52 Days can change the world!

FAQs

Q: I want to be on a Nehemiah Teams.... How do I apply?
Interested students should apply through the International Mission Board (IMB)

Q: What are dates for summer 2023?
March 15: Application deadline
May 29: Leader training begins
June 1: Member training begins
June 6: Teams depart for assignment
July 27: Teams arrive for debrief
July 30: Students return home

Q:  What is the address for orientation? Can my parents/friends stop by & visit during orientation?
Orientation will be held at:
Nehemiah Teams Training Center
192 County Road 9074
Mentone, Alabama  35984

Orientation is closed to visitors with the exception of the joint worship service on Sunday evening, May 16th & June 4th. These services will start at 6PM, ending around 8PM. Your family & friends are welcome to join us for that worship time. We ask that family & friends not meet up with you & tell you good-bye at the airport.

Q:  When do I need to pay my field expenses and to whom do I pay them?
Unless you have received specific instructions from your field supervisor, there is no need to "pay" anything before arriving at orientation. (In some cases the field supervisor will ask you to send an amount ahead of time. Ask your supervisor to be sure.)  You will need to have a portion ($250) of your field budget with you in cash upon arrival at orientation (this info will be sent to you in an email a few weeks before orientation) and, in many instances, can withdraw the balance of the funds via a local ATM after arriving on the field. (Make sure your bank knows you are traveling, when, and where so they won't shut down your card. There is a good chance they will charge you a service charge for international withdrawals.)

Q:  Can Nehemiah Teams receive donations on my behalf? Are these gifts tax deductible?
Yes... Nehemiah Teams can receive donations on your behalf... and yes, these gifts are tax deductible.  Donations can be made through PayPal or through check.  Example support letter.

Instructions for PAYPAL DONATIONS:
1.  Choose the option to "Send & Receive."
2.  Send to [email protected]
3.  Enter amount to donate.
4.  When asked "What's this payment for", enter "Donation for Nehemiah student."
5.  When your transaction is complete, you can print/save the donation receipt for your personal records.
6.  After receiving your donation, the donor will be contacted by Nehemiah Teams, Inc to confirm the student who should receive the donation. Any applicable PayPal service fees will be taken from the donation amount. 

Instructions for CHECK DONATIONS:​ (Recommended)
1.  Check should be made out to Nehemiah Teams, Inc.
2.  A note should be sent with the donation stating clearly who & what the donation is for. (Example: This gift is for "Suzie College Student" for her trip to "Another country". These funds are to be used to cover her expenses/travel/field budget/whatever for her summer trip.) DO NOT write the name of the student on the check.
3.  The donation should be mailed to:
        Nehemiah Teams, Inc.
        P.O. Box 242
        Mentone, AL  35984

Student can email us to get an update on what funds have been given in your behalf. As donated funds are needed, students can request a check to be sent to them.
For summer students: Donations received before April 30, checks will be mailed to students on May 1. Donations received after April 30 will be held for the student until they arrive at orientation. We don't want to take the chance that the check doesn't arrive before you leave for your trip. Those funds will be made available in cash upon arrival at orientation.

Q: What do I need to bring?
We are providing you a pretty detailed packing list that we strongly suggest you follow. This will help you to avoid bringing too much stuff that you won't need! Packing lists are posted on the website.  Read Jess' Travel Tips for more helpful information.

Q:  Can my boy/girl friend and I serve on the same team?
Nehemiah Teams has a "no dating" policy that we expect students to abide by. For this reason, we will not have dating couples assigned to the same team and/or general location. If this does happen we will ask that one of the students be reassigned to another team. This applies to any dating relationships from the time orientation begins until debrief ends and includes nationals while you are on the field.
Are we against students dating?? No way! We have several success stories that we could share with you of students who met during the summer and the relationship bloomed... after the summer. We even have a couple of NT grandchildren!  (We have pictures if you'd like to see them.) We'd love for like-minded World Christians to get together and help reach the nations. We just ask that you spend your summer focused on your ministry and pursue the relationship after the summer.

