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1. What services do Mercy and Truth
staff provide?
2. What immunizations do I need?
3. What is covered in the Ground
Costs?
4. Can I gather my own supplies?
5. Can I schedule my own flights?
6. Does Mercy and Truth provide any
travel insurance for team members?
7. Could this outreach be cancelled?
8. Can I cancel my own trip?
9. Can I stay longer than the outreach?
10. Do I have to fly to Kansas City before the outreach?
11. What kind of precautions do we take in dealing with
patients in an international clinic?
12. Will the team members be expected to evangelize?
13. Is there an age limit for your
outreaches?
14. Is it safe?
1.
What services do Mercy and Truth staff provide?
The International Field staff have been working to ensure
the success of each outreach project long before it begins.
Our staff consistently maintains relationships with our
in-country partners who will host you during the outreach.
We will be working with these partners to arrange everything
needed for your time there. We will also facilitate each
team’s flight plans through our travel partners. Whether
you live locally in Kansas City or elsewhere in the world,
our staff will communicate regularly with you in the months
leading up to your outreach, both to educate you about the
host country and to keep you up-to-date on important
information. Finally, we are always available to address
any questions or concerns you may have.
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2.
What immunizations do I need?
We
follow the immunization suggestions of the Center for
Disease Control (CDC) for each country we enter. You can
find current information for any country in the “Traveler’s
Health” section on their website at
www.cdc.gov.
The immunization guidelines of the CDC are only
recommendations and are to be used at your discretion.
However, we recommend that you are current on your
tetanus, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B shots.
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3.
What is covered in the ground costs?
All expenses in the following list are included in the
ground costs:
-
Meals
-
Lodging
-
Transportation
-
Visas, airport fees,
and departure taxes
-
Short-term travel insurance (provided by Mercy & Truth for
the duration of the outreach)
-
Medications (project-specific medications purchased for
the outreach)
-
Translator costs
-
Security costs
-
Contribution to hosts
-
Other
expenses related to a specific outreach, which would be
detailed in your team information (i.e., a day safari in
Africa)
Expenses
which are not covered in the cost of your trip include spending money,
travel outside of the Mercy & Truth itinerary, loss of
your ticket or luggage, vandalism, passports and visa
pictures, immunizations or additional travel insurance.
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4.
Can I gather my own supplies?
Yes. We encourage you to get your friends, family,
co-workers, and church involved. Mercy and Truth staff and
your team leader can provide you with suggestions about
supplies to gather for your outreach project. Please note
that you must provide a detailed list of all gathered items
to Mercy and Truth no less than two weeks prior to your
departure date, so that these items may be added to the
master supply list for the outreach.
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5.
Can I schedule my own flights?
No. Mercy and Truth has an approved flight itinerary for
each outreach. Often flights into the areas we serve
operate on a very limited basis, so our teams need to travel
together.
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6.
Does Mercy and Truth provide any travel insurance for team
members?
Yes.
Mercy and Truth does provide insurance that covers each team
member for the stated duration of the outreach project.
The policy coverage includes but is not limited to:
-
Emergency Medical Evacuation
-
Repatriation
-
Hospital Admission
Deposit
-
Emergency Family Travel
Arrangements
-
Lost Document
Assistance
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7.
Could this outreach be cancelled?
Yes. An outreach project can be cancelled or rescheduled at
the discretion of Mercy and Truth Medical Missions.
Although rarely done, it would most likely occur due to one
of the following:
-
Conditions in the host country are determined to be unsafe
for the team. (Mercy and Truth relies on information and
recommendations from the US State Department, CDC, and
other organizations in making this decision.)
-
The
outreach fails to achieve the minimum amount of team
members required to make the project financially feasible
without overburdening existing team members or Mercy and
Truth. (Determined at the application deadline date)
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8.
Can I cancel my own trip?
Yes. The following guidelines will apply when a team member
cancels his or her own participation in an outreach for any
reason:
-
a. The deposit is non-refundable.
-
b. Any hard costs incurred by Mercy and Truth prior to
the cancellation will be non-refundable (i.e., plane
tickets, visa costs, insurance costs, etc.)
-
c. Per IRS standards, any remaining funds donated to
Mercy and Truth on behalf of the team member will be
redirected to the general fund of the organization unless
a refund is specifically requested by the donor.
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9. Can I stay longer than the outreach?
Yes. We have had several team members who wanted to
continue their adventure in the host country beyond the
dates of the outreach project. Here are a few things to
consider:
-
a. There may be additional travel costs to you for
altering your return flight itinerary. Mercy and Truth
staff can help you organize your travel plans at the time
we book the tickets through our travel agents.
-
b. You will be responsible for all ground costs occurring
outside the stated duration of the outreach project. You
will also be responsible for arranging your own schedule
and accommodations, though Mercy and Truth and/or your
in-country hosts may be able to provide some limited help
with this.
-
c. Mercy and Truth is not liable for anyone remaining in
a country beyond the stated duration of the outreach
project. Any travel insurance to be effective during an
extended stay must be purchased separately by the
individual.
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10. Do I have to fly to Kansas City before the outreach?
No. Normally we will work with our travel partners to fly
you from your nearest major airport to a city where you can
connect with the rest of your team prior to leaving the
United States. If this is not possible, or would require
significant extra expense on your part, we will make every
effort to ensure that you are able to connect with your team
in a major international airport before entering the host
country.
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11. What kind of precautions do we take in dealing with
patients in an international clinic?
Standard medical precautions such as gloves and masks are
utilized regularly when conducting international medical
clinics. However, due to the conditions in many places we
serve and the high volume of patients we normally see,
safety precautions are often not achievable at the level you
may be accustomed to using. We ask that each team member
use their own knowledge and common sense when treating
patients.
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12. Will the team members be expected to evangelize?
No. Team members are not required to evangelize, but we
certainly encourage you to take advantage of opportunities
God provides to do so whenever you are able.
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14.
Is there an age limit for your outreaches?
No minor (under the age of eighteen), will be allowed to
join a Mercy & Truth international outreach unless they have
a Minor Permission to Travel Form notarized and signed by
each legal guardian and are accompanied by at least one
guardian.
This policy can be amended by the MTMM CEO on a case-by-case
basis. If the policy is amended and a minor is allowed to
participate, that minor must have a notarized and signed
Minor Permission to Travel Form.
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15. Is it safe?
Yes. The safety of our team members is of utmost concern to
us. Mercy and Truth’s staff has over 10 years of experience in leading international teams. We receive
regular updates from our contacts in the host country, as
well as daily information from other organizations that
monitors international security. Any international travel
will always involve some risk, but we will never travel to a
location that would seriously endanger our teams.
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