Team FAQ

Called-to-Serve

Team FAQ

Team Info & FAQ's
(Frequently Asked Questions)

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"Steps that Will get YOU to Tanzania."

As you may know, one of Elton’s responsibilities while he was teaching, was to teach Greek.

In keeping with that theme, here are the teams that have gone, and are planning on going to serve in Tanzania, all listed in the Greek Alphabet.

Team Number:                          1
Team Name:                             Alpha
Team Leader:                           Harry Moore
Team Dates:                             March 23 2007 –April 4 2007

Team Number:                             2
Team Name:                                Beta
Team Leader:                              Vicki Cooke
Team Dates:                                July 5 2007 – July 17 2007
U.S. Churches Represented:    Oak Grove Baptist Church

Team Number:                             3
Team Name:                                Gamma
Team Leader:                               Harry Moore
Team Dates:                                 March 5 2008 –March 17 2008
U.S. Churches Represented:    Second Branch Baptist
                                                      Chesterfield Community
                                                      Powhatan Community
                                                      Fair Havens Church

Team Number:                            4
Team Name:                               Epsilon
Team Leader:                             Harry Moore
Team Dates:                               March 17 2008 –April 1 2008
U.S. Churches Represented:    Second Branch Baptist
                                                      Powhatan Community Church

Team Number:                                     5
Team Name:                                        Epsilon
Team Leader:                                      Vicki Cooke
Team Dates:                                        June 19 2008 –July 2 2008
U.S. Churches Represented:             Oak Grove Baptist Church

Team Number:                                6
Team Name:                                   Zeta
Team Leader:                                 Maria Weisz-Solo
Team Dates:                                  July 2 2008 –July 15, 2008
U.S. Churches Represented:        Liberty University

Cooke’s in USA from July 15 2008 to August 302008

Team Number:                                7
Team Name:                                   Eta
Team Leader:                                 Steve Blanchard-Leader
Team Dates:                                    Fall 2008
U.S. Churches Represented:         First Baptist Church

Team Number:                                8
Team Name:                                  Theta
Team Leader:                                Marshall Lewis-Solo
Team Dates:                                 November 2008
U.S. Churches Represented:      Lyndale Baptist Church

Who will bring Team 9, will it be you?????

9-                    Iota
10-                 Kappa
11-                  Lambda
12-                  Mu
13-                  Nu
14-                  Ksi
15-                  Omicron
16-                  Pi
17-                  Rho
18-                  Sigma
19-                  Tau
20-                  Upsilon
21-                  Phi
22-                  Chi
23-                 Psi
24-                Omega

2 Beta Vicki Cooke July 5 2007 – July 17 2007

STEPS THAT WILL GET YOU TO TANZANIA:

*Pray about whether or not God wants you and your gifts at work in Tanzania

*Gather up information about Tanzania and about travel there – check the Internet and the links page on our site

*Decide what area of ministry you feel called to do in Tanzania – what can you do? (even if you are uncertain, just let us know why you feel called to come)

*Decide on the exact date you wish to come and how long you can stay. When each team comes, what each team does, where you go, how long you stay will factor into the costs.

*Determine how many will be on your team – and have a list of their full names

*Contact Barbara or Elton Cooke by phone or email immediately – to get on the calendar – let them know what you want to do – they can help you know what is needed - give them the list of team members including male or female and approximate ages.

!!!!!!NOTE: Right now we are not allowing anyone under 17 to come. We do make exceptions – but we must talk with you – the parent – and we must talk with the child – even then, we may suggest that the child wait. Exceptions are rare – please understand that working in Tanzania requires a certain maturity and the rough roads and length of travel can be really exhausting for a young child. We want everyone that comes to do ministry with us to stay healthy and safe and be free to focus on the work that God has called you there to do.

** Remember we can not take a team bigger than 15 people, this is because of housing and transportation limitations

Now – call to make your airline reservations.
Do this immediately. No matter how much time there is before you need to come to Tanzania – get the reservation for your team done early! Have your dates and your list of team members in hand. You may have to adjust your dates a day or so one way or the other to accommodate your full team – be ready to do this. !!!!

