Missions Trip to Peru
July 6-14, 2009
Information Packet
Table of Contents
(click on blue links for quick navigation)
Page#
I. Cover Letter 3
II. Parent “Quick Sheet” 4
III. Student Preparation 5
a. Pre-trip meetings
b. Medical Requirements 5
c. Packing List 6
IV. While in Peru 9
a. What We Will Do 9
b. Typical Day 9
c. Accommodations 10
d. Being Healthy 10
e. Being Safe 11
f. Cultural Orientation 12
V. Appendix: Background on Peru 15
Dear Students & Parents,
We are looking forward to our Peru trip this summer with GREAT EXCITEMENT! Together we will make a huge impact on the people of Peru. Moreover, we too will be impacted as we experience a foreign land, gain perspective from a less-fortunate culture, create and grow special friendships among ourselves, and of course, work hard to serve others.
The following pages provide important details that will help us maximize our experience. Some information will be more important for parents; some particularly vital for students. We ask that both students and parents take time to thoroughly read and understand all the information. Thank you for your investment of preparation!
As you will read, some details, such as our exact accommodations are still being finalized by our Young Life hosts in Peru. We will communicate these details, along with any other helpful items, via future correspondence as they emerge.
Above all else, we want you to feel good and prepared to enjoy this opportunity. Please contact us anytime with questions, responses, etc. Dialogue surrounding our trip will certainly increase as the date draws near!
This is going to be a special life-changing experience for everyone. Thank you for being part of it!
Sincerely,
Bryan Reaume
19 Vitti St. tel. 203 972 3062 online.younglife.org New Canaan, CT 06840
Parent Quick Sheet
Student Preparation
Pre-trip Meetings
We will meet as a group before the trip for cultural orientation, spiritual preparation through Bible study and prayer, and team-building. These meetings are very vital to our trip; we hope every possible effort is made to attend them. At the same time, we understand if already-scheduled family/church plans prevent attendance. In such case, students must be responsible for proactively contacting leaders to “make-up” what they miss. Unless we hear otherwise, we will assume students can attend the necessary meetings.
For current high school students, we will meet 3 Sundays* in a row- May 31, June 7, and June 14 from 2-4:00 PM and then on Wednesday July 1 at 7 PM for a final time along with the college students.
For college students, we will meet on Wednesdays June 10 and June 17 at 7 PM and then on Wednesday July 1 for a final time along with the high school students.
All meetings are at the home of Bryan and Cassidy in New Canaan (123 Richmond Hill Apt #2 in New Canaan). Students should bring a Bible and something to take notes with.
*Please note that Young Life typically seeks to avoid Sunday meetings to honor and respect family and church time; however at this time of year, we needed to respect school, exam schedules and get meetings in before summer. We made every effort to pick a time slot that avoids known conflicts with church services and youth groups (2 things we want to reinforce with students!)
Medical Preparation
A) The following immunizations are recommended when traveling to Peru.
· Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG).
· Hepatitis B
· Typhoid
· Yellow fever
· Be sure you’re up to date on tetanus-diphtheria and measles
See your doctor at least 4 weeks before your trip to allow time for immunizations to take effect.
B) If you would like to be “completely over-prepared,” you may want to ask your doctor for an anti-malaria drug and a 2 week dose of Cypro antibiotics.
C) Please complete the attached Young Life CAMPING HEALTH, CONSENT AND RELEASE FORM. Please include clear and accurate records of immunizations (it may be easiest to get print out from doctor and staple it to form. Remember to include insurance information. A doctor’s signature is not necessary.
Packing List- BIG IDEAS
Our primary purpose is to work hard and serve others. This will include outdoor maintenance projects. Moreover, Peru is a very simple country with far less affluence than what we are used to. With all this in mind, please pack accordingly. Remember:
1. Please limit your luggage to one piece of checked baggage and one carry-on. Keep in mind that you may be carrying your luggage several times.
2. Do not bring anything unnecessary such as fancy clothes, jewelry, an abundance of cosmetics, electronics, valuables, etc. These items will only distract us and make us “stick out” in Peru. Cell-phones/IPODS can be brought for travel purposes but will not be carried/used while in Peru to encourage safety and eliminate distractions from connecting with God, each other, and the culture. These items will be securely stored.
