On-site Dos and Don'ts

Food, water and health:
· Tell your leaders/hosts if you become ill!
· Pack prescription drugs in containers with pharmacy labels in carry-on bags; bring extra in case of delays.
· Wash your hands or use antibacterial gel before eating.
· Avoid ice.
· Drink plenty of bottled/filtered water; avoid dehydration. Brush your teeth with bottled water only.
· Don’t eat anything from a street vendor or store unless your hosts/sponsors say it is okay.
· Get sufficient rest .
· Use insect repellent and avoid mosquito bites.
· Stray animals may be cute but rabies is common in developing countries.
· Wear gloves (in first aid kit) when treating wounds. AIDS and other diseases may be more common.
· Check shoes for critters before putting them on.
· Don’t go barefoot to avoid parasites and fungi.
· If it falls on the ground, leave it (or throw it away) – the 10-second rule does not apply.
· Flies are more than a nuisance – they’ve been hanging out in the swamp and on the garbage in the streets. Try to keep them from landing on your food.

Conduct:
· Be flexible and go with the flow. Your plans will change often. Remember the Gumby principle.
· You are a representative of Crossroads Bible Church and Christ, and there are high expectations for your conduct. There will be discipline for misconduct.
· Make time for personal quiet time and journaling and seek accountability with other team members (see journaling guidelines). Challenge yourself in all areas so that you will have no regrets about your actions/attitude.
· Encourage and pray for your teammates, sponsors and hosts. Learn to love those you don’t necessarily like. Resist complaining; but if you are really struggling with conditions, seek out a sponsor or teammate and talk about it. Never complain in front of hosts or nationals.
· Keep rooms, vehicles, etc. clean; do not be messy guests.
· Conserve electricity, hot water, toilet paper, etc.; do not be wasteful.
· Get advice from hosts about how to handle begging as needed.
· When exchanging money/shopping, be discreet and sensitive. You may spend more than nationals earn in a month. Avoid treating yourself (ice cream, soda…) in front of them unless you also treat them. Bring no more than $50 of your own spending money.
· Wear appropriate clothing for the culture as directed by hosts; Piercings may have to come out. Use discretion in logos/slogans on shirts, caps, etc. Avoid flashy jewelry, heavy makeup, and tight clothing. The people we are with should not be able to determine our social class based on how we dress.
· Exercise caution in photographing people. Get permission—some may resent it or expect payment while others will love it. Be especially careful at religious sites. Taking photos of government buildings may be illegal! In fact, consider leaving your camera at home. As Mack Stiles writes, “…looking at people through the lens of a camera doesn’t build trust but confirms that we’re really there to be tourists.”
· If you are visiting a religious site, out of respect do not evangelize or sing Christian songs on the premises.
· Carry toilet paper/tissues with you when traveling as toilet paper may not be available. In Mancora paper cannot be flushed, plumbing will not handle it. So, don’t flush it! Use the trash can.
· It is a normal part of “travel stress” to fear strange food, speaking another language, being cheated, etc. Ask the Lord to help you not be paralyzed by your fears.


Safety:
· Lock rooms when inside at night and when away! It may not be as safe as it seems. Anything of value should be well-hidden.
· Women: know how safe it is for you in public. You need to be in groups or accompanied by guys. Men may pretend to be Christians or interested in the gospel to get near you. Never tell strange men where you are staying! Men may try to touch/pinch/grope. Be conscious of surroundings; have guys walk next to you.
· Get advice from hosts about how to protect your valuables in public and where you are staying.
· Watch for pick-pockets, purse snatchers, slashing of backpacks and scams. Divide up your money in different places and use an underclothing money pouch or belt. Anything in back pockets is fair game for pickpockets – use your front pockets. Help each other be street-smart.
· Be aware of fire safety issues for the building in which you are staying. The 2nd thru 7th floors are safest. The first floor is easily broken into and fire departments rarely have ladders that reach above the 7th floor.
· Memorize your passport number. Flashing a passport around shows everyone you are a tourist.
· Keep car windows up or cracked and doors locked when traveling in a vehicle. When in motos keep arms and legs inside with backpacks, purses, and valuables between you and the other passenger. Anything hanging out the moto could easily be snatched by someone.

