Church Trips

Yes, you can still register without a passport, but it is important to apply for your passport as soon as possible. Once you receive your passport, you can email your passport information to your trip administrator.

Compassion takes child safety very seriously and we require background checks from all travelers, even our Compassion staff.

Yes, as Compassion’s background check is our sole source of monitoring all travelers to our field countries and our security staff can make sure everything is in order.

Background checks are valid for one year, from the date it is processed.

We will provide you information on when it is time to apply for your visa. Please expect an email around three months before your trip departs, as most visas expire within three months. We want to ensure your visa is still valid for your trip.

We suggest checking the CDC site and speaking with your doctor, as we cannot legally recommend vaccinations for trips.

We have limited insurance coverage that is included in your trip cost. Here is more information on the insurance coverage.

All travelers should provide their Trip Group Facilitator from your church with payments and that person will make one payment to Compassion.

The Trip Group Facilitator from your church can make a payment online with a credit card or send a check to the address and person noted on the invoice. All travelers should make their payment to their Group Facilitator.

Yes, in case of an emergency, Compassion will register your name with the Department of State before you leave the United States.

Please let us know as soon as possible of any need to cancel. Once registration closes, the deposit is a non-refundable cost. If you need to cancel closer to the trip date, it could incur fees that are non-refundable, due to airline ticket purchase, hotel reservations, transportation costs, child visit costs, etc...

As soon as you register, you will start receiving information about your trip. Please read everything, as we will need you to take certain steps to complete your registration process. You will also receive information from your church Group Facilitator, and your team should have regular meetings as the trip gets closer. You will also receive a Trip Guide in the mail, which is full of great information about Compassion and the country you are visiting.

Yes, please appoint someone to be the Trip Leader and let us know. We will still be able to communicate with you, even if you’re not going on the trip. However, we will need to apply payments to a specific leader’s account.

All background checks are valid for one year from date of approval. If your Compassion trip will be completed within that one year, we will not need to run an additional background check. However, if your background check date of approval expires before your trip’s end date, you will need to re-submit a background check.

We work with so many different airlines, so please check with each airline you will be traveling on for current information on baggage allowances and policies. Any baggage fees are your responsibility.

Yes, you can receive airline miles for your trip. You just need to inform the ticketing agent of your frequent traveler number upon check-in.

Yes, we do everything we can to ensure you and your sponsored child meet. Sometimes there are circumstances surrounding the family that prevent us from making that happen, but be assured we will do our best to make that connection.

That is all right. You will have opportunities to sponsor a child through your church or on the trip itself, if you feel led to do so.

• Our website has some great information about gifts for your sponsored child and their family. Please check our gift suggestions for more information on gift ideas. Although you may see your child at the child development center, we suggest that you save your gifts for Fun Day. Some sponsors like to get a backpack for their child and put some items in it (school supplies, clothes, shoes or other items you know they are interested in). This is completely up to you. The only thing we ask is that if you want to give a monetary gift, let Compassion be the catalyst for that.
• As far as a gift for the family is concerned, simple kitchen items, flat bed sheets or a small decoration for the home are great choices. Another idea could be a Scripture verse in their language (or national language, depending on which country you’re visiting) that that they can hang on their wall. These are just a few ideas.

Yes, you can, but please ensure the child’s name, child number, sponsor’s name and sponsor number are located somewhere in/on the gift. Most people like to send a gallon-size plastic bag or small backpack, which can either be written on or has this information inside. You can then give this package to your field office staff leader, and they will ensure it gets to the correct child.

Your sponsored child’s Compassion center is notified of your visit usually about one month prior to the visit. However, the child is notified within two weeks. The child is not notified sooner to prevent disappointment in case of any unforeseen changes that may occur.

The trip cost will include airfare (if requested), domestic transportation in-country, lodging, Compassion host and leadership expenses, trip insurance, food, bottled water, tips, home visit basket and translators. Your trip cost will also include background checks (required for all travelers), Trip Guides, name and luggage tags and all registration-related costs.

The trip cost does not include passports, vaccinations, visas, meals while in transit, souvenir shopping, checked bag fees or the cost of your sponsored child’s transportation to the Fun Day activity. (This cost will be itemized per traveler and included on the final invoice, based on the distance the sponsored child will have to travel to meet and spend the day with his/her sponsor).

Please indicate all dietary needs in your registration, and we will do our best to accommodate those needs. But we always suggest bringing some personal snacks, as well.

Your Compassion U.S. Representative is hired and trained by Compassion to co-lead this trip with the leader of your church. All teams are required to be accompanied by a Compassion U.S. Representative. He or she is responsible for being the bridge between cultures and managing the flow of the itinerary, along with field staff. This person will assist your team in organizing activities and manage any crisis that might occur, with the aid of field staff. He or she will serve to protect the interests of Compassion while in-country and come alongside your church’s leadership to make arrangements necessary to benefit the group. While many groups have a designated pastor or leader from the church to lead the team spiritually and functionally, our staff can assist in this role, if needed. The Compassion U.S. Representative will be introduced to the church approximately one month prior to the trip dates by the Compassion Trip Planner and will usually meet the church at their international gateway city in the U.S.

Fun Day is a time for sponsors and their sponsored children to meet, fellowship, play and eat together. It could be at a zoo, park, beach or pool/water park (depending on which country you’re visiting). It is a great time to really connect with your sponsored child and present your gifts to him/her.

All payments for trip costs must be made through your local church.

Yes, please appoint someone to be the Trip Leader and let us know. We will be able to still communicate with you, even if you’re not going on the trip. But we will need to apply payments to a specific leader’s account.

Here are some ideas:

• Have the team share some of their journey to faith in Christ or a key moment that God worked in their life.
• Start a team prayer journal in which the team shares prayers and apprehensions both before and during the trip. While on the trip and after your return, revisit what the team prayed for and celebrate God’s answers.
• Team Building Games
• Perspective on STM Videos (Chalmers’ Helping Without Hurting in Short Term Missions)
• Use the Compassion Trip Guide and have various people present information, or play a trivia game with information about the country to be visited.
• Spiritual preparation questions (personal or as a group)
• Do trip prep activities together (VBS, Spa Day, Gift Shopping)