I Need VISA Apps Before Dec 5!!

Amy, Kristi, April, Jim and Kim

I need to gather just a few final things before we are 100% ready for this trip.

NOTE: I need to mail our passports along with everyone’s visa app and two passport photos to the embassy NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 5. So Please print, fill out and mail your visa apps back to me along with two passport photos by early next week. This is really important. If we send this too late, we run the risk of not getting out passports back in time for our departure...and that would be horrible.

So here is everyone’s to do list:

Completed Visa Application – See below for link and instructions:
- April
- Jim
- Kim
- Amy
- Chad – yeah I haven’t filled mine out yet either

Two Passport sized photos
- April
- Jim
- Kim
- Amy
- Kristi (I have your visa app, but I need two passport photos to send with it) Chad – yeah I haven’t filled mine out yet either

Passports
- Jim – Let me know when you have your other paperwork complete and I’ll meet you somewhere to get everything at once
- Kim – I have a copy, but I need the actual passport

Notatized Medical Release, Notarized Liability Release, and signed Code of Conduct
- Jim – Again I can stop by to pick up all of this at once.
- Kim

Here are the details on preparing the following items:
Visa Application: http://www.kenyaembassy.com/forms/visainstructionsdc.pdf
2 passport sized photos (you can get them at Walgreens), this is for the visa
If I already have your passport, I can fill in the Passport number, place of issue, and validation date
When filling out the app, enter the following:
6a. Tourism, humanitarian work
6b. Dec 29, duration of stay = 12 days
7. [leave blank I’ll fill this in]
8. Fill this out if you’ve been to Kenya previously.
9. YES

Here are the links to the forms from the field guide:
Liability Release - http://drop.io/goyaliability
Medical Release - http://drop.io/goyamedical
Code of Conduct - http://drop.io/goyacodeofconduct

For the most part this is the final logistical punchlist for the trip. Obviously we still have some other things to work out like packing all of the supplies we have in everyone’s 2 checked bags...some of us may be checking three bags to get everything over. But we’ll work on that stuff next. Most importantly now we need to get Visa Apps and two passport photos from everyone ASAP so I can send them to the embassy for approval.

I’m planning to send all apps certified mail to the embassy on Friday Dec 5, so please try to fill out the app, get your photos and mail them to me by early next week! This is really important in order for us to get our passports back from the embassy in time to board our plane.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks again everyone!!!

Chad C. Parker
GOYA Ministries

35 Days

Chad, Amy, Kristi, Kim, & Jim-
I love this count down.
I am not at all anxious about this trip.
God says, "I know the plans I have for you!" We have to believe and trust in this.
Get the excitement growing more and all will continue to be well and run smoothly.
We are working hard to make sure all our I's are dotted and our T's are crossed!
Keep the Faith-
April

The Egyptian Detour

I wanted to post a bit of information about the detour in Egypt for those that are curious.

According to the CDC's website, we should not need any additional vaccinations to go to Egypt, but don't take it from me, you are responsible for your own well- being. Please check out the following link, but also contact your physician for more details:
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationEgypt.aspx

There is a $15 fee for a 30 day visa that we will obtain at the aiport in Cairo.

We will have to check out our luggage. Transportation will be pre-arranged to take us from the airport to the hotel and back. We will try to store our luggage at the hotel after we check out, until we need to pick it up and go back to the airport.

We will make every attempt to go to the Lost Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx during the 30 hour layover. From the few people I've spoken to about trips to Cairo, I'm told we can do this very easily and 1 day should be plenty of time. I was also told we should have guide and try to take a camel ride (only $5 per person if negotiated properly).

We will need to pay for ground transportation, a hotel for 1 night (2 rooms should cover everyone) and possibly a guide for the pyramids if we can do that. I'm hoping we can find a way to include all of this in the cost of the trip so this doesn't cost anyone any extra.

PS I've also contacted pastor Shadrack about developing a precise daily agenda for the team. He and I will try to have that worked out within the next few two weeks. I'll be sure to let everyone know once I have confirmation from him.

Thanks again everyone! I can't wait to go!!!!

