Church Trips

In order to register, you will need to have your emergency contact information and your health information for yourself and any guests.

When your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email. This email is important, and we ask that you read it thoroughly and keep handy as you will need it for reference in the future. Within your confirmation email, we will provide you with the necessary links to secure your background check and release forms, which each traveler is required to complete. You will need to submit a $300 non-refundable deposit to your Group Facilitator at your church to reserve your spot on the team.

Each trip has a final payment deadline, which your group facilitator will provide. Typically, deposits are due 4 months prior to departure, and final payments are 6-8 weeks prior to departure. Your group facilitator can answer any of your payment questions. Please note that payments are directly paying for your trip costs, which is not considered a charitable activity and are therefore not tax deductible.

Approximately 8 weeks prior to your trip, we mail out a package that will contain everything you need to prepare for your trip. It will include your trip guide, name tag and lanyard, and two luggage tags per person.

The time to wait between receiving your package and departing for your trip can seem to take forever! Rest assured your group facilitator is in close communication with the Compassion Trip Planner and we are hard at work arranging your trip logistics.

Approximately 4 weeks prior to departure you will receive your in-country itinerary and e-ticket confirmation for your flights. Please keep in mind that traveling internationally is an adventure, and changes to your final itinerary are almost guaranteed! It is important to remain flexible and remember that most foreign countries do not run on “American time” and delays are common!

After registration the most important thing that you will need to do is complete your background check and forms. All this information, along with the links to complete these items will be located in your registration confirmation email.

We require all travelers 18 years or older to complete a criminal background check to ensure the protection of the children in our programs. There will be a link in your confirmation email that will lead you to complete this through our vendor, ScreeningONE.

At the time you complete your background check, you will also be asked to sign our Code of Conduct and Travel Release forms. These forms are required for both adults and minors.

If you marked a box in the medical checklist during registration, we will also require that you fill out a physician’s release

Passports:All travel outside of the United States requires a valid passport, so it is important that you don’t delay in securing this document. You may choose to go through an agency or through the post office. You can obtain a passport application and instructions on how to apply online here.

Your passport must be valid for at least six months after you return from your trip. It is possible that travelers may not board the plane if a passport expires too soon to the return date.

Ensure that your passport is in good shape. Tattered, torn or ripped passports may prohibit you from traveling.

Please note that all travel documents are your responsibility. If your document limits your travels, Compassion is not liable for any of these charges and will not be able to refund your trip cost.

Visas: The following countries require a visa to gain entrance:

• Africa – all countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Togo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda)
• Asia – Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Did you know that most visas only have a lifetime of 60 to 90 days before they expire? Getting a visa can be daunting! Because of this, we will be sending the necessary information via email when it is time for you to start the process of securing your visa (approximately 12 weeks prior to departure).

Please be sure to check your registration confirmation email to ensure your name is spelled correctly, and also check your name when you receive your e-tickets. It is critical that the name matches (or will match) your passport. If they do not match, you may not be able to board the plane for your flight! Any errors incurring cost will be your responsibility, and Compassion is not responsible for any costs associated with airline changes.

Compassion International has an internal travel agency who works directly with our Church Trips Team and is able to provide a group flight contract for your church from your home city to the international destination. This flight contract is a complimentary service that we offer, however, you do have the option to do “land only” and purchase your own airfare. If you choose to purchase your own airfare or use airline frequent flier miles for this trip, we ask that you arrive within 2 hours of the group’s arrival. It is always recommended to purchase the same flights as the group. Please let your Group Facilitator know if you plan to purchase your own flights so that we can adjust our flight contract.

You will receive your e-ticket confirmation from your Group Facilitator 30 days prior to your trip. You will not need a paper ticket, just this confirmation code from the airline that will be provided will be enough for them to find your reservation. Since this is a group contract, advance seat requests/preferences and upgrades are unavailable. If you would like to add your airline frequent flier number, you can do that at the airport upon check-in at the airline ticket counter in addition to requesting seat preferences.

As baggage policies are constantly changing, we ask that each traveler check with each airline for current information on baggage allowances and policies. Any baggage charges are your responsibility. We have included some links to our common airlines below, for your convenience:

You may also want to review information regarding general travel and security, which you can access at tsa.gov.

We wish we could help you make personal medical decisions, but we can’t. Legally, we are not allowed to offer any kind of medical advice, so please don’t ask. Be aware that some countries require certain immunizations to gain entrance into the country. We will be sure to tell you if a vaccine is required for entrance. You can find current information on required immunizations for travel at your local health department, travel clinic or online at cdc.gov/travel. If you need to locate a travel clinic, visit passporthealthusa.com for your travel health needs. We recommend you consult your physician before the tour. Also, be sure to carry your immunization record with you during the trip.

Compassion International has contracted with Chubbs & Sons and International SOS, which are two industry leaders to provide Travel Medical and Security Assistance Services to our trip members! Your trip with Compassion International automatically includes the following insurance:

• $50,000 Medical Benefit (no deductible) for urgent and emergency care
• $500,000 Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
• $100,000 Security Evacuation
• $50,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment

*This plan only provides coverage during the duration of your trip

This plan does not include trip cancellation/delay, lost or delayed baggage or cancellation coverage. If you would like to purchase additional insurance coverage, we recommend contacting Insurance Consultants International at: missiontripinsurance.com/compassion, by phone at 800-576-2674 or by email at [email protected].

Please note that we register each traveler with the U.S. State Department in case of an emergency, so they are aware who is traveling with us prior to departure.

Compassion offers Church Trips to most of the countries where we work. Each culture and country is different, so before your trip you will receive information about your destination in your Trip Guide.

