mission program faqs
Preparing for Your Mission Frequently Asked Questions
Overview of the Missions Program
How are mission trips organized?
All of our mission trips are organized and approved by the CMANA Missions Committee, which is comprised of a number of healthcare professionals from across the U.S. and Canada. After agreement on the mission schedule by the Committee every year, the Missions Team then contacts the respective mission site for approval and coordination of all remaining details. All missions are conducted in accordance with the rules and the spirit of the Coptic Orthodox Church and under the guidance of the local bishop and clergy serving the host community.
What is the difference between medical mission trips and HealthEd mission trips?
Medical Mission trips are geared towards providing direct medical services, as agreed upon between the host country and CMANA, to the host community. Trips may include any number and type of healthcare specialties, depending on need, feasibility, and request. Most medical mission trips are one week long, and priority is given to healthcare providers. If space permits, then graduate students, servants, and other students are able to join as well.
In contrast, Health Education (HeathED) Mission trips are primarily focused on health awareness, disease prevention, and educational services. These trips are geared towards graduate and undergraduate students who wish to take part in educational opportunities to serve the host community and to raise awareness on health concerns particular to the region. Through the use of art, lecture material, props and educational tools, trip participants are able to provide a cohesive curriculum, especially for young children. Trips are usually 3 weeks long and do not involve providing direct medical care.
Where does CMANA serve?
We serve wherever there is a need and where God guides us in caring for His children and forming host partnerships. We have established missions that we have returned to year after year (some for the past 15 years since the inception of CMANA) and others which we are exploring for the first time. If you, or anyone you know, are interested in establishing a mission trip to a host country not included on our destination page, please reach out via email and we would be happy to work with you to explore the possibility of a CMANA partnership.
Mission Destinations
What medical mission trips are coming up in 2026?
Take a look at our 2026 schedule! If you are a member or friend of CMANA, then you are a part of our mailing list and will receive information on our trips throughout the year. If not, become a member or friend now! Also be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, as well as join our Missions WhatsApp community, which is open to all.
What HealthED mission trips are coming up in 2026?
o God willing we are planning to resume HealthED mission trips in 2027 … Please check back with us soon!
Eligibility: Who Can Apply?
Do I have to be a member or friend of CMANA to join a mission trip?
While we highly encourage membership so that you have access to and engage with all programs and services we offer, we do allow non-members to join our missions so that all may serve. However, please keep in mind, and take a look at the fee section of our Mission FAQs, that being a member does also provide you with discounted mission fees as an added benefit.
What if I am a member or friend of AMCAN?
You are more than welcome to join any one of our mission trips! We work closely with AMCAN leadership to ensure our policies are consistent across the board and that opportunities to serve are available to all.
Can non-Coptic healthcare professionals/students join CMANA mission trips?
Any individual who is interested in serving in our mission trips is welcome to join, provided that they acknowledge and understand that our trips are Christ-centered missions in accordance with the beliefs and traditions of the Coptic Orthodox church and the Biblical principles.
What healthcare professionals are needed for medical mission trips?
We welcome all healthcare professionals including, but not limited to, dentists, nurses, optometrists, pharmacists, physicians, and many more. Each individual mission is in need of select specialties and specific needs are listed when the application period opens for each trip. However, as with all missions, a great amount of flexibility and a spirit of service are needed to accommodate the unforeseen circumstances that do come up.
Can non-healthcare professionals join CMANA mission trips?
You are absolutely welcome to apply! Depending on the mission’s scope, we would be happy to include you. A number of our mission trips include a component of fellowship/spiritual service to orphanages, homeless shelters, and hospitals and so we encourage all interested servants to apply. All such services are carried out under the supervision of the Coptic Orthodox Church clergy and service leaders in the respective countries we serve.
Can students join CMANA mission trips?
Absolutely, graduate healthcare students as well as undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a healthcare profession are encouraged to join CMANA mission trips.
As part of our medical mission trips, depending on scope and capacity, we attempt to include and match the interest/specialty of the student with the corresponding healthcare professional team. Students may be involved in direct health care within the limits of the practice where we are serving and within the confines of the training level they are at in their studies.
As for our HeathED mission trips, these trips are primarily geared towards graduate and undergraduate students who wish to take part in educational opportunities to serve the host community and raise awareness on health concerns particular to the region. Click here to learn more of the difference between our medical mission trips and our HealthED mission trips.
