GUIDE FOR PARAGUAY MISSION VOLUNTEERS
MSUM Paraguay
Revised January 2008
We are looking forward to your visit to Paraguay as a mission volunteer. Before your arrival, we want to share the following information so that you will be better prepared. This Guide will help make your experience more pleasant. Your Team Leader may have additional information, so please pass any questions through him/her. The following are things to plan for and consider as you prepare to visit Paraguay.
Cost of Trip
Your Team Leader will have the current information regarding the cost of the mission trip. In general, the costs include airfare; Tourist Visa; weekly hospitality fee for the week is $308 per person to cover lodging, food and local transportation; and personal spending money (usually $100 to $200 is sufficient). In addition, there may be a project fee if construction is involved. This fee will cover the material costs as well as other costs. Additional side trips, such as to Iguaçu Falls in Brazil, will cost extra.
For volunteers staying longer than 30 days, the fees may be different. A stay of longer than 30 days must be approved in advance by the Paraguayan Church (through your Missionary Host). This Guide does not reflect the specific needs of volunteers staying for longer than 30 days.
Visas
The Embassy of Paraguay announced that effective August 1, 2002; Non-Immigrant Visas (Tourist Visa) will be required prior to travel for citizens of the USA. Requirements for obtaining a Non-Immigrant Visa (Tourist Visa) to enter Paraguay change from time to time and it is recommended that you check with the Paraguayan Embassy for the current requirements. The requirements at the time of this document, as well as contact information for the Paraguayan embassy and various consulates are included at the end of this Guide. Your Team Leader will likely coordinate the Tourist Visa process.
When you arrive at the airport your passport will be checked to make sure you have the Tourist Visa. If not, you will have to return home. If your flight is through Sao Palo, Brazil, you DO NOT need a Visa for Brazil unless you are staying over in Brazil or will be leaving the airport. The Visa forms and the immigration form you must fill out on the plane may ask for your address in Paraguay. The address is: Iglesia Metodista, Calle Nazaret 990, Bo. Nazaret, Asuncion, Paraguay. If you will be working in Ciudad Del Este and surrounds, please talk to your Team Leader regarding the need for a Brazilian Tourist Visa.
Shots and Medical Records
Please consult your doctor and/or the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov/travel/) 3 months in advance for current advice on all immunizations. Vaccination for yellow fever is only required for trips to the Methodist churches in the Department of Alto Parana (Puerto Indio and Colonial Guarani). Malaria is currently not a concern in Paraguay and prophylactic medication is generally not required; however, you should follow the advice of your doctor. Vaccination for typhoid fever and Hepatitis A are strongly recommended. Tetanus and polio boosters should be up to date. All health workers must be vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B. Anyone coming from the US or Europe during flu season should consider having an influenza vaccine, especially during the local winter months (May through August). An International Immunization (W.H.O.) Card with all of your immunization records is recommended but not required. Please note that they strongly recommend yellow fever shot this year.
Weather
Paraguay is a country with seasons similar to the southern United States except that the seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere. In December through mid March the temperatures are in the high 90s to mid 110s with at least 40% humidity - it is hot! In late June through August, it can be from the 80s to the 30s and it is a damp chill. The houses and churches are not insulated, so plan accordingly. Rain may occur any time of the year and it is best to be prepared.
Dress
Dress comfortably. Casual is the norm here. In the heat use cottons and cotton blends. In the cold season, plan to dress in layers - do not bring heavy jackets but rather layers of clothing. There can be a wide range of temperatures in a few hours, so layering works best.
Men: For work on construction sites, old jeans/trousers and shirts are acceptable. Sometimes shorts are acceptable in casual settings. Just remember sun protection and the heat. Trousers and shirts with a polyester/cotton blend breathe easier and keep one drier in the heat. If you will be preaching or teaching, a buttoned down shirt with a collar is appropriate. Evangelist
In the summer months in the US, June- August, it is cold so bring layers, not just one heavy coat.
Women: Depending on the weather, skirts, casual dresses and jumpers, slacks and capris are perfectly acceptable. Shorts are not commonly worn in public by Christians except in the larger cities. If you are visiting the rural areas, local dress preference is more conservative. In Yrybucua, dresses or skirts are commonly worn outside the home. Jeans and slacks are acceptable in the colder months (summer months of the US, June– August). Again layers are recommended.
