Frequently Asked Questions
All of our mission trips are organized by the CMANA Missions Committee, which is comprised of members from across the country and includes physicians, pharmacists, and dentists. After the committee agrees on the mission schedule every year, the respective mission sites are contacted for approval. All missions are organized and conducted in accordance with the rules and spirit of the Coptic Orthodox Church and under the guidance of the local bishops and clergy supervising the mission sites
Individual members of each mission team are responsible for their own expenses. This includes the cost of international travel, local accommodation, and local travel. Members who are joining the trips are encouraged to raise money within their local community for these trips; however, CMANA is not directly involved in any fundraising activity.
A $100 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your spot once your application is accepted.
The cost of each trip is determined by the CMANA Missions Committee after taking into account local accommodations, transportation costs in the country, cost of meals and any additional costs throughout the trip.
Airfare is not included in the registration fee. For most trips, the cost of international travel ranges from $1000 to $2000. Keep in mind that the cost of travel varies from country to country and by season. There may be other costs as well, including vaccinations and visa requirements that are country-specific.
In total, the entire cost of a CMANA mission trip may range from $2000-$3000.
We welcome all healthcare professionals including physicians, dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and paramedics. Each individual trip is in need of different specialties, and specific needs are listed when the registration email is sent. We do our best to match up providers with specific needs in the countries we serve.
However, as with all missions, a great deal of flexibility and a spirit of service are needed to accommodate the unforeseen circumstances that do come up during any mission trip. We also encourage all healthcare professionals to participate in the spiritual and fellowship services that are offered during the mission trip, especially if they are not having a busy day at the medical service site.
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Registration for any mission trip is sent by email through the CMANA email database approximately 4 months prior to the mission date. The deadline for registration for most mission trips is usually 2 months prior to the mission date. Trip members are chosen based on the country needs and number of available spots. Registrants will be contacted if they are accepted for the mission.
Once accepted to the mission, members of the trip are encouraged at that time to make their travel reservations. The trip leader will start connecting the mission health care provider with the corresponding local health providers in the mission country to start communicating on kind of patients to be seen, supplies needed and procedures to be expected. The mission trip leader will also ensure that the members receive information regarding all required preparation for the trip including, but not limited to, visa applications (if needed in advance), licensing requirements as well as vaccinations.
At the onset of the trip, most members travel from their home country/state to meet in the capital of the country we are serving on the defined start date of the trip. We do not encourage late arrivals, however we can accommodate if needs arise. After arrival and settling in, a briefing session is usually conducted with all members of the team.
In general, the healthcare providers will start the service in their respective hospitals/clinics. Concurrently, the service/evangelism/fellowship teams start their service in the areas they are assigned. As a rule, all medical and spiritual services are done in conjunction with local providers/servants from the local country.
For most trips we finish the services within the week of service on Friday or Saturday. For some trips there is an excursion trip for relaxation and leisure for 1 to 2 days after the service is performed. This is optional and members of the mission can choose to return back 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 plan this as well.
Absolutely! Healthcare professional students as well as college students who are interested in healthcare professions are encouraged to join CMANA mission trips. We try to match the number of students with the number of healthcare professionals on the trip. In general, students will be part of the medical/surgical/dentist/pharmacist team, examine patients in clinics under supervision and scrub in on cases with the CMANA physicians, within the limits of the practice where we are serving and within the confines of the training level they are at in school. We encourage all healthcare students to register with the CMANA student chapter to be well informed of other activities organized by the chapter.
Click here to go to learn more about CMANA’s Student Chapter.
Absolutely! Since all the mission trips conducted by CMANA have a component of spiritual/fellowship/evangelism service to orphanages, homeless shelters and hospitals we encourage all interested servants to join our trips to be part of the service. We request that they take Evangelism course in preparation for this service. As a rule all services are done under the supervision of the Coptic Orthodox Church clergy and service leaders in the respective countries we serve.
