• Check with Bill Cox about available dates: billcox@nicamissions.com. Decide whether your team wants to serve in Leon or Matagalpa. Bill will work with the team leader to plan the ministry and to answer any questions. 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 at www.nicamissions.com.
• Mail $250 deposit to: El Ayudante, P.O. Box 11686 , Jackson, TN 38308
• Review 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 U.S. Passports. All passports must be at least 6 months before the passport expires or the passenger will not be allowed to board the plane.
• Develop a budget (see “Potential Team Leaders”), inform team members of payment schedule (if applicable)
• Begin fund raising projects and securing team finances

• Involve sending / sponsoring congregation and local community in the mission
• If part of team’s focus, collect supply items that will be distributed in Leon or Matagalpa (school supplies, 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 includes 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. Information will be e-mailed to you with details about the Camino Real.
• Order t-shirts, if desired. See information under “General Information.”

• Bill will discuss specific projects and write a detailed itinerary 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.
• Begin preparing medical documentation. See this LINK.
• 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.”  
• Fill out the Team Information form online.

• Email medical documentation to billcox@nicamissions.com. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DEADLINE. YOUR MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION MUST BE NO LATER THAN THREE WEEKS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE OR YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRING MEDS OR HAVE MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO PRACTICE.
• Mail $450 per team member to:

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 your hosts 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.

• Go to website and complete the “Mission Trip Evaluation Form.” This form is submitted online.
• Please share your team pictures with us! Mail a CD/DVD to:

El Ayudante
P.O. Box 11686
Jackson , TN 38308