Chad

Medications

Hey everyone-
Through some discussion with Kenyan Dan, Emily, Chad and myself we have discussed buying our medication in Kenya. This helps their local economy and helps us carry other items in our suitcases, ie: shoes, eye glasses, last minute needed items.
The past 2 days Emily (Alume Imports) and I had a fundraiser at my work. I asked my co-workers to bake some homemade goodies and we sold them. Emily was able to sell several items from the residents of Mitumba Slum.
The proceeds from the baked goods and the auctioned off baskets will 100% go towards the meds in Kenya. In 2 days we had collected $865 for medications :) Praise the Lord...that will go really far in Mitumba. My personal goal by the time we leave will be to have $1,000 + dollars for medications.
I encourage each and everyone of you to set a personal goal for yourself to bring money for medications. Set a realistic goal....perhaps every single one of you can collect $250, that would bring our total to $2,250. We work in the medical field. We know how much drugs really cost, we can help so many people if we bring this amount of money for medications.
Please do try to collect money for these people, after all this is the reason we are going on a Medical Mission Trip, is it not!
Be uplifted and stay strong. I hope everyone got their flu shots!
FYI 41 days until we leave :) I can hardly stand it!
Keep the faith-
April

WE HAVE TICKETS!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Hey everyone I have an huge AWESOME update. WE HAVE TICKETS!!!! I will email the itinerary to everyone later. I didn't want to post the itinerary and flight schedule online for the public to view, but I will post the schedule outline here:

DEPARTING

Kristi and April

Minneapolis St. Paul > Detroit > Amsterdam > Nairobi Depart on Dec 29, and meet up with the Bloomington team in Detroit for the flight across the pond.

Chad, Jim, Kim, and Amy

Bloomington > Detroit > Amsterdam > Nairobi, Depart on Dec 29, and meet up with the Minn. team in Detroit for the flight across the pond.

We will all arrive in Nairobi on Dec 30 around 8:30pm (local time)

RETURN FLIGHTS

Jim Poisel

Nairobi > London > Detroit > Bloomington, Jim will leave Nairobi on Jan 11 at 11:45pm and arrive in Bloomington on Jan 12 at 4:30pm

Chad, Amy, Kristi and Kim

Nairobi > Cairo > 1 day layover in Cairo > Amsterdam > Detroit > Bloomington - We will leave Nairobi on Jan 11, we will arrive in Cairo around 10:55pm on Jan 11 and stay the night in Cairo, Egypt (can you say "Pyramids Baby!"), leave Cairo at 4:15am on Jan 13 and arrive in Bloomington around 4:30pm on January 13.

April

Nairobi > Cairo > 1 day layover in Cairo > Amsterdam > Detroit > Minneapolis-St. Paul - She has the same itinerary as the rest of the team except she will take the Minneapolis-St. Paul flight from Detroit.

Everyone, I have been really stressed out about getting these tickets locked down. I've been working with three different international booking agents and no luck getting good tickets. So although the dates are not what we wanted, but we get to stay in Egypt.

Anyway, thanks for your prayers and help. I am really relieved to have the tickets purchased. I will email all of you with a link to the visa apps next Tuesday when I get back to Bloomington. I will also email the itineraries once I get final approval.

Thanks again everyone and I'll send more details next Tuesday via email!!!

Chad

50 days +/-

Everyone-
How are you doing? How are the fundraisers coming along? I know some people have all of their money in already and that is amazing! Praise God for all of that! It's it amazing to see how God is working for all of us to go on this trip. I personally have been excited about the this trip and have felt complete peace since the day I told Chad I wanted to go to Kenya. I know God has a plan for each and everyone of us; as a group and as individuals.
Are any of you able to get grants from your work to go on a Medical Mission Trip? I was fortunate enough to have my hospital pay the last portion of my amount. I am still having a bake sale/Mitumba merchandise/raffle sale at work. I am taking the money and having it 100% go towards Mitumba. I am still feeling compelled to help above and beyond the amount that is due for my own purpose. The Applebee's breakfast Fundraiser is going 100% towards the new orphanage. We will see when we arrive what is needed most for the children and the adults living there. We have to go with open hearts and open minds.
Having met with Chad again this weekend, and with Kristi in another town, was really exciting to me. (This was my third road trip in the month of October and I am done traveling until we leave in December) I know some of us have never met each other and only communicated via email or facebook (givin' Amy a shout out!) but just know that I have been praying for each and everyone of us as individuals and as a team and family. We are going to Mitumba with the same mindset.....We are there to help them grow and thrive spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially. We are a blessed few that are able and willing to step out of our comfort zones and walk in the unknown and not be freaked out. I am not worrying about this trip, and it is not because I am cocky or self centered, but rather because I know that God has our back in this trip and these plans.
We are all doing what we are called to do....have peace about your decisions and this trip!
Is there anything you guys would like all of us to pray for? We can start a mini-prayer chain here on the site, please feel free to share.
Keep the Faith-
April