3. It's a good idea to try and carry one change of clothes in your carry-on, just in case your checked bag arrives late. Other things to have in your carry-on luggage:
· Bible
· Passport
· Spending money (see details about currency in packing list below)
· Snacks
· Something to write with
· Anything else you might want to read during your day of travel.
· Remember, under the "new" carry-on restrictions, you can only carry one quart sized zip lock bag with liquids in containers of less than 3 oz., anything bigger or more will have to be thrown out.
We are traveling to Peru in their winter months. The weather should be nice with average temperature of 61-67 during the day and 35-45 at night.
Packing List- MANDATORY ITEMS
1. PASSPORT. Please give a photocopy of the front two pages of information pages to the trip leader when you hand in your health form. Students will be responsible for the safe-keeping of their own passports. Secure storage in Peru will be made available.
2. MONEY. Our best plan is to bring American dollars and make any necessary currency exchanges once we are there. It is safest to not bring credit or debit cards. Also, American dollars that are old, worn, tattered, are of no value in Peru. PLEASE BRING CRISP NEWER AMERICAN $20 BILLS.
3. BATH TOWEL. For drying off after showers or swimming
4. 2 CASUALTRAVEL OUTFITS
5. GRUBBY WORK CLOTHES FOR 5 DAYS. Jeans, lightweight cotton, nylon or polyester pants OR shorts that you don't mind getting muddy, wet, etc. Add several T-shirts to this and you have great work outfits. No more than 3 pairs of pants and 5 T-shirts necessary.
6. WORK SHOES….shoes you can get grubby as you work and walk through dusty streets.
7. WORK GLOVES. To avoid cuts, scrapes, etc..
8. 1 PAIR OF COMFORTABLE WALKING/RUNNING SHOES.
9. AFTERNOON, "CHILL" PANTS For relaxing in during the evening, ones you don't plan to work in or get grubby.
10. 1 CHURCH OUTFIT for church or a nicer dinner… guys khakis and a collared shirt, girls NICE pants w/ top or skirt or dress… modest and simple!
11. A FULL TRIP'S SUPPLY OF SOCKS/UNDERWEAR
12. FLEECE OR SWEATSHIRT as the nights get chilly.
13. SANDALS to wear around in the afternoon, for swimming or showering.
14. SUNGLASSES
15. WATER BOTTLE-something you'd be comfortable carrying with you during the day… Nalgenes are great.
16. BIBLE
17. A JOURNAL...To jot down some of your thoughts and experiences.
18. TOILETRIES...toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, razors, etc. Note: Girls, your opportunities for buying any feminine products will be extremely limited, so come as prepared as possible.
19. TOILET PAPER...always good to bring one roll. Stuff it down into your luggage!
20. MEDICINE: it's a good idea to carry along some pain reliever such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol, Imodium AD in liquid or tablet form, Dramamine if you get car sick, some Pepto Bismal, Band-Aids, Neosporin, anything else you personally might need.
21. Spending Money….see Parent Quicksheet for list of potential costs and packing list for currency details.
Packing List- OPTIONAL ITEMS
1. “FANNY PACK” May be useful in carrying camera, wallet, etc. Purses will be cumbersome.
2. ENGLISH TO SPANISH DICTIONARY
3. GATORADE OR CRYSTAL LIGHT POWDER If you don’t love drinking water, may choose to bring something powdered for taste.
4. FLASHLIGHT
5. CAMERA if you'd like to take pictures
6. PROTEIN BARS/SNACKS...if you want to carry a few things like Power Bars, Cliff Bars, Granola Bars, etc. to snack on during the day.
7. DONATIONS Our main contribution to the people of Peru will be our time and service so material donations are not the focus of this trip. At the same time, we will have an opportunity to donate or leave behind any clothes, work gloves, shoes, etc. that we choose. This will be totally voluntary on your part and nothing is expected. These items will be given away to folks in need like local orphanages or volunteer leaders by the Peruvians. If you would like to bring 1 other special item for donation, please keep it simple and compact. Ideas include sports equipment, bed linens, Spanish Bibles, toys for kids, toiletries like soap, shampoo, small toys and stickers, coloring books, etc. Regional gifts are appreciated too—things that reflect your culture and you. If you bring books make sure they have lots of pictures and American chocolates (even Hershey bars) are well received in Peru. We will talk more about this at our pre-trip meetings.