Language
Speaking the language opens doors to friendship. People appreciate you trying to speak their language. It is helpful to have someone on the team that can speak some Spanish, but this is not required. Even if you cannot speak Spanish, it is nice to learn to greet people you meet. A Spanish phrase book with phonetic instruction is very helpful. Paraguay has two official languages, Spanish and Guaraní and the people actually speak a mixture of the two. It is a lot of fun to learn a few phrases of Guaraní to use with your friends back home.
Customs
Women greet other women by touching cheek to cheek on both sides (almost like kissing each cheek) with a quick kiss to the air. Men shake hands. Women greet men by shaking hands. If the man and woman are very good friends, they will greet one another the same as two women.
Sunday church services for the Paraguayan Methodist church follow the Brazilian model with a couple of hours of Sunday school in the morning where dress is casual. The actual service takes place in the evening where dressy casual is the norm. There are also a few tribal and rural churches that meet on Saturdays instead of Sunday. Several churches also have mid-week evening services.
People stand and clap outside someone’s home instead of ringing the doorbell. Most homes do not have doorbells, as these are still new gadgets. You will still find cobblestone roads in the neighborhoods and occasional horse drawn carts in the city traffic. People enjoy drinking terere, a local tea with herbs, which is shared from a common straw that has the strainer built in the bottom. The “straw” is called a bombilla. Terere is served in a guampa. In the winter the tea is served hot and called mate. It is very common to drink terere or mate during all breaks and during evening visits.
Packing Preparation
Carry-on baggage should be limited to a small case or book bag, and a regulation size carry-on bag that will fit in the overhead compartment. Airlines usually allow 2 checked bags (which must weigh less than 50 lbs. each). We recommend packing your personal belongings in one bag and use the second bag to bring various supplies for the team, church projects or items for missionaries that are not available here. It is best not to bring items in cardboard boxes. We also recommend placing a copy of your passport in each checked bag. The Team Leader usually coordinates the need for these “second bags”.
Pack all valuables, such as camera equipment and jewelry, in carry-on luggage. Keep jewelry to a minimum. Carry all essentials such as toiletries, prescription medications, and contact solution in your carry-on bag. Two changes of clothing should be in your carry-on luggage in the event your checked bags are lost en route. Pack as lightly as possible. You will want to save room for souvenirs on the return trip. Be prepared for airport Customs to inspect your bags. The Missionary Host who will meet you is not allowed into the inspection area but will meet you just outside this area.
Money, passport and immunization card should be kept in an inside pocket or a pouch worn under clothing. Have photocopies of the first page of your passport made and keep them in several separate places from your passport so you will have the information available when your passport is not with you or if it is stolen. It is better to bring cash as Travelers Checks are very difficult to cash and draw a lower exchange rate. ATMs are here and work with many US bank or ATM cards, but they should not be counted upon unless prior arrangements have been made.
Please be sure to get your shopping and preparation done well in advance of your departure. Last minute preparations can wear you out before you get to Paraguay and make you more susceptible to illness. A “Paraguay Packing List” is attached.
Health and Living Conditions
Most people find the “dorm-type” guest quarters with bunk beds to be reasonably comfortable. Paraguay is an undeveloped country; however, and the key to having an enjoyable trip is to STAY FLEXIBLE and remember that you are God’s missionary.
The water in the cities is usually treated, but it is safest to drink bottled water. (readily available here). Washing your hands before eating, after shaking hands with many people, eating "safe" foods (recently cooked, or prepared by reliable sources), and drinking bottled water will reduce the threat of getting sick. Occasional diarrhea can still occur but is usually not a serious health threat. We will provide safe bottled water for drinking. As you may expect, one needs to drink plenty of water especially in the hot weather, ideally 3 liters per day, and also please remember to drink water even in cold weather.
Clothes can be washed if necessary; but for short projects of a week or so, it is not common. Make sure that you have labeled everything before you bring it. Any clothing left behind for rummage sales to help the local churches will be appreciated.
Work team members are expected to help with clean up, and general cleanliness of the guest quarters.
Odds and Ends
All US calling cards such as MCI and AT&T do not work in Paraguay. It is better to plan to use local “Telephone Cabins” which are located in most towns and cities (not generally available in remote areas such as in Yrybucua, Puerto Indio or Colonial Guarani). Also, the bigger towns and cities have internet cafes for e-mail services. Your Team Leader will be able to provide information regarding an emergency phone number and e-mail address in Paraguay to leave with your family.
