spending money do I need?
A: If you are not going to buy souvenirs, we recommend about $50-$100 for recreation and cafes.
Q: Can we give an offering to the churches we are serving?
A: Absolutely! It is greatly appreciated when participants contribute to the support of the church or pastor. This of course is not mandatory but strongly encouraged. Most of the pastors in the countries we serve have a separate full time job in order to support their ministry.
Q: What additional costs, over and above our tuition, can we expect?
A: There may be additional costs incurred if your team does not have 4 people per room or if you are traveling to a region where the “ministry project cost” is not included in the tuition for the trip. Fees for airline travel, passports, shots, etc. are not included in the tuition for the trip. Please contact your Mission Facilitator if you have additional questions regarding your trip tuition and additional costs.
Q: What are the ministry project costs?
A: Some international trips do not include funds for ministry projects. We ask that the teams raise additional funds in order to help purchase the construction/building materials needed for their specific trip/project. These ministry project costs can range anywhere from $300 - $5,000 depending on the amount of work your team desires to accomplish.
MISCELLANEOUS
Q: Is there a Dress Code?
A: Yes. Please refer to the Encounter Group Dress Code.
Q: Can we call home from our international destination?
A: Prior to leaving for your international destination, check with your cellular carrier to see if they service the area where you will be traveling. In most countries, pre-paid phone cards may be purchased once you arrive. Please note that not all calling cards will work internationally
Q: Are you affiliated with a denomination?
A: Encounter Group is a non-denominational organization working with hundreds of different denominations in order to spread the love of Christ throughout the world. If your team would like to be partnered with a denomination of like affiliation for your time of ministry, please contact the Encounter Group office and we will try to accommodate your request.
