I’m going to Guatemala with The Village. Now what?

 

Missed the huddle or need a recap? Check out the Global Go 2025 Interest Huddle slide deck HERE.

(Committed) Pre-Trip Priorities

ACTION REQUIRED!

 

  • PAY YOUR DEPOSIT. The deposit can be paid during the registration process in Church Center or via the “Giving” section in Church Center. If using Church Center “Giving”, be sure to select the “Global Go” fund to ensure money is appropriately designated towards your trip costs.

  • JOIN THE CHURCH CENTER GLOBAL GO GROUP. Click here to request access to the Global Go group and stay in the know on all the things.

  • PARTICIPANT INFORMATION FORM. Booking travel requires some details. Be sure to complete your registration using the "2025 Global Go” signup located on Church Center.

  • PASSPORT. Because passports are both required, and can be a bit of a pain to prepare and process, we encourage you to take care of this as soon as you begin considering a Global Go Engagement Trip with The Village. Here’s a simple place to get you started in Butler County. 

(Early) Pre-Trip Priorities

ACTION REQUIREd!

  • VACCINES, SHOTS, & HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS. Traveling to new places means potential exposure to different health concerns. As a protection, the CDC recommends certain vaccinations prior to travel to Guatemala. See a complete list here. You can always consult your physician or pharmacist to get more information on which ones would be best for you. You can get vaccines at local pharmacies; however, depending on the vaccine, it may or may not be in stock. You can always call ahead to verify this. Also, certain vaccines may or may not be covered by your insurance carrier.

  • CELL PHONE PLAN. If you want to utilize your mobile phone while away, be sure to check with your phone carrier for the best plan to maintain coverage and minimize cost during the dates of your visit. OR, you may even want to consider getting a SIM card at the airport.

  • BANK NOTIFICATION. Though you may not need to utilize your bank card while away, it’s a good idea to notify your bank in advance of your travels and dates to eliminate any issues should you need your card while out of the country.

Upcoming

  • HUDDLE SCHEDULE. Starting in February, the plan is to meet one Sunday out of each month leading up to the trip. We will meet right after gathering in the Huddle Room or Youth Room. The planning huddles are scheduled in Church Center. Be sure to RSVP once you receive the huddle notification!

  • FUNDRAISING. We typically have at least 1 fundraising event leading up to the trip. The 2025 fundraiser is TBD.

 

Village Framework & Context

Learn how The Village thinks about global missions.

 

Learn how The Village thinks about missions, and see some of our opportunities and partnerships.

 
 

Resources

  • (book) MISSIONS: How the Church Goes Global. Read this book. One should be provided for you at the first Engagement Trip Huddle.

  • THE BOOK - CHAPTER SUMMARIES. We will use this document to reflect, interact with, and process the book together.

  • SUPPORT LETTER. Here’s a letter to serve your support raising efforts. Read it, make a copy in Docs, personalize it (put your name into vague “insert name” parts), and share it with whomever you’d like.

    • NOTE: People are welcomed to give to you directly, or to The Village. If they give through the Village, please have them note: 1. GLOBAL GO! and 2. YOUR NAME. The best way is through venmo (@TheVillage-Church), but they can give via mail or in person as well. This will help us keep track of things as cleanly as possible.

  • TELLING YOUR STORY. One of the coolest things to experience on the trip is learning about the people in the Village and helping them also learn about us and God. We might do this by visiting a home and sharing our story. Don’t get too overwhelmed…it’s as simple as sharing about your life in a way that helps the listener understand how God has worked throughout your life to call you to Himself and grow you as a disciple of Jesus. Here are some possible helps as you think more on this:

    • How to Share Your Testimony. Daily Gracy Blog

    • Sharing Your Testimony and the Power of Story. Daily Grace Podcast

    • Joyfully Spreading the Word (book by Kathleen Nelson & Gloria Furman).

  • LEARN LANGUAGE. Cross cultural experiences can be challenging regardless, but understanding even a few simple words and phrases can make a big difference in the way we are able to interact, show hospitality, and demonstrate kindness.

  • Translation App. There are others (Samsung Bixby, …) but one of the apps that we used a lot was Google Lens. It’s baked into Android and available for IPhone. It’s particularly useful at real time translation of menus. Google Translate is also a helpful tool for real time, in conversation translation.

 
 

Packing List

  • Passport

  • Bible

  • Journal

  • Small backpack/sachel for anything needed on the go

  • Bug Spray/Wrist Bands (whatever your fancy)

  • Snack foods Clothes (be prepared for average highs in the 80s and average lows in the 60s)

  • Swim gear (if you want to hit up the pool)

  • Comfy shoes/sandals (hiking boots, Chacos, Tevas)

  • Lightweight rain jacket with hood & a hoodie (in case of an evening drop in temps or an extra cool flight)

  • Hand Sanitizer

  • Sanitary Wipes/Towlettes

  • Sunscreen

  • Prescription meds & common OTC meds (headache medicine, tummy tamer tablets, allergy pills, etc.)

  • Shower flip flops

 
 

FAQs

  • WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE? For the areas we will be visiting, you can expect highs in the low 80’s and lows in the mid 60’s. The wetter season is May - October.

  • WHAT’S THE FOOD LIKE? While there are some signature dishes, lots of the food is similar to what we eat here (sometimes with a little extra kick). It’s also common to see refried black beans at lots of your meals. You definitely won’t go hungry. ;)

  • CAN I PACK SNACKS? Yes. It’s recommended to bring snacks to eat throughout the week – in case, you need a pick-me-up, for a treat along the travels, or to supplement a meal that is maybe not your favorite. Here’s some snack ideas that pack well and are easy to eat on the go: nuts, granola/protein bars, Cheez-Its or other snack crackers, squeezable peanut butter and tortillas, beef jerky, dried fruit, packaged meat and tortillas…or, your favorite candy bar or cookie. :) 

  • CAN I SEE PICTURES FROM TRIPS IN THE PAST? For sure!

  • CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE PLACES WE'LL GO? Yes. Oh the Places You'll Go!

    • Guatemala City. //Explore through maps.

    • Cuilapa. //Explore through maps.

    • Los Chillitos. //Explore through maps.

    • San Pablo Lalaguna. //Explore through maps.

    • San Pedro Lalaguna. //Explore through maps.

  • ARE THERE ANY SAFETY CONCERNS? As with most travel to a foreign country, there is risk involved. Safety and security is definitely a high priority as we plan and prepare. Some precautions to consider as directed by the U.S. Department of State — Bureau of Consular Affairs:

    • Be aware of your surroundings.

    • Avoid walking or driving at night. 

    • Do not physically resist any robbery attempt. 

    • Do not use public ATMs. 

    • Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.  

    • Avoid using mobile devices in public. 

    • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. (Tammy completes this as part of the pre-trip planning process)

    • Review the Country Security Report for Guatemala. 

  • WHAT ABOUT SPENDING MONEY? There is some spending money included in the cost of the trip. Once in Guatemala, each person will receive Guatemalan money (Quetzals). This can be used at your discretion for souvenirs or other items. If you end up needing more than the provided Qs, many of the shops and markets accept U.S. debit/credit cards. 8 Qs are equivalent to about $1.