You can see a preview of that information by downloading a PDF country guide containing useful travel information, such as weather, shopping, food and general statistics.

Compassion has a dynamic approach when it comes to the safety of our travelers. While there is always a risk with international travel, Compassion has the following practices regarding safety in our partnering countries:

• We partner with International SOS, the world’s leading medical and travel security assistance company, which is paired with Travel Tracker — an interactive map — so we know where all of our trips are and who is in each location.
• Each trip attendee has basic insurance, which includes medical and evacuation coverage.
• Depending on your medical information submitted during registration, we may ask that you complete our Physician’s Release Form. If you are attending a CauseTrek Trip (which includes intense hiking and camping) each traveler is required to complete a CauseTrek Physician’s Release Form. You will be provided additional information upon registration if these forms are needed prior to travel.
• Each trip attendee is entered into the U.S. Embassy site prior to departure.
• Compassion has an in-house highly trained security team who specializes in both domestic and international affairs, who are constantly monitoring the safety of our destination countries and will make any adjustments necessary to protect our tour participants, sponsored children and in-country staff.
• Compassion utilizes our staff in-country by helping our U.S. staff make decisions on the safest places to travel. They are always ready to help if an emergency should arise.

Concern for the well-being of children is the cornerstone of our ministry. We do everything within our power to ensure that no harm comes to any child registered in our program and to protect our children from any form of child abuse or exploitation. We believe the vast majority of our sponsors and donors share our values of respecting and caring for children. But it’s possible that some people may seek to use our Child Sponsorship Program to gain access to children for inappropriate reasons, which is why we require a background check for everyone 18 years and older who interacts with any beneficiary of our program.

Please read our full Trips and Visits Child Protection Policy if you are considering traveling with us, as it explains the requirements prior to travel and guides interactions between sponsors and children occurring on our group trips or custom visits. Our Child Protection Policy is meant to protect the children in our child development centers from abuse as well as to protect visitors from any wrongful allegations.

• passport
• visa (if needed)
• vaccination certificate
• shirts/blouses/tops
• work clothes, if your group is doing a work service project
• skirts/dresses* (if you are attending a Sunday morning worship service please bring at least one dress/skirt for this day)
• bathing suit†
• pants
• shorts†
• undergarments
• sleepwear
• light jacket or sweater
• rain cover
• good walking shoes
• sun hat
• toothbrush, toothpaste
• deodorant
• soap
• shampoo/conditioner
• razor
• detergent for hand-washing clothes
• comb or brush
• insect repellant with DEET
• good sunscreen
• aloe-vera gel
• Pepto Bismol® / Imodium® tablets
• personal first aid
• washcloth
• alarm clock
• sunglasses
• notepad/pens
• address book
• personal snacks
• Bible
• flashlight
• spare batteries
• camera and film
• power converter for electronic items
• international plug adapters
• gifts for children/families

We recommend you pack the following in your carry-on baggage:

There is nothing quite like entering a child development center full of excited children who are ready to welcome Compassion sponsors! The children, their families and the staff members are ready to engage as soon as they arrive, frequently putting on a welcome program for the visitors. After the celebration, travelers will be able to tour the facility and witness firsthand what their sponsorship funds are paying for. Some centers demonstrate vocational programs and explain how they minister through the Survival Initiative to mothers and babies. Each center is different and unique! And of course, there is always time to play with the children and be immersed in the joy and love of the children around you.

Many families of Compassion children are waiting and praying for the opportunity to open their homes to sponsors or visitors! On each trip, we have the unique opportunity to visit homes of sponsored children in small groups. This gives visitors a chance to see what a typical house and home environment are like in the area. While visiting the family home, the group can ask the family questions, learn about the community, pray for and encourage the family. This is usually an unbelievable experience that allows the visitors to connect with a family and see what day-to-day life is like in that part of the world. Compassion staff will provide the travelers visiting each home with a practical gift (which was purchased through the traveler trip cost) to bless the family and show the appreciation of allowing the group to visit.

This will be your opportunity to spend an unforgettable day with your sponsored child/children getting to know one another and playing together at a family-friendly venue. Your sponsored child will be brought to the city where your group is staying, no matter where in the country they live. During this day you will have the chance to play games, share a meal, take photos and connect in a way that is only possible through an in-person visit. This could be at a pool or water park, a zoo, the beach or a public park (depending on available options in the city where the visit takes place). A translator will be on hand throughout the day to ensure easy communication between you and your child. The cost of the child’s transportation, including a Compassion center staff member and a guardian to accompany the child, will be charged to the sponsor. For a list of gift ideas to bring your sponsored child, please see your Trip Guide or view our suggestions.

If your group is in-country on a Sunday morning, you will likely enjoy some time interacting with the local church in their weekly worship service. Your church will be able to worship together alongside brothers and sisters in a different language but be encouraged and feel united with our bigger family of Christ in the world. Sometimes churches simply join with the local congregation in the worship service and other times, they take a more active role in the service. You can talk with your Trip Leader about what role your church will play in the worship service.

During the trip, you may have an opportunity to contribute to a service project that will be identified by the local church based on their identified need. Remember that Compassion’s ministry focuses on long-term, holistic child development. Your project will be more than a physical act. You’ll be building relationships with those you meet. Take time to get to know each person, listen to their stories and pray for them. Also, remind your group that the most significant results from your trip will be intangible. Your team can be very effective by sharing the love of Jesus and building Christ-centered relationships with children, parents, pastors and others in the community. Other ministry opportunities that your group might be involved with during the trip is leading a Vacation Bible School with the children or other children’s ministry opportunities to interact with the children and share the love of Jesus in a tangible way with them. Your Trip Leader will let you know which ministry opportunities your group can do that will be beneficial to the local church.