answers to questions about missions

I RECEIVE MANY E-MAILS EACH WEEK ASKING ABOUT THIS MISSION AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ON A MISSION TRIP TO MISSION TO THE CHILDREN? THE FOLLOWING SHOULD ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS. AFTER READING, IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WRITE TO ME AT jackmeibaum@gmail.com WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.

This mission, Mission to the Children, is a very "In the culture" mission. We live and eat as the local Dominican people do. This is not an Americanized mission and the work here is very much done in the Dominican way. Holes are dug by hand, cement is mixed by hand etc.

This is primarily a mission dedicated to teaching the WORD OF GOD to others in this country. Secondly, our work is to help in any way we can by providing dental / medical care. This is primarily a dental mission simply because we have no medical person on staff. We are very interested in having a good medical dept. to help with those in poor health as well as well family clinics and teaching.

We always need dentists and medical doctors to help here!!!

We also need volunteers to help with all the other works at the mission, children's ministry, maintenance, working with the teens and much more.

All visitors and staff need to have their own support. Each visitor/ missionary will need to pay for all their own needs.

The mission has short term housing in dormitories. Anyone that desires to work with the mission long term will need to, with the help of the mission, look for housing.

Presently there is supervision for dental volunteers but until we have a medical person on staff there is no person to supervise medical students or pre-med students.

BACK TO INDEX

WHAT IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT?

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE MISSION STATEMENT

SHORT TERM MISSION TRIPS UP TO 12 DAYS

The cost of staying at the mission is $50.00 a day (All trips booked after August 2008). This fee includes your food and bedding. You receive a breakfast of eggs, cereal, milk, and coffee. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here. The lunch meal will be Dominican, rice and beans usually with chicken, or a number of other Dominican dishes. The evening meal will be a light meal. At times the lunch may be sandwiches and the big meal at night. This fee can change after your trip is booked depending on the economy and exchange rate here. If there is a change you will be notified. Any change will be minimal.

Other costs include your transportation, your airfare and any other costs necessary for you to accomplish your goals on the mission trip. This mission will help you in every way to fulfill your calling on the mission field. Please contact the mission to ask about transportation costs. Please do not let these costs effect your calling to serve the Lord. We will work with you in every way to help you accomplish your mission.

BACK TO INDEX

WHAT ARE THE OTHER COSTS?

Please contact the mission at jackmeibaum@gmail.com or call 1-809-914-2561 for details about cost for your group.

SHORT, LONG TERM MISSIONS

If you are considering coming for more than 4 weeks, please contact me about any costs. We need your help and want to make your mission possible. We will work to reduce your cost at the mission.

BACK TO INDEX

STUDENTS DESIRING TO COME FOR A MONTH OR THE SUMMER

We make every effort to help students to work at the mission for the summer. Please contact the mission for details. This mission is dedicated to helping students so we are glad to work out a plan that the student can afford. We do not want anyone to stay at home if they feel the Lord is calling them to go forth.

CAN I COME IF I AM NOT A MEMBER OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH?

ALL VISITORS TO THIS MISSION MUST BE CHRISTIANS AND AGREE WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT

BACK TO INDEX

WHAT CAN I DO AT THE MISSION

This is a mission dedicated to spiritual and medical health. We are primarily a dental mission. We also work with children and have, from time to time, medical people here at the mission. You can work with the dentist, work with the children and use the gifts that you have been given by God to help others. You are welcome to contact the mission and work out a plan that will help you accomplish your mission goals. What you can do at the mission depends on you!! Let us know your talents, your gifts, we will gladly work with you.

WHAT AIRPORT WILL I FLY INTO?

SANTIAGO Dominican Republic !!!

WHAT VACCINATIONS DO I NEED?

You should contact your family doctor for that information.

BACK TO INDEX

WHO IS OUR MISSION ASSOCIATED WITH?

Please click this link

BACK TO INDEX

I WANT TO COME TO THE MISSION, WHAT DO I DO?

Write to me at jackmeibaum@gmail.com and tell me a little about yourself and what you can do at the mission. Let me know when you want to come and I will write to you within 1 week. You can also call 1-809-914-2561 if you desire.

BACK TO INDEX

I AM COMING, WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

You can buy almost anything you need here. There is no need to bring soaps, toilet paper. These things are used in this country and are for sale here. You can bring them if you want but these things fill up your suitcase.. You can bring candy snacks if you need them. If you need special items you should bring them. There is soda on sale here. Bring a towel, insect repellant, shampoo. Bring any craft items you might want to use with the children or to put in stock here for the children's ministry, pencils, crayons, construction paper. Movies are used here in the ministry. If you have any extra movies ON CD THEY can be used, They must have a spanish language, not subtitles,option. We can use sheets for single beds and light blankets.

Please check your ticket for weight limitations for your suitcases. The airlines are changing these weight limits and you may not be aware of the present limitations.

PUT 2 PENS AND A PENCIL IN YOUR CARRYON BEFORE YOU LEAVE. You will want these on the plane and when you enter the airport to fill out forms!

You can use your credit cards here as well as your bank card.

The banks have card machines the same as in the states. You will receive your balance in pesos. Remember, in this country we use pesos not dollars.

BACK TO INDEX

WHAT LEGAL PAPERS DO I NEED?

You must get a release form from this mission, fill it out and e-mail the form to the mission.

CLICK HERE FOR THE RELEASE FORM. PRINT OUT AND E-MAIL TO THE MISSION

You need to have your medical card with you in case of emergency.

Your passport. Make a copy of your passport and have it with you in case your passport is lost. This can help you, I am told, get your replacement. Presently, there is a $10.00 fee to enter the country. You must have the money in American currency. Put this money in your wallet at the beginning of the trip and save for this reason.