Crime:
· There are 4 things every bad guy believes: 1) you have money, 2) you probably do not speak the language or know how to contact authorities, 3) even if caught, you will not be available to testify against him, 4) if kidnapped, your company/school will pay for your release.
· If you are robbed, mugged, threatened, etc., don’t resist! Give your money, valuables, vehicle, whatever. Throw it and run and scream if possible. Cooperate with anyone who has a weapon. Nothing is worth your life! Flee only if the criminal does not have control of you and it makes sense.
· If you are the victim of a crime, report it to 1) the local police 2) sponsors & hosts, 3) your embassy or consulate.
· Leave home any credit cards, ID cards, or other cards that you won’t be using or able to use in Peru. If a wallet is stolen, file a police report to prove to credit providers you were diligent, cancel credit cards immediately. If you have US cards the three credit reporting organizations can place a fraud alert on your name and SS# to keep your credit clean. (Equifax 800-525-6285, Experian 888-397-3742, and Trans Union 800-680-7289). Call the Social Security Administration at 800-269-0271.
· See consular information sheets for more information on crime in your host country.

Free time and outings:
· Never wander around by yourself—no one will know if something happens to you. It is best to go out in mixed groups and closely follow host advice about safety. Make sure sponsors always know where you are and when you will be back. Groups of three or more are OK – if less than that, ask a sponsor for permission. Lighting fireworks, car rental, driving, scuba diving, etc. are not permitted during free time.
· Carry your “Emergency Info Card” with a local address and phone # so you can show to someone if you get lost or need help. Carry insurance card (if you have one), student ID card, and passport copy.
· Check with sponsors about what to do if you get separated from the group. Know the plan!
· Obey the curfew your sponsors/hosts give you.
· Get instructions from hosts about safe/non-safe places or activities, local expectations, how to reduce risk
* Some students on a study trip went to a city park at night. They did not know it was a meeting place for gays looking for action. They were approached and persistently pursued until they left.
* Some guys did not know that when they bought sodas in glass bottles they were expected to drink the sodas at the shop and immediately return the bottles. They were chased and yelled at by the angry shop owners but didn’t understand why.

Low profile suggestions:
Each person is responsible for his/her own personal safety so each needs to follow these guidelines.
· Listen to hosts and nationals who say to be careful in certain areas or situations; go a different route, avoid patterns, vary timing of travel, etc.
· Dress “middle of the road” avoiding anything flashy; avoid displaying expensive name brands. Wear a cheap watch. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself.
· In areas of concern, smaller groups are better than one large group. Have a national or host missionary travel with you when possible.
· Keep a watchful eye on surroundings. Perhaps assign this task to a national or team member if needed.
· Don’t look or act like tourists. Keep cameras hidden. In some areas, you may want to choose one person to be a group photographer to reduce the number of cameras.
· Be careful with taxis. If possible, have a host choose taxis. Never let strangers hand-pick taxis for you!
· Women should be accompanied by male team members in taxis.
· Do not be loud and obnoxious. Blend in with the public.

Communication:
· Do not talk about your material wealth unless you are directly asked. Be humble. If someone asks how much you spend on food or entertainment, you can say that you spend about the same percentage of your income that they do rather than giving dollar amounts.
· Do not talk about politics with locals. If asked your opinion about politics, emphasize a biblical perspective concerning relevant issues, but also ask for the other person’s opinion. Use such discussions as a stepping stone to discuss spiritual things rather than politics, policy or leaders.
· Men and women: avoid touching each other in public so as not to give the wrong idea. Avoid a lot of eye contact or exclusive conversation with nationals of the opposite gender (as appropriate for the culture). In some cultures, this may communicate a strong interest in marriage.
· Find out from hosts: how to greet people appropriately, what is appropriate regarding physical touch and eye contact, how formal the conversation style is, what the expected courtesies are, what subjects (if any) are taboo, what styles of worship are appropriate, what gestures are appropriate/inappropriate, what terms, metaphors, or analogies may be offensive (for ex., the term “sweetheart” means “mistress” in the Bahamas so it is inappropriate to call little girls “sweetheart”).

Four objectives of project: 1) Cross-cultural understanding/experience, 2) Mission outreach, 3) Interpersonal relationships, 4) Reflection and integration of the experience; but ultimately our goal is to see God glorified. Let Him work in you and through you

Importance of journaling:
It helps you sort out experiences/feelings/thoughts, helps you learn about/from the culture, helps you tell your story when you return, helps you remember what God did. You want your life changed by this experience; journaling and reflection are key in facilitating true change! They also help you keep your relationship with God and openness to Him on track. Record how it feels the first time you encounter real economic or spiritual poverty so you can remember. Be familiar with the journaling guidelines.

Difficulty of poverty or other situations:
· Ask for strength from God not to shrink away from a beggar or “unlovely” or sick person.
· Ask God to give you his compassion and perspective.
· Ask God to help you see not just the masses, but each person as an individual, made in God’s image with intrinsic value to God as a human being.