Many times individuals bring gifts or clothing for the Paraguayans or candy for the children. Giving gifts can be a pleasurable or miserable experience, depending on the situation. Be aware that many of the people have fewer possessions than you and believe all North Americans to be very wealthy. They will indeed be quite appreciative. However, gifts can lead to conflict, especially when given in masse. Please consult with your Missionary Host before giving.
Often there is a desire to give money or expensive gifts to some of the Paraguayans working with the team. It is requested that this be coordinated through the Team Leader and the Missionary Host to avoid causing hard feelings among the local families and groups. Unfortunately, well-intentioned gifts have caused division and problems that could have easily been avoided through communication.
Please do not make any future promises or considerations to Paraguayan’s requests that you will not or cannot keep. This may include providing copies of photos, gifts, money, supplies, letters of correspondence or any other expressed need by a new Paraguayan friend. A promise broken leads to mistrust, and a division in relationship is formed within the community, which lives on with the missionaries after you have left.
Arrival at the Airport in Paraguay
Your Team Leader will play a key role in getting everyone through Immigrations, Baggage Claim, and Customs when you arrive in Paraguay. Arrival in a busy foreign airport where few people speak English can be unnerving. Pay attention to your Team Leader and do not leave the area without letting him/her know where you are going.
After getting off the airplane, you will go through Immigrations. Show your passport (remember to have it handy, but in a safe place). There are 2 forms you will complete during the final leg of your flight. The first form you will need to complete is the Airlines Disembarkation Form. Note for arriving passengers, the port of embarkation is required. This will be the originating city of your flights, not the last city you departed from. This form will be given to the Immigration’s Officer which is the first person you will visit after leaving your plane. The second form is titled “Welcome to the Republic of Paraguay” and should be completed 1 per family. The back of the form is the “Customs Declaration”. Please complete this form with a $0 for customs value. If you are arriving with items requested by the field missionaries or the Paraguayan Church, these items are not for resale; therefore, they do not need to be declared. For large expensive items, your Missionary Host, through communication with your Team Leader, will have completed other needed forms and presented them to the Customs Office before your arrival. This form will be handed to the Customs’ Officer, after you have claimed your baggage, but before you exit the secured section of the airport. Attached are copies of these forms for you to review.
Your Missionary Host is usually not allowed to come into the baggage area. The baggage handlers can be quite insistent with their offers to help. It is recommended that you decline their help with a simple, but firm “no gracias” until the Team Leader is sure that all the baggage is accounted for. Make sure you obtain all your bags and wait for everyone in the team before proceeding to Customs. Once the Team Leader agrees that all bags are accounted for, you can proceed to Customs. At this time you can let the porters assist you, or you can use a small cart, if they are available. If you use a porter, it is recommended that you allow your Missionary Host to tip them.
Once you pass through Customs, you will enter the waiting area where you will be met by your Missionary Host.
The Work Team Experience
We believe the work team and mission volunteer experience to be an excellent way of serving the Lord, enriching your own spiritual journey, helping those in need and having an experience you will never forget. To make these things happen requires a willing and flexible attitude and additional effort on the part of each mission volunteer, Team Leader, and Missionary Host. We do our best to prepare for a great experience in Paraguay. Things will occasionally go awry. Together we can work through each problem to God's glory. Please remember we are all here to serve and glorify Him, not an individual or project.
All volunteers are expected to refrain from the use of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, inappropriate clothing and profanity from the time of departure until the return home. People are watching and our behavior, appearance, team cooperation…all speak louder than words. Inappropriate behavior could cause lasting harm to the advancement of the Gospel. Should any member of the work team behave in an inappropriate manner, the Missionary Host reserves the right to send people home early. It is extremely rare to have to take such action.
We look forward to your visit to Paraguay and pray that it will be to God’s glory. If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your Team Leader.
Paraguay Missions Trip Packing List
Passport
International Immunization (W.H.O.) Card-Yellow card (optional)
Copies of medical information, and other forms if applicable (emergency notification form, liability release and medical release forms)
Prescription drugs in original containers or with copies of labels
Personal Medicines- antibiotic cream, antacids, Pepto Bismol tabs, powder for heat rash (when its hot), eye drops, cold or sinus tabs, Tylenol, Band Aids, Calamine lotion, vitamins, Dramamine for motion sickness, Excedrin, sleep aids if used