Any individual who is willing to serve in the healthcare mission trip or the service component is welcome to join as long as they acknowledge and understand that this is a Christ-centered trip done in accordance to the beliefs and traditions of the Coptic Orthodox church and the Biblical principles.
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If you have a special interest in a specific trip please contacts contact us directly at missions@cmanamerica.org
Absolutely! We definitely need help throughout the year and in between these trips. As an example, before any trip we need a considerable amount of help in gathering medical supplies and medications. Also, CMANA is in need of help in administrative, logistic, and marketing areas to increase its outreach to interested parties in North America and worldwide. If you are interested please email us at missions@cmanamerica.org
If you have an interest to serve in the mission field and do not mind going by yourself, inform us of your desired timeline and which country would you like to serve in. CMANA may be able to help arrange your trip and connect you with the local health care providers in the mission field to accommodate you. Usually these individual trips work best if planned quite far in advance and when targeted to mission areas with ongoing medical services (primarily Egypt, Kenya and potentially Bolivia depending on specialty). If you are interested in arranging such a trip, please email us at missions@cmanamerica.org
Each professional usually gathers and brings the supplies that would be most helpful to their work. As a rule, CMANA does not take any expired medications. CMANA will assist in organizing the logistics of obtaining and transporting these supplies to the mission country. CMANA does require a detailed list of these necessary supplies at least one month in advance of the trip. Each missionary will be asked to help transport some of the medications and supplies with them in their luggage.
Most of the trips require Hepatitis A, Tetanus booster, typhoid. Majority of the countries require Yellow fever. Some require Malaria prophylaxis. We encourage all members to refer to the CDC website for specifics of vaccination http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list
The CMANA Missions Committee puts high emphasis on safety of the mission teams when selecting the sites of the mission. As a rule, we are always accompanied by the local health 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.
While on the trips, CMANA leadership usually secures telephone communication methods for its members. Also, most locations have some access to internet. Specifics will be provided by the trip leader.
CMANA does give a tax credit letter for the following expenses: international and local travel that is documented by a receipt, accommodation expenses, and any supplies that are purchased with a documented receipt. We are unable to give tax credit for supplies that are not accompanied by a receipt.
It depends on the country. Some offer Visas upon arrivals, others offer e-visas that can be obtained online, and others have to be obtained by either visiting the embassy directly or by mailing your passport along with all the necessary documents to the embassy. Under the medical missions tab, you will find more information on each country and their visa requirements. Please check the Visa section under each country page for more specific information. Your trip leader will also email you information regarding visa requirements once accepted to the trip.
As long as you submit your itinerary information in due time we will arrange your transportation. The only exception is our Egypt trip, you will receive more information once you sign up for the trip.
This can be arranged with your trip leader. It is usually best to arrange travel times to arrive and leave with the group, in order minimize any travel complications. If others will be leaving from the same city as you, information will be provided to help better coordinate travel.
The training course provides a platform that introduces missionaries to the spirituality of mission, provide information regarding all travel logistics, orient missionaries to the technical challenges of medical mission, as well as provides a cultural orientation. The training course also provides detailed information on your role as a missionary and CMANA’s role in facilitating these trips.
– Health Education trips (HealthED) are primarily focused on health awareness, disease prevention and education services. These trips are geared towards graduate and college students who wish to take part in an educational opportunity to share with our host communities on numerous health concerns that are particular to that region. Through the use of art, lecture material, props and educational tools, trip participants are able to provide a cohesive curriculum, especially for young kids. Trips are usually 3 weeks long, and they do not involve providing direct medical care.
Limbe, Haiti
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Windhoek, Namibia
Lusaka, Zambia
Upper Egypt, Egypt (Exact location varies)
That varies based on location and time. Each trip is assessed differently while taking into consideration our host’s recommendation, time allowance, safety, and weather, among other factors. We encourage you to check with your trip leader for more information. If you wish to arrive early or remain longer, you will have to arrange that on your own and at your own risk. You would have to tell us by filling out a form when you have been accepted to the trip. The organization does not take responsibility for personal trips before and after the mission.