Medical Mission Trips..
HealthEd Mission Trips..
Overview of Application Process and Fees
Can you provide an overview of the application and review process for medical missions?
The application period for medical mission trips generally begins approximately 5 months prior to trip dates and is open for 30 days. Notification of the open application period is provided through email if you have subscribed to our mailing list, as well as through our Missions WhatsApp Community, and our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook
Upon closure, all applications are reviewed by the mission coordinator along with the trip leader and an application decision is made. Trip members are selected based on background, mission community needs regarding specialties and scope, as well as the number of available spots.
Decisions are communicated to applicants via email 1-2 weeks after application closures and we ask that each approved applicant respond back within 1 week to either confirm they will be able to join the mission or let us know they will no longer be able to participate so that we can connect with others whose applications may still be pending. In order to confirm joining a mission, a $100 non-refundable/non-creditable fee is expected to be submitted as part of mission trip fees. Please see the section below on when trip fees are expected to get an overall understanding of trip fees and breakdown.
How are mission trips funded?
Each member of a mission is responsible for trip fees, detailed in the next section, which cover transportation and accommodations, purchasing medications/supplies and coverage of medical procedures for communities served (where applicable), as well as a portion for administrative costs.
Once you are approved for a mission trip, you also have access to a personal fundraising link, which you are encouraged to utilize to support in your trip fees; However, CMANA is not directly involved in personal fundraising activity.
How much are trip fees in order to participate in a mission?
Beginning in 2026, we began implementing a differential fee structure based on membership status (applicable whether you are a member or friend of CMANA) as well as professional/student status as can be seen below:
Member
Non-Member
Licensed Healthcare Professionals and Other Professionals/Adult Servants
$1,100
$1,300
Residents/Fellows
$900
$1,050
Healthcare Students and Other Students/Servants
$900
$900
airfare is not included in mission trip fees.
Is there any change in fees if I am able to participate in more than 1 mission trip per year?
Yes! For members or friends that are able and willing to serve on multiple mission trips per calendar year, a reduction of $300 will be applied to each additional trip. Unfortunately, this is not applicable to non-members.
When are trip fees expected?
Upon application approval, total mission trip fees are broken down into: (1) a $100 non-refundable/non-creditable fee that is required within 1 week to confirm your commitment to joining the mission, and (2) the remainder of applicable fees due no later than 8 weeks prior to trip dates.
When are trip fees expected?
Upon application approval, total mission trip fees are broken down into: (1) a $100 non-refundable/non-creditable fee that is required within 1 week to confirm your commitment to joining the mission, and (2) the remainder of applicable fees due no later than 8 weeks prior to trip dates.
What if I am no longer able to join the mission trip?
We understand that unforeseen situations come up. However, we do also ask you to be mindful when confirming your commitment to join, that spots are limited and when we approve your application, we do also turn away others who wish to serve. We kindly ask that you let us know as soon as possible if there is a situation where you are no longer able to join us so that we are able to connect with others and do our best to support the needs of the mission and the communities we serve.
Regarding trip fees, if there is a cancellation up to 8 weeks prior to the mission trip, we will refund any additional fees processed (excluding the above-indicated $100 non-refundable/non-creditable fee).
If there is a cancellation within 8 weeks of the mission trip, trip fees (again excluding the initial confirmation fee) will not be refunded but instead credited to you for future mission participation.
Preparation: Vaccinations, Passport Requirements, Supplies, Safety, Training
Can you provide an overview of the preparation process and medical mission trip logistics?
All trip members are generally approved and confirmed ~3 months prior to a mission trip, at which time we begin the preparation process. The mission coordinator sets up a WhatsApp chat for the mission team to serve as a platform of direct communication and to address questions from the group.
At this time, the trip leader will also begin connecting the mission healthcare provider with the corresponding local healthcare providers in the mission country to communicate on number of patients to be seen, expected cases and procedures, and any additional supplies needed. This is the general structure for our hospital partnerships but may not be as applicable for our church/community partnerships.
The mission coordinator/trip leader will also ensure that members receive information regarding all required preparation for the trip including, but not limited to, visa applications (if required in advance of the trip), licensing requirements, as well as vaccinations.
