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Team Leader Planning Timeline

6-9 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE

• Check with Daphne Moses at daphne@northsidemethodist.org about available dates. Please emphasize to the team members that all questions and correspondence with El Ayudante needs to be through the team leader unless authorized by the team leader.
• Secure your week by submitting the “Mission Team Application” online.
• Mail $250 deposit to: El Ayudante, P.O. Box 152, Brownsville, TN 38012.
• Read the website.
• Recruit and select team, obtaining a commitment by requiring deposits to be paid. Give team members the website address. Hold an informational meeting.
• Begin making travel arrangements (flights, passports, vaccinations, etc.)
  http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html is the link for US Passports. All passports must be at least 6 months before the passport expires or the passenger will not be allowed to board the plane. If a team member is NOT a US citizen, additional identification may be required.
• Develop a budget (see “Typical Week”), inform team members of payment schedule (if applicable)
• Begin fund raising projects and securing team finances

3- 6 MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE

• Involve sending / sponsoring organization and local community in the mission
• If part of team’s focus, collect supply items that will be distributed in León (school supplies, sports equipment, hygiene items, etc.)
• Hold additional team meetings / orientation for team. Ask each team member to fill out a medical form (download form here) and the “El Ayudante Release Form”(download form here)
• Continue to be in prayer, individually and as a collective body in Christ
• Secure travel insurance for team members that include medical evacuation. Each team member needs to check with their health insurance to see what their coverage is in Nicaragua.
• Confirm all travel arrangements and discuss general ministry of your team with Bill Cox. Make hotel reservations for your last night in Managua. You may stay at any hotel but most of our teams stay at the Camino Real. (click here for info about Camino Real)
• Order t-shirts, if desired. See information under “Team Information.”

4-6 WEEKS BEFORE DEPARTURE

• Specific projects will be discussed and a detailed itinerary written for your team.
• Finish gathering all your medications and medical supplies. All medications must have 6 months left on the expiration from the date you arrive in Nicaragua.
• All medical documentation must be received no later than 5 weeks before your arrival. This is an absolute deadline. If you do not meet this deadline, your team will NOT be able to practice medicine.
• Your team members may be asked at the airport in Managua if they have any prescription medications. This does not mean personal prescription medications. If your team does not have medications brought for ministry, then each team member should answer, “No.”  
• Submit all information under Team Forms.

3 WEEKS BEFORE DEPARTURE

• For 2010 and 2011, mail $525 per team member and construction money to:

  El Ayudante
  P.O. Box 152
  Brownsville, TN 38012

Subtract $250 sent for deposit. If your team is staying in León more than 6 nights, please add $75 per person per night. Also, if team members fly separately from the group, there will be a fee of $50 to provide a driver and transportation for each extra trip.

DOCUMENTATION TO CARRY TO NICARAGUA

The team leader will take the El Ayudante Release Forms, 2 copies of each team member’s medical form, and a copy of the photo page of each passport to Nicaragua. Give the El Ayudante Release Forms and one copy of each medical form to Bill upon your arrival. The team leader will keep the other copy of the medical release forms with him/her at all times. The team leader will also keep the photo page of the passport in case a team member loses his/her passport.

AFTER YOU RETURN HOME

• Please share your team pictures with us through a CD/DVD or a link where they are uploaded on a website!