El Ayudante

Label all your bags with your name and address on the outside and inside. It quickens collecting baggage at the airport if all team luggage has identical bright colored name tags. You might use a different color tag for your men’s, women’s, and ministry suitcases. This will allow for quick sorting once you arrive in Leon or Matagalpa.
Sometimes luggage is delayed, and you will only have your carry-on. It is important to have all the necessities in this bag. You can carry one carry-on bag and one personal item – such as a backpack. You are allowed 2 checked bags. Many team members carry all their personal items in one carry-on and backpack and use the other for ministry supplies for the team.
Check with your airline to get dimensions and weight limits of carry-ons and checked luggage.
In flight, prior to landing in Managua, each team member will be asked to fill out a “Customs Declaration Form.” A pen and passport number will be needed.
After going through customs in Managua, keep the customs forms in your passport.
You will need $5.00 for the entrance fee at the Managua airport upon arrival. To make it easier, have this money set aside before you leave. Remember, crisp bills with no tears, marks, or writing.
Upon arrival in Leon or Matagalpa, you can put team member’s passports and valuables in the team house office safe. While in Managua the afternoon before you return home, two team members can take all team passports with customs forms to their airline’s ticket counter at the airport to obtain all boarding passes for the next day’s flight if desired.

What to Bring

T-shirts (no inappropriate slogans, please) / Shorts / Pants / light rain jacket or poncho
Casual clothing for church (men - long pants and nice shirt, women - skirt and blouse, dress (below the knee), or Capri pants)
Tennis shoes or boots / shower shoes
Hat or bandana
Sunglasses / Sunscreen / mosquito spray with DEET
Work gloves
Toiletries and personal items
Water bottle (with shoulder strap)
Bible
Camera / Film
First Aid Items / flashlight
Do not bring jewelry or valuables of any kind.
Linens (sheets, towels) are supplied. There is one day set aside to wash clothes at the team house in Leon. Laundry should be done in Matagalpa only if there is an emergency. There is only one washer and dryer.
Prescription medicine must be in original bottle with pharmacist’s label. Please advise your team members that if they are asked in customs whether they have prescription drugs, they are asking about prescription drugs to be used for ministry. If your team is not a medical team, each member needs to answer “no” if asked.

There will be absolutely no use of tobacco or alcoholic beverages during your week of ministry.