To:All BPFNA Friendship Tour participants
From:Deirdre R. Hinz, Seminary Intern, UniversityBaptistChurch, Minneapolis, MN
Rev. Doug Donley, Pastor, UniversityBaptistChurch, Minneapolis, MN; BPFNA Board Member
Date:February 5, 2008
Welcome everyone to the 2008 BPFNA Friendship Tour to Nicaragua!
We are so glad that you have decided to join us for what promises to be a powerfully expansive and spirit-filled trip to Nicaragua. We look forward to meeting each of you and learning more about what led you to this point in your lives! This letter, along with the attached forms, should answer many of your questions about what to expect and how to register for the program.
Philosophy and expectations
Let us begin with a brief overview of the guiding philosophy for this trip. Although we will spend some time on a service project in a rural Nicaraguan community, thisfriendship tour is oriented primarily toward learning about peacemaking/conflict transformation in Nicaragua. Religious, governmental, educational, and community leaders will meet with us to discuss Nicaraguan history and culture and to share with us successful peacemaking/conflict transformation activities used in Nicaragua since the war ended in the 1980s.
To familiarize all of us with Nicaraguan history and culture, as well as with peacemaking/conflict transformation theory, we will send reading materials to you early in the summertime. Because the program is both learning- and community-oriented, we ask that that you make a commitment to reading the materials we send to you prior to our departure. This will enable us to engage in meaningful conversation with our presenters and to have a common language and knowledge base from which to talk about these issues with one another. We also request that you make a commitment to participating in the pre-trip “blog”that will be available online this summer. This blog will help us build community with one another prior to the trip and begin dialoging about the issues we will explore during our stay in Nicaragua.
Proposed itinerary
Our host organization, A Ministry of Sharing Health and Hope (AMOS) ( has already begun planning our visit—scheduled for August 15-24, 2008. Although the itinerary is not yet finalized, this proposed itinerary will give you a good idea of what to expect. Please note that this schedule may vary depending on assignment of tasks, availability of scheduled presenters, airline schedules, and, of course, the unpredictability that characterizes life in Nicaragua and many other Latin American countries.
Friday, August 15:Arrive in Managua, Nicaragua in the evening; group introductions; sleep at AMOS.
Saturday, August 16:Breakfast and devotions; orientation to Nicaraguan culture and history and the work of AMOS; lunch; visit local market; dinner at AMOS; evening reflections; sleep at AMOS.
Sunday, August 17:Breakfast and devotions; attend worship and Sunday School at First Baptist Church in Managua; lunch; presentation at AMOS; attend mass in Batahola; dinner at AMOS; culture presentation; free time; evening reflections; sleep at AMOS.
Monday, August 18:Breakfast and devotions; presentation and lunch at CEPAD (Ecumenical Center for Assistance and Development); meet with the Ombudsman for Civil Participation and Human Rights; dinner at AMOS; free time; evening reflections; sleep at AMOS.
Tuesday, August 19:Breakfast and devotions; tour UPOLI (Polytechnic University of Nicaragua); meet with the Director the Institute for Gender Studies; lunch at Multiplaza; meet with the Director of the Institute of Research and Humanistic Development; dinner at AMOS; free time; evening reflections; sleep at AMOS.
Wednesday, August 20:Breakfast and devotions; depart for the community of San José; presentation by local CEPAD staff; lunch in San José; free time; visit a nearby community; dinner and worship in San José; sleep inSan José.
Thursday, August 21:Breakfast and devotions; work on service project in nearby community; lunch with the community; activities with the kids; dinner in San José; evening reflections; sleep in San José.
Friday, August 22:Breakfast and devotions; work on service project in nearby community; lunch with the community; return to San José; return to AMOS in Managua; dinner at AMOS; free time; evening reflections; sleep at AMOS.
Saturday, August 23:Breakfast and devotions; depart for León; lunch at Sesteo; visit Second Baptist Church in León; return to AMOS; dinner at AMOS; debriefing with AMOS staff; sleep at AMOS.
Sunday, August 24:Drop team at airport; return to the U.S. and Canada.
