You must have a passport. If you already have one, it must be valid for at least six months after our return. A visa is required for Kenya — it costs $50; your team leader will guide you.

To apply for a passport, bring your certified birth certificate, two passport photos, the completed application, and the fee to the nearest post office with a U.S. Customs office. Processing can take 4–6 weeks. On the application, write your name exactly as you want it to appear. If renewing, use the name shown on your current passport.

Our teams usually fly British Airways. Depending on the mission, you may book with the team or buy your own ticket. Ask your team leader for flight details.

Pack light. Each team member may bring one regulation carry-on and one backpack (or small under-seat bag). No checked luggage — space is reserved for footlockers. Each person may also bring one one-gallon bag of liquids and sharps over 3 oz (shampoos, etc.); these go in a separate team footlocker.

In Kenya, medical and vision teams usually wear surgical scrubs at work because they’re cool, comfortable, and show you’re on the team. Bring one set for each day unless you plan to use the hotel laundry. Other ministry teams should wear comfortable, modest clothes. Wear comfortable shoes — you’ll be on concrete or walking a lot. Bring a lightweight jacket for cooler mountain weather. Comfortable clothes are fine at the hotel. Kenya is a conservative country, so dress respectfully and represent Christ well.

Yellow fever is the only vaccine required for travel to Kenya. Typhoid vaccination and antimalarial medicine are recommended. These are precautions — contact your doctor or a travel clinic to discuss options. Traveling without the full series is your choice.

Other recommended vaccines:

• Tetanus: keep up to date.

• Hepatitis A: two doses, 6 months apart. Important if you’ll be in rural areas, eat or drink where sanitation is uncertain, or have close contact with locals.

• Hepatitis B: three doses (0, 1 month, 6 months). Strongly recommended for health care workers on this trip.

If you want to raise funds for your part of the trip or for the mission, we can give you a sample letter you can edit to explain the trip and ask for donations. Contact us to get it.

If you want spending money, $200 is enough. This is just a suggestion. You can exchange US dollars for Kenyan shillings at Nairobi airport. Bring money for lunches, snacks, and drinks; breakfast and dinner are covered by the hotel.

We drink only bottled water in Kenya. Your hotel room has one bottle per day. Use bottled water for brushing teeth too. Groups will go to the store during the week for extra drinks and snacks. Stay with the team whenever you leave the hotel.