Q: Can I bring my laptop? iPod? Cell phone and etc?
Nehemiah Teams has a Disconnect to Connect Policy.  This partial media fast allows students to focus on their relationship with God, their teams and their ministry. Most students have opportunity to spend 1-2 hours weekly on their day off to re-connect with family and friends through the internet.
Laptop/iPad: Unless you are a media team member (or have been given prior approval for ministry purposes), we would ask that you not bring your laptop. With the availability of internet cafes in most countries, it really isn't necessary and will just be one more "thing " you'd have to keep up with. Please don't bring your laptop unless you are a media team member.
Tablet/gadgets: It's up to you if you want to have your gadget with you during your travel to orientation. If you do choose to bring it, we will collect these upon your arrival at orientation for safe keeping during the course of the summer, returning it to you at debrief. If your field supervisor has asked your team to bring a tablet for ministry purposes, these will be collected upon arrival at orientation & returned to you before you travel.  Students taking & using their personal tablets on the field for ministry will still be expected to abide by the "Disconnect to Connect" policy and use them for the intended purpose.
Cell phone: Again, if you feel better having this with you during travel to orientation then that's up to you. Like the other items, we will collect this upon arrival at orientation for safe keeping over the summer. If the phone is returned to the student for travel to the field, it is expected to be turned in to the field supervisor until time for the student to return to the US for debrief. While on the field, supervisors are asked to make sure each team has a local cell phone to use for the purpose of staying in contact with their field supervisor and national partners or to use in the event of an emergency. If your field supervisor has asked your team to bring smart phones for ministry purposes, these will be collected upon arrival at orientation & returned to you before you travel to the field. Students taking & using their personal phones on the field for ministry will still be expected to abide by the "Disconnect to Connect" policy and use them for the intended purpose.

Q: Do I need to get a visa before I arrive in my country of assignment?
It depends on your country. Please check with your field supervisor about visa requirements before you purchase your tickets. Your travel agent should be able to help you secure the proper visa for your country. Contact your field supervisor to confirm if a visa is needed or not. 

Q: I love mail!!! What is my summer mailing address?
Request this information from your local supervisor

Q: What size bag will I need?
You will be issued a backpack or duffle bag by Nehemiah Teams to use as your checked piece of luggage. The size of the backpack (for hiking/mobile teams) is 65 liters. The size of the backpack/duffle bag is 4300 cubic inches or 70 liters. If you can't get it all in that... then you've got too much! You will be able to wash almost everyday (you will be washing by hand).  The cost for using this bag is included in your field expense. You will receive this bag upon arrival at orientation and re-pack your stuff at that time. There will be a place to store your original bag and any extra items over the course of the summer. If you live in the Fort Payne area you can pick up your bag the week before orientation.

Q: What about my personal safety? My parents need some reassurance...
This is one of the most frequently asked questions, not so much by students, but by parents. We understand. We are parents too. We have 3 children. We, as parents, think about issues that haven’t even been considered by our children. I think back on some things I did when I was 14 or 15. My best friend and I were nearly killed in a sledding accident. (Duh… we didn’t think about the issue of having to stop at the bottom of the hill.) As Americans, our security was shaken on September 11, 2001. We learned in that moment that no place in our world is safe. We have developed what some psychologists call risk-lock. We are afraid to the point that this fear causes us to lose touch with reality. Click on the link below to read more about risk-lock as well as other informational documents.

• Risk-lock document​

Q: How much personal money will I need?
Depending on your team location, you have been given a total amount that you will need for your "field expenses." This amount was given on the team request through the IMB and can be seen under Trip Details in the Go Method portal. Basically this will cover your transportation, daily food budget, and anticipated ministry expenses. 
Personal money would be needed to cover: personal internet usage, personal hygiene items (toothpaste, shampoo, soap), souvenirs, phone calls, etc.

Q: Do I need all the immunizations and malaria medicine?
A: With your assignment information you received from the IMB there was a website to check for immunization recommendations. Please make your decisions based on this information in consultation with your health professional.

Q: Will I be able to check my e-mail this summer?
Your local supervisor will help you know what to expect regarding internet accessibility for the summer. Due to the remoteness of some of locations you may not be able to do this on a regular basis... but you should be able to check at least a couple times over the course of the summer. Ask your field supervisor to get information specific to your location.
For those areas where internet is available, teams will have 2 hours on their day off each week for internet access.  You will be disconnected from the internet this summer in order to be connected with people.  Share this with your parents so they'll know your usage will be limited.

Q: What phone number should I give my folks in case they need to contact me?
Request this information from your field supervisor.

Q: Can I use my credit/debit card at a local ATM?
Most international banks partner with either MasterCard or Visa networks... therefore in areas where there are ATMs.... yes, you will be able to use your cards. (Our experience has been that there is an additional service charge for international usage.) HOWEVER... depending on your team location... not all areas have ATMs. Check with your local supervisor to verify what they suggest. If you plan to use your cards, you will need to notify your bank and give them your travel dates & country so a block will not be placed on your cards.