Presenters may include the following persons:
Brenda Consuelo, MSc:Director of the Institute of Gender Studies at UPOLI;World Council of Churches
Dr. Jerjes Ruiz Castro:Director of the Institute of Research and Humanistic Development at UPOLI;RED PAZ
Damaris Albuquerque:Executive Director of CEPAD
Gilberto Aguirre:Development Director of CEPAD
Sixto Ulloa:Ombudsman for Civil Participation and Human Rights
Miguel D’Escoto:Priest; Nicaraguan Foreign Minister in the 1980s
Rev. Gustavo Parajón:Pastor of First Baptist Church in Managua; Board Director of AMOS; former member of the National Reconciliation Team; recipient of the Dahlberg Peace Award; retired ABC medical missionary
David & Laura Parajón:Co-Directors of AMOS; ABC medical missionaries
Fees and expenses
The $800 (USD) program fee is very comprehensive. It covers room and board, in-country transportation, staff support (i.e., coordinators, translators, travel guides, drivers, cooks, and laundry servicesin bothManagua and the rural communities), project expenses (i.e., materials for community-based construction projects), travel insurance, pre-trip reading materials, access to an onlineteam “blog,” and a donation to AMOS. You are responsible for your own personal spending money. We do not recommend that you bring more than $100-200 (USD). Please avoid bringing travelers’ checks as it can be both difficult and time consuming to exchange them at international banks.
Please print and send all forms (see “Registration and information forms” below) and program fees (checks payable to UniversityBaptistChurch) to:
UniversityBaptistChurch (UBC)
BPFNA Friendship Tour to Nicaragua
1219 University Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN55414
Registration and information forms
Following is a list of forms included in this packet. International Ministries requires that every participant fill out the first three forms. They, along with your deposit, must be sent to UBC by April 1, 2008. The fourth form was created specifically for our group and will help us (your trip coordinators) learn more about you, anticipate the particular needs of our team, and select appropriate reading materials on conflict transformation. Please complete them thoughtfully and completely.
Please complete and return the following forms to University Baptist Church by April 1, 2008:
Medical Release for Volunteer Services
Volunteer Request and Release Form
International Volunteer Health Responsibilities and Risks Form
BPFNA Friendship Tour to Nicaragua
These forms are for your information and do not need to be returned to UniversityBaptistChurch:
AMOS Guidelines for Brigade Teams: Please note that this form was created for service project-oriented brigades; where there are discrepancies between this cover letter and the form, please give preference to this cover letter.
Health Information for Travel to Nicaragua
CultureGrams 2008: Republic of Nicaragua
Travel reservations
The estimated cost of flights from the U.S. and Canada to Managua, Nicaragua is $600-700 (USD) per person. You are responsible for making your own airline reservations. We strongly encourage you to make your flight reservations with Diane Houseman at MTS Travel (1-800-835-0106). Although we are departing from different cities, Diane will help us meet at a common connection point in the U.S. so that we arrive in Nicaragua on the same connecting flight. She may also be able to help us obtain discounted group rates. We understand, however, that delegates may wish to extend their stays or use frequent flier miles to subsidize the cost of the trip. If this is the case, please make sure to send us a copy of your itinerary as soon as possible so that we can assist you with transportation to AMOS on Friday, August 15, 2008.
Please note that AMOS will make only one trip to the airport on the days of our arrival and departure. AMOS can arrange for additional trips to and from the airport for an additional fee to be paid the by individual(s) involved. The exact cost will depend on the trip destination and the number of people traveling. Please email Deirdre Hinz () if you need to arrange specialized transportation services.
Other requirements
These are the other requirements for participation as specified by International Ministries (the branch of ABC/USA in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania that coordinates our pre-trip logistics).
Registration and travel insurance:(See “Registration and information forms” above). Registration with International Ministries is required for participating teams. Upon registration, International Ministries will provide supplemental travel insurance at no cost to each participant. This insurance provides accidental death and dismemberment benefits with a principle sum of $25,000 (USD) and medical treatment benefits of up to $5,000 (USD) for accidental injury occurring from service by approved volunteers. There is also a medical evacuation benefit. This is an accident insurance and not designed to cover medical expenses.
Health insurance:Medical insurance policies are not always valid internationally, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Medical expenses if needed while in Nicaragua can be paid for by the team member in cash or with any major credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express). Prices at private pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals in Nicaragua are comparable to North American prices. Therefore, it is important to check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy is effective overseas. If it is not, International Ministries would be happy to supply you with some insurance companies that provide short-term medical insurance benefits. International Ministries requires that team members have valid medical insurance and sign a waiver form before travel.
Immunizations: Each participant is required to check in with his or her own primary care physician prior to the trip to determine what immunizations you need. For current updates on requirements, you may contact the Center for Disease Control at 1-800-311-3435 or go to their website ( and read the section on travelers’ health.
