Frequently Asked Questions
Sharing the love of Christ by meeting the needs of His people
Q: Who arranges transportation and food for the mission team?
A: We take care of all of those arrangements for you. Most meals are prepared on site by members of the local church where the mission team is working (for construction teams). Evangelism teams meals will vary depending on where teh team chooses to stay. We also work with a dependable transportation company who gets the teams from the airport to the site and back, as well transportation for the day off.
Q: How many people can come on a mission team?
A: We like to keep short term mission teams in the 10 - 18 person range. If a church has interest from more than 20 people, we recommend that they consider bringing two separate groups. However we can try to accomodate a large group if multiple groups is not an option. Again, this is not set in stone, but we have found that to some degree, too large of a group often limits the level of involvement of team members and presents some logistical challenges.
Q: What is the duration of a team's stay?
A: This depends on each different mission team. Most teams choose Saturday through Saturday. However it is not limited to just that time period.
Q: How much does it cost to bring a mission team?
A: This depends on project cost and mission team size. Please see the Expense page for more information on team cost.
Q: Must a team have an UMVIM trained leader?
A: It would be good to have an UMVIM trained team leader.
Q: Does the mission team need to purchase insurance?
A: Insurance is required. It is better to be safe than sorry. Insurance is available through UMVIM.
Registration and Insurance Rates
Why pay registration fees and take UMVIM, SEJ insurance?
In difficult economic times, it may seem like the cost for registration and insurance is more than the benefit until assistance is needed. Not until a team member is injured and needs to be evacuated for treatment does the small cost of registration and insurance seem worth it. Many times team members think they are covered by their personal insurance policy or the sponsoring church's insurance. However, often times these policies do not cross state lines or international borders.
In addition, registration fees account for almost half of the revenues of the UMVIM, SEJ office. Currently, only 11% of the revenue comes from SEJ apportionments, and even that income is being reduced annually by 25% until 2012. At that time, UMVIM, SEJ will receive nothing from Jurisdictional apportionments. GBGM provides a $20,000 grant from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering annually. In sum, without registration fees, the office would not be able to operate.
Q: Can youth groups come? Are there age requirements?
A: Yes! Youth groups are welcome. If team members are old enough to participate in an UMVIM youth work team (high school) and their youth leaders are willing to travel overseas with them, then we will happily put them to work. We also encourage families to come, in which case age is not an issue.
Q: Is the Dominican Republic safe for foreign travelers?
A: It is quite safe. Construction teams will be staying on site at Camp Bani, which is surrounded by a gated fence. The town of Bani is home to many retired Americans. Medical/dental teams working in Manzanillo will be staying in the UMVIM house. Evangelism teams staying at the Methodist camp will be staying behind a closed and locked gate at night. Hotels have regular security.
Q: What do mission teams do on their day off?
A: This depends on where the project is located. There are many beautiful beaches. Teams can also go white water rafting or catch a baseball game. Please visit the Day Apart page for further information on places to visit.
Q: What kind of shots should one get before coming to the Dominican Republic? What are the medical facilities like?
A: It is best to check with your personal physician. They can get the most up to date travel health information for you. UMVIM offers very good insurance that we highly recommend teams consider getting before they come. Bani is just 45 minutes from the capital so there is quick access to hospitals. Manzanillo is only 30 minutes from Dajabon, where there is a hospital. The government itself does not check any immunization records.
Q: Are there any health rules that should guide us?
A: Don't buy food from street vendors, as you risk affecting your health. Do not drink any tap water, even at expensive hotels. Ice needs to come from filtered ice machines. Only bottled water is recommended for consumption. All fruits and vegetables need to be washed thoroughly before peeling. If you will be involved in construction a current tetanus shot is recommended though not required.
Q: What language do they speak in the Dominican Republic?
A. Spanish is the primary language spoken in the Dominican Republic.
Q: Can we have Bible school (VBS) for the children when we come?
A: We encourage those mission teams who are interested to definitely take advantage of the opportunity. Getting involved with the children deepens the relationships that we hope to see built between churches, and also provides an excellent way for the host church to reach out to the wider community. Taking up donations of school and hygeine supplies is also a good way to get the children in your home church involved in your churches missions activities as well.
Q: How should we dress?
A: Think summer clothes. In the winter months you may need a light jacket for the evenings. For ministering in local churches, a dress, skirt, or pants is ok for the women, and pants for the men. Most Dominicans dress up to go to church. As Christians, the rule is modesty, wherever you are.
Q: Are teams required to pay a deposit?
A: Yes, there is a $500 group registration fee before we can save the date. Once you contact us about wanting to save a date, we will give you further instructions on how to pay the group registration fee. We will also need the construction money ahead of time to purchase materials to be ready once your team arrives, but that is due much closer to the date you are coming.
Q: What is the current monetary exchange rate?
A: It is almost 36 DR pesos to 1 U.S. Dollar. Be careful of money changers in the street who are notorious for taking advantage of tourists. You can check the XE website for updated currency exchange rates.