At this time as well, members are requested to make their travel reservations. At the onset of the trip, members travel from their home country/state to meet in the capital of the country we are serving on/by the defined start date of the trip. We do not encourage late arrivals; however, we can accommodate if the need arises.
After arrival and settling in, a briefing session is usually conducted with all members of the team. In general, the healthcare team will begin service in their respective clinics/hospitals. Concurrently, the service/fellowship teams will begin service in the areas they are assigned. As a rule, all medical and spiritual services are carried out in conjunction with local providers/servants from the host country.
For the majority of trips, we complete the mission within the week of service on Friday or Saturday. For some missions, there may be an excursion trip for leisure for 1 to 2 days after the service is completed. This is optional and members of the mission can choose to return to their countries upon completion of the service week and not participate in this leisure activity. If you are interested in planning an excursion after your mission, we can provide you with information on how to do so as well.
Do I need any specific vaccinations to join a mission trip?
We encourage all trip members to refer to the CDC for specifics on required and recommended vaccines based on destination. We also ask you to make sure that you are up to date on all routine vaccines before your trip.
Are there any passport requirements to apply for a mission trip?
We do require that your passport has an expiration date of no less than 6 months from the time of the trip in order to be approved to join. If you are in the process of renewing your passport at the time of application, our system will allow you to select renewal as an option, but we will need complete and updated passport information before proceeding to review your application.
What medications/supplies are needed to support medical mission trips?
For the majority of our trips, our missions pharmacy team collaborates with several organizations that are able to donate medications/supplies to our missions or offer them for purchase at a discounted rate. This process does take a few months to coordinate ahead of a mission, and we ask for the support of all trip members in submitting requested documents in a timely manner so that the pharmacy team is able to submit applications ahead of each organization’s deadline.
Once approved and medication/supply orders are placed, our team coordinates shipping to select members and we ask you to be willing, at times, to meet others within a reasonable distance to split up shipments. Each trip member is generally expected to carry ~45lbs of medications/supplies with them to the mission destination and are always provided with invoices as well as certificates of charity, where applicable. Invoices and certificates are also provided to the mission host in advance for customs approval.
In addition to medications that are coordinated by the missions pharmacy team, each healthcare professional is encouraged to gather and bring supplies specific to their specialty.
Are there any safety concerns for any of the mission trips?
The CMANA Missions Committee places high emphasis on safety of the mission teams when selecting the site of the trip. As a rule, we are always accompanied by a local healthcare provider and the local servants who are more accustomed to the country and its safety concerns. In general, all the countries we serve in are relatively safe; however, common sense safety rules always prevail.
Is there training available through CMANA to prepare for mission trips?
The Missions Team is working on setting up a training course/guide for all missionaries as well as specific training for returning missionaries interested in leading a trip. The purpose of the training would be to introduce you to the spiritual component of mission service in accordance with the beliefs of the Coptic Orthodox Church, provide a cultural orientation crucial in approaching medical and HealthED missions, as well as to guide you in standard health practices and challenges in each of our mission countries/communities.
Please check back with us soon on more information … God willing we plan to pilot our training course/guide in 2027!
Following Your Return
Am I able to receive tax credit for expenses incurred for the mission trip?
The Missions Team is working on setting up a training course/guide for all missionaries as well as specific training for returning missionaries interested in leading a trip. The purpose of the training would be to introduce you to the spiritual component of mission service in accordance with the beliefs of the Coptic Orthodox Church, provide a cultural orientation crucial in approaching medical and HealthED missions, as well as to guide you in standard health practices and challenges in each of our mission countries/communities.
Please check back with us soon on more information … God willing we plan to pilot our training course/guide in 2027!
Additional Ways to Get Involved
If I can't join any mission trips this year, is there anything else I can do to get involved?
We are actively seeking volunteers to serve as part of the Missions Team! If you, or anyone you know, is interested in serving on CMANA’s growing missions team, we are seeking coordinators for logistics support, communication specialists for member engagement and marketing, photographers/videographers, and pharmacy team members to support the procurement of medications and supplies for each of our missions. These volunteer positions are open to students and professionals of all backgrounds. Please reach out to missions@cmanamerica.org for more information or check out our Volunteer Opportunities for more details.