Passport: A passport, valid for six months beyond the duration of the visit, is required to enter Nicaragua. You are considered a tourist by the Nicaraguan government. Tourists must also have an onward or return ticket. Citizens of the U.S. and Canada do not need a visa. Upon arrival to the Nicaragua airport you will be asked by the immigration official to pay $5 (USD) to purchase a tourist visa, valid for 90 days. On departure you will not require any other payments to immigration. (You will want to bring some cash to cover these expenses and other miscellanea). If you do not have a passport, please apply for one as soon as possible. If you are not sure where to go, contact your local post office for advice. Expedited handling service is available for an extra fee through private companies, such as Travel Document Systems (
More details on in-country arrangements
AMOS will arrange for all food and lodging, transportation, translation, and all the other details that go into taking good care of guests. Although much effort on AMOS’ part will go into planning and making sure everything is in order, come with a flexible mind and expect surprises. In Nicaragua, electricity is cut off at any moment. Water may also be cut and you may have to drink out of water bottles and bathe with a barrel of water and a bowl. People typically arrive late to scheduled meetings or change things at the last minute. We ask that groups relax and go with the flow of the things in Nicaragua. These challenges, just like the content that our speakers will share with us, is a major part of the learning experience and will help us all better understand the obstacles the country must overcome in their work for peace.
Construction project materials and expenses in the community
AMOS is already working with community members in health and planning projects. They have a waiting list of construction projects. Examples of projects continue to be small water projects, reforestation, painting projects, or more expensive ones such as the repair of existing schools or the construction of small clinics. Our team will be assigned a project depending on community priorities, assessed a month or two before we arrive, but subject to change. If there is an emergency or higher priority in another community our team may be reassigned to serve there instead even as late as the day your arrival in Nicaragua, depending on the circumstances and the emergency. The project materials our team is helping to purchase include things like cement, nails, bricks, pipes, transportation of materials, etc. Our team will also be accompanied by community members that are able to offer their time. The construction itself is according to local community standards, consistent with the other established structures in the area. Although our project is important, it is not as important as the people who will be with us: our team members and the local community members. Even in the heat of a Nicaraguan heat, try always to maintain your kindness, humility, and sense of human. Don’t lose site of your priorities. Hold on to your servant heart.
Room in Managua
AMOS will seek to provide our team with a Nicaraguan experience. AMOS will provide a large bedroom with bunk beds for up to 10 men. They also have another similar room with bunk beds for 10 women. The rooms are equipped with fans. The rooms also have air conditioners that can be used in the event of a truly hot day. In case the electricity is cut off, they have backup batteries that can power fans for a couple of hours.
Room in rural communities
In rural communities, we will be staying at a school, clinic, or a large home where our projects are carried out. AMOS suggests that we bring our own pillow (inflatable if possible), foam or inflatable sleeping mat, and one pair of sheets. Plan for a “camping” type experience.
Bathrooms
At the AMOSCenter in Managua, the bathrooms for men and women are separate and very rustic. There are several shower heads (“cold” water=70 degrees Fahrenheit) per bathroom and the ordinary Nicaraguan flush toilets. We are fairly immune to the water shortages that are constantly occurring in Managua due to the fact that AMOS has a large water tank that can supply the group for a few days should the need arise. In the communities where we will be staying, bathing is Wild West style, often in small one-person sheds with a large barrel of local water for you to use to pour over your head and body while you stand. AMOS recommends that we not take and baths or dips in the creeks. They do recommend that we bathe daily per the Nicaraguan custom. There are no flush toilets in the communities, only latrines (outhouses), most of which are covered and have a roof for privacy.
Food and drinking water
Most everywhere in Nicaragua, we should expect to be fed white rice and small red beans for almost every meal. This and tortillas are the staple foods in Nicaragua, often accompanied by a vegetable dish, chicken or beef, fruit, and other simple side dishes. At the AMOSCenter in Managua, the chef—Doña Vilma—will prepare our meals. In the rural communities, locals will prepare most of the food, while some of the supplies will come from Managua. AMOS will provide large potable water bottles in the truck for us to refill while in the communities. AMOS advises North American visitors not to drink the water in Managua or in the rural communities (especially the latter!).
In-country transportation
AMOS will provide transportation for all of the group trips on our schedule while we are in Nicaragua, including one trip per group from and to the airport on days of arrival and departure. The airport is far from AMOS so they ask that all group members travel together on the same arrival and departure flights. They can arrange for additional trips to the airport and other sites for our team outside of those scheduled for an additional fee, which would depend on the trip destination and the number of people going. Their extra transportation fees are guaranteed less than any comparable taxi or rental bus. In Managua, we will travel in an air-conditioned microbus. To the rural communities we will travel with our group in the back of a large four-wheel drive truck (slowly!). The truck has wooden benches along each side to accommodate groups and plenty of room for luggage and materials. This is a common form of transportation in Nicaragua although, as you can imagine, does entail risks. AMOS asks us not to break off from the group to do our own thing; they ask that all of us participate in group activities during our stay in Nicaragua.
Laundry
Our laundry can be done at the AMOSCenter and in the rural communities the way laundry is done almost everywhere in Nicaragua: by hand. As part of your in-country package, AMOS arranges to have local people wash our laundry the Nicaraguan way.