You will need to buy a visitors card at the Santiago Airport when you enter the terminal. This will cost you $10.00. You need to fill out the form. The address here is as follows: San Jose Adentro, Baitoa, Santiago.

Please remember to have my telephone number with you so you can call me if there is a change in your arrival time. 809-914-2561

In this country, if you allow a worker in the airport to help you with your baggage, he will expect you to give him a tip. If someone wants to help simply say NO!!!!, unless you want the help.

BACK TO INDEX

DENTAL PROFESSIONALS

All dental professionals please bring your own handpieces, favorite burrs and your gloves, ( bring a few extra size large NITRIL OR VINYL for the mission). We keep a stock of supplies for your use here but this stock is replenished by visiting groups so please bring dental supplies to the mission. We need your help to keep going. What can we use? The same supplies you use in your office. Patient bibs, toothbrushes, things for the little patients, mylar, fluoride, any extra surgical instruments, surgical blades, IRM, anything you would use , we use. Remember, If you have working curing lights, amalgamators etc. that you have replaced and are wondering what to do with them, send along, we can use. We need all kinds of dental lab equipment for producing dentures. All gifts can be a tax deduction. Please contact us for needed supplies before you come.

WHAT WILL I EAT AT THE MISSION?

You will eat a Dominican Diet!

OTHER OPTIONS FOR YOUR GROUP

Some groups arrive at the Santiago airport which is about 30 minutes from the mission but leave from the Puerto Plata airport which is about 2 hours from the mission area. This will allow the group to stay at a hotel in Sosua and spend a day at the beach before going home. The additional cost would be the bus from the mission to the airport and the hotel in Sosua as well as food. If you choose to not have a staff member with you that is acceptable with the mission. The mission trip ends when you leave the mission complex.

BACK TO INDEX

ITEMS THE CHILDREN HERE LIKE VERY MUCH

The children like almost everything but there are things that they really like to use a lot!

Regular kites, baseballs, dolls, wooden tops, hair things ( the little elastics with little balls etc. ) plastic jewelry

CALLING HOME WHILE ON YOUR MISSION TRIP

While you are on your mission trip please keep the mission you are on the most important part of your time. When you arrive the mission will call a coordinator at home and inform them that all have arrived safely. The coordinator can then call all the families with the information. There is no e-mail at the mission. There is no internet service at the mission site. If you feel it is necessary to call home personally you can bring a cell phone with you but be sure to have it activated for this country before you leave the USA. Others have done this with ATT and Team Mobile service. I encourage you to leave the things at home behind and put your total emphases on your mission here. Remember using a phone can be quite expensive. For long term mission trips you can call home from a calling center when we pass one on the way to town.

BACK TO INDEX

WASHING YOUR CLOTHES AT THE MISSION SITE

There is a Dominican woman that will gladly wash your clothing for a fee. The fee is presently 30 pesos a pound to wash you clothes.

BACK TO INDEX

LAST YEAR DENTAL STUDENTS DESIRING TO DO A ROTATION AT THE MISSION

YOU MUST BE A CHRISTIAN STUDENT AND BE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN EVANGELISTIC ACTIVITIES

Last year dental students desiring to do a rotation at the mission must be in the top of their clinical class and have a recommendation from their dental professor. A rotation here is a very busy time for the student. The student must be willing to work hard and very willing to learn. The student must be willing to work independently under supervision with the goal to improve their skills and production. No student will be accepted without a recommendation from the dental dept. at their school and a personal e-mail conversation between me and the professor. The cost for dental students doing a rotation here is a little higher than for other students. There is a $10.00 clinic fee for each CLINIC day of the rotation here. You should bring your own handpieces and gloves if you can. Please bring several boxes of large vinyl or Nitril gloves for the clinic. You should bring your own cotton rolls as well.

ATTENTION DENTAL STUDENTS: YOUR TIME HERE IS FOR DENTAL ROTATION, THAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO GIVE YOU AS MANY PATIENTS AS YOU CAN TREAT!! WE ARE IN A REMOTE AREA WITHOUT TOURIST ACTIVITIES. IF YOUR DESIRE IS TO TOUR THE COUNTRY OR GO TO THE BEACH, PLEASE SCHEDULE A LONGER TIME HERE TO GO TO A RESORE AREA AFTER YOUR ROTATION. YOU CAN, RENT A TAXI FOR A PRICE AND GO TO THE BEACH ON YOUR TIME OFF BUT THE MISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ACTIVITY AND YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. YOU NEED TO SCHEDULE THIS WITHIN THE MISSION DENTAL WORK. THIS IS A SPANISH AREA AND THERE IS NOT MUCH DO ON OFF TIME IN THIS AREA.

IS ALCOHOL, PERMITTED AT THE MISSION?

NO!

BACK TO INDEX

CAN I GO TO THE BEACH WHILE AT THE MISSION?

Yes, you can go to the beach while here. You must make arrangements with the mission in advance and we will arrange transportation, at your cost, for you. All expenses and risk are yours when you leave the mission for another activity.

WE ARE IN A REMOTE AREA WITHOUT TOURIST ACTIVITIES. IF YOUR DESIRE IS TO TOUR THE COUNTRY PLEASE SCHEDULE A LONGER TIME HERE TO GO TO A RESORT AREA. YOU CAN, RENT A TAXI FOR A PRICE AND GO TO THE BEACH ON YOUR OWN BUT THE MISSION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ACTIVITY AND YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. THIS IS A SPANISH AREA AND THERE IS NOT MUCH DO ON OFF TIME IN THIS AREA.