If your dates are adjusted at all, please, let the Cooke's know about the change. Check our website for the link to Bryan Tours. Lynn Kelley can help you make the reservations with Northwest/KLM airlines. She will tell you about how to pay for the tickets and when your deadlines are.

*Arrange to get your passport – or be sure that yours is current. Your local post office can provide you with the location of a postal office with the passport forms. Follow those instructions. Please allow the maximum time that you have to get the passport. Do not wait too late. There is information on our site for the U.S. State Department-Tanzanian Embassy.

*Go ahead and start working on your inoculations. Go to your local health department and ask for help with medical needs for travel overseas. Tell them you are going to Tanzania and they will look it up and inform you of any shots that you may need. Some are required, some are recommended. Its your call. Be sure to get what is required. You will also need a prescription for anti-malaria medication. This is absolutely necessary! Do not come to us without it. It is an oral medication that you usually take once a week beginning the week before you go and continuing for a few weeks after you return.

*You will also need a Visa to enter Tanzania. You do not get this until you are three or four weeks ahead of your departure date. Go on-line to “Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania” and then go to “visa application forms”. Print the forms and fill them out. Include everything the form asks for in a manila envelope. We suggest that you send the forms (you can each do this or you can send all of the applications together) by FedEx and include inside another FedEx envelope (already paid for and addressed back to you). This way you can receive them a little faster and safer – since your passport is in this packet! The envelope will come back to you with only your passport in it. Look through the passport and you will find your visa on one of the pages.

*Also you will need to secure travel insurance from Adams and Associates. We always use them – they provide all insurance for all mission travel and missionaries on the field – and they provide full coverage for only $2 per day of travel!

*Now – keep on praying and preparing. Gather together the things you will need for the particular ministry that you will be doing. You can check our website for a list of suggestions to bring for the Tanzanians – and a little list of things that we might need. We update these lists from time to time, so the list for your team may be different than the list for another team! That just means we are making progress! There will also be a list there (on the site) for things you need to bring – or not! As an example-women, do not bring shorts and do bring skirts to teach in, go to church in and go out in anytime!! At our house, pants or Capri pants are fine. Also, on your safari day(s) any kind of pants are fine – NOT SHORTS!! You will be in a culture that we respect and we ask our guests to respect it as well. Also, you will be glad when you meet tsetse flies and mosquitoes that you are covered. Check the site for those lists – there are other things you need to know.

*When your airline tickets are paid for Lynn will send you the tickets. Keep them somewhere safe and where you won’t forget them!! Notify the Cooke’s about the time of your scheduled arrival in Kilimanjaro airport.

*As you pack, remember that you are allowed two check-through pieces of luggage and that each piece has a 50 lb. limit. You may also have a carry-on piece and a personal piece – like a handbag or briefcase. Pack accordingly. If you have liquids or scissors, etc. put those in your check-through. Do not bring aerosol cans. Check our website for a link to the TSA regarding do’s and don’t of travel.

*Now – recap!! Whole team has prepared (we suggest that you meet together on a regular basis before going to plan, prepare and pray).

Everybody has:

· A current passport with Tanzanian visa.

· Each team member has had all the required shots.

· Each has malaria medicine with them (you did fill the prescription, right?!!).

· You are all packed within the limits set by the airlines.

*Get to the airport the day of your departure at least THREE hours ahead. As you go through checking in at the counter and waiting in lines and being inspected through security checks – please remember that you are representing, not just yourself and the USA – but you are representing Jesus Christ. Show the world who He is in your sweet, patient attitudes and by your kindness and smiles. Your Call-to-Serve Him includes airports!!!!

*Be sure that you have notified the Cooke’s regarding the time your plane will land at Kilimanjaro International. They will pick you up there and take you to the Called-to Serve-house. Praise God!! Bwana Asifiwe! You have made it to Tanzania. Now, it really was not so hard, was it?!!!!

Send questions tobcooke@called-to-serve.net