While In Peru
What We Will Do
Our main goal is serve the people of Peru. There is Young Life or “Algo Nuevo” in Peru. While the cultural context is obviously very different, the basic concept of Young Life- adult leaders helping kids know more about Jesus through friendships, Club, Campaigners, Camp, etc- remains the exact same in Peru. So, we will partner up with Young Life in Peru and do service projects that directly help them grow Young Life!
We will be staying and working right in or very nearby the city of Lima. As more details are set, they will be communicated.
They are currently working on the exact details of our service projects. They could include:
· A construction and painting project
· Visiting an orphanage and playing with kids there
· Spend a day at a local school where they have Capernaum (Young Life’s outreach to kids with disabilities) and help with the program
· Visit a local Young Life Club or Leadership meeting
We will also meet together as a team to connect with God and each other to reflect on all that we are experiencing. We will look at the Bible and have discussions about faith, leadership, service, making an impact on our world, etc. We will pray for one another and for Peru. We may sing worship songs together. Our meetings will feel like a mix of Campaigners and Cabin Time!
A Typical Day
8 AM Morning-devotionals, breakfast
9:00 AM Work on community projects at work site
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Work on community projects
5:00 PM Activities with local kids
6:30 PM Dinner
7:30 PM Evening team meeting and sharing
On our final day, we will travel to nearby site-seeing location such as downtown Lima, museums, and/or the coast. There will be opportunities for shopping and souvenirs.
Accommodations
Exact details of accommodations are now being finalized by our Young Life staff in Peru. Once they know our exact work project location, they will secure safe and clean accommodations for us. This is a normal planning timeline for them. These details will be communicated as soon as they are set. Accommodations will include all students being with leaders and clearly defined boundaries between males and females.
Being Healthy
One of the best features of our mission trip with Young Life is that we will always have experienced, well-trained YL leaders from Peru with us that will serve as translators, transportation, security, and local experts on things such as health and safety. They will constantly be “looking out for us.” At the same time, it’s important that students understand and follow the following tips on being healthy in Peru.
1. Eat and Drink with Care. Diarrhea affects up to fifty percent of people who travel to developing countries. To reduce the risk of diarrhea, follow these general guidelines for safe eating and drinking:
o Eat foods that are well-cooked and served hot. Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it.
o Drink bottled water or soft drinks in their original containers. Beverages made from boiled water (such as coffee and tea) are usually safe.
o Use bottled water even for brushing your teeth. Keep your mouth closed while you shower.
o Avoid salads, buffet foods, raw or undercooked meats, raw vegetables, grapes, berries, dairy foods, tap water and ice cubes.
o To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry – and do not go barefoot.
o Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors.
o Don’t drink beverages with ice.
o Don’t eat dairy products unless you know they have been pasteurized.
o ** The food cooked for you by the team in Peru will have taken all of these precautions and anything you are served by a YL chef is good to eat! If there is rice, it’s been boiled, if there are veggies or salad, it’s been washed with anti bacterial stuff, so you are safe to eat anything from them!
2. Don’t handle animals (especially monkeys, dogs, and cats) – to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague).
3. Schistosoiasis, a parasitic infection, is found in fresh water. Do not swim in fresh water (except in well-chlorinated swimming pools).
Being Safe
One of the best features of our mission trip with Young Life is that we will always have experienced well-trained YL leaders from Peru with us that will serve as translators, transportation, security, and local experts on things such as health and safety. They will constantly be “looking out for us.” We will never be put in an unsafe situation. Students will never be by themselves. An adult leader will always be within eye-sight or “ear-shot.” All adult leaders have been fully screened and trained by Young Life. At the same time, it’s important that students understand and follow the following tips on being safe in Peru:
1. Be wise. Never stray from the rest of the group. Go to the restroom in groups. Always communicate with leaders.
2. Be good to yourself and those around you.