Short Term Missions Trip Guidelines
for Guatemala City , Guatemala

(Revised August 2008)

1. Please prepare and send a list of all team members grouped (single, double or triple) as they desire to stay in the hotel. Please specify who is the team leader, this will be the person we will stay in communication with prior to the trip. Their names must be complete and as they appear on their passports. Please expand on the list of all team members by adding their e-mail address, sex, age, relationship with their roommate, include their mission experience, and any special talents that may be used on the mission field like speaking Spanish, preaching, music, paint board presentations, working with youth or children. Please also include any special needs anyone may have, handicaps, or any kind of difficulties. You may prepare this in table form or written out. Please be sure we have this information at least one month prior to the trip .

We need: Full Name, e-mail address, sex, age, relationship with roommate, mission experience, special talents, and special needs.

2. Every team arranges for their own transportation itinerary and cost. We need the detailed flight information both for arrival and departure for all team members as soon as that is available.

We need: your complete itinerary

3. You will be staying at the Hotel Biltmore Express. It is located at 15 Calle 0-31 Zona 10, 01010 Guatemala, Guatemala CA. Their phone number is 011-502-2410-5000, they also have a fax line at 011-502-2410-5005. The hotel prices run as follows: a single: $69.00 per night, a double: $75.00 per night, and a triple: $98.00 per night. This price includes the 22% tax and a very nice buffet breakfast. The hotel also provides airport transportation every 30 minutes for both your arrival and departure.

Every team member will additionally need money for their lunch and dinner meals and any extra costs they might run into like souvenirs or phone calls. Food runs about the same cost in Guatemala as it does in the states. A fast food meal is about $6, a restaurant meal can be anywhere from $8-$15 per meal. You may need an additional $10.00 for an entry visa and will definitely need $30.00 to pay exiting taxes from the country when you return to the United States .

4. Every team member helps to cover the cost of the logistics. This is $250.00 per person. This money needs to be carried to Guatemala in cash US Dollars and will be collected during the initial orientation meeting. Please place $250.00 cash into an envelope and write the name of the team member on the outside of the envelope. This will cover each team member's ministry materials, transportation, and translator and other infrastructure materials and logistics needed for the mission trip. For clarification, if your team is of 10 people, you will bring a total of $2,500.00 to cover the cost for your team.

5. Every team member also needs to come supplied with hand sanitizer, a flash light, a hat, sun block, insect repellant, pain reliever, anti-itch cream, Imodium in case of diarrhea, an intestinal infection antibiotic, anti allergy medication if they have allergies, and a poncho or umbrella (during the rainy season: May through October trips).

We would also ask that each team member bring one big bag of their very favorite yummy individually wrapped US candy (Sam's, Costco, Wal-Mart, Target), any variety will be fine, and give that to Steve Kern upon arrival. This will be used in conjunction with all ministries to children and youth. It is also recommended when traveling to Central America that every team member also be current on their Tetanus vaccine and have received both the Hepatitis A and B series of vaccines.

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