Other Sites in Madagascar

Reunion Island

Seychelles

Campaign Site Information

Madagascar

Church

Other Sites in Madagascar

Reunion Island

Seychelles

Safety and Security:  I have checked with the U S State Department to see if they raise any caution in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States and none has been issued. I will continue to monitor this and place any warnings here.

1) Crusade dates: The crusades will begin on Friday evening,_____ and conclude on Saturday night, _____ That means there are 16 evening meetings plus three more on Sabbath mornings, making a total of 19. The last Sabbath may be "non-standard" if a mass-baptism is planned.

2) Travel dates:  I've tentatively blocked off Tuesday and Wednesday, _____ as the dates to travel to the transition city in Europe and continuing the flight to Antananarivo, where the group arrive no later than Wednesday evening, _____.  Those who are traveling from Europe should plan to leave on _____.  The crusade concludes on Saturday night, _____ and homeward flights can begin on Sunday, the _____. 

3) Orientation: We will spend Wednesday, ______, in general crusade orientation with the union leadership.

Hotels: We have begun to receive information about the hotels that will be used in each site in the Indian Ocean Union.  To view that which has been posted as of this date please click on the word "Hotels" at the beginning of this section.  The remainder will be posted as soon as it has been received.

Sermon Titles, Order, Decision Cards, Appeal Songs: Click on this heading for sermon information used in advertising.

Insurance: Insurance coverage is being requested from General Conference Risk Management Service for all those participating in this evangelistic campaign whose names, age, address (postal and e-mail) and phone numbers appear on this list.  Coverage will begin on the day of departure and last for 21 days or until arriving in the United States, whichever comes first.

French Decision Cards: Local campaign leaders should download the Decision Cards by clicking on the highlighted title of this section (they are in Adobe Acrobat format), and print them out in sufficient quantity for distribution to every individual attending the meetings.  Guest Evangelists may want to print them out for the purpose of familiarization.  The wording of the cards matches the appeals in the sermon notes.

Translation: The Union leaders are arranging for each speaker to be translated from English into Malagasy (or French). The projected sermon graphics will be in the French language.

Telephone: Instructions for making phone calls to the US may be found on the website.

Electricity: The country uses 220 volt electricity. The laptop computers and video projectors are designed to operate on multiple voltages.  I believe the electrical outlets are the European style, two-round-prongs, but this will be confirmed.

Health:

Water:  It is important for every guest to assume that tap water is not potable.  However, bottled drinking water is available.  Guests may want to purchase a hand-held water-purification system at your local camping store to use to purify the tap water.

Medication: Gastro-intestinal disorder (Montezuma's revenge) is the traveler's scourge when visiting a part of the world in which you must consume anything that is unfamiliar to your digestive track!  Problems are inevitable, even to the most cautious. So the word is, be careful, listen to your body, and then respond quickly.  I'm no doctor and will not give you medical advice, but I will tell you what I do (and these steps have worked during some of the most "trying" situations).

(1) I am careful what I eat (especially leafy vegetables) and drink, but I don't worry about it.  (2) I listen to my body.  If know from experience it is easier to stop the problem before it becomes serious than waiting to address it after it's too late.  Meanwhile, I'm miserable and my work can be undermined.  So, as soon as I realize trouble is "on the way" I will take one or more of the following medications: a) Imodium (treats the symptoms, but provides welcome relief), and/or b) one of two antibiotics prescribed by my physician:  Either Cipro (one 250 mg. pill in the morning and the other in the evening), or Avelox (one 400 mg pill per day).  Either of these has an immediate and positive effect on me and helps eliminate the problem before it become serious.  If I didn't "catch it" in time, then I may take Imodium to provide short-term relief, as well as take the antibiotics.  Obviously, you must consult your physician before you leave on your trip and secure such medication as he/she recommends, since you are unlikely to find the same medication sold under the same name in another country.

Malarial prophylactics: Malaria is endemic to much of the African Continent.  I do urge you consult your physician and/or your area public-health department about taking medication to help prevent this disease.  For many years Larium (or Lariam) was the medication recommended by the General Conference Health Department for their traveling staff. Recently a new mediation has been placed on the market which was recommended to me by County Health Department.  It is called "Malarone."  Since I'm away from home I don't have the documents with me to confirm the spelling but I will correct this paragraph when I get home.  However, this should be sufficient for your to mention to your physician or health department and to get their recommendation.  What is important is that you take the medication prior to, during, and upon your return home, in harmony with the recommended dosage pattern.  While you're in country be sure you go out you spray yourself with mosquito repellant.

Inoculations: While I do not believe the government of Madagascar requires any particular vaccinations (If that isn't the case, I will report it here), on general principles I  recommend that travelers secure some of the readily-available vaccinations such as: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Meningitis, and Tetanus.

Hyperlink: It is very important that guest evangelists read very carefully the section on "personal health" found on the "General Information" page.  Be sure to go to the organization linked here (www.tripprep.com) and read the information on that page regarding inoculations and prophylactic medication for Malaria.

Meals: The Union will arrange for meals to be provided to the entire team, probably at the hotel. The cost information will be posted here when available.

Airline tickets: Each participant is free to secure his/her own tickets wherever he/she pleases.  I do encourage each one to secure a competitive bid from Mrs. Julia Reid, at Mission Travel.  She has long experience with the General Conference with international travel arrangements and access to discounted tickets through contractual relationships with the airlines.  Her phone number is 240-568-6300.  Her fax number is 301-725-6492.  You can also reach her by e-mail at:  MissionTvl AT Juno.Com

Travel Documents: Each guest evangelist MUST have a valid passport prior to leaving the US.  Visa applications will need to be secured as follows, described below by country in the Indian-Ocean Union. The completed applications, passport, photographs, fees, and any other information required, should be sent to Ms. Diana Jo Beeler at the General Conference of S.D.A. (12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904).  The fee stipulated below is the amount required by the embassy/consulate in addition to $15, which is the General Conference's fee to file your application, go back later and pick up your passport and visa, and send it all back to you.  Please make out your check to: "General Conferencne of S.D.A." If you have any questions in this regard, feel free to call Mrs. Beeler at (301) 680-6258.  You may also fax her at: (301) 680-6197.  To download a visa application click on the name of the country below and follow the instructions on the screen.  Complete the application and send it to Ms. Beeler with the other information listed below:  Many countries require travelers to present a vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever.

Madagascar: Two completed applications, four photographs, your passport, and $33.45.  (Send $39.01 if you need a multiple entry visa if, for example, you're planning to leave the country during or after the crusade for sight-seeing purposes and then return to Antananarivo to leave for home).  The traveler must have a vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever and airline tickets for the continuation of one's trip.

Reunion Island: No visa is required for U S Citizens, only a valid American passport.

Mauritius: No visa is required for U S Citizens, only a valid American passport. The traveler must have a vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever and airline tickets for the continuation of one's trip.

Seychelles: No visa is required for U S Citizens, only a valid American passport. The traveler must have a vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever and airline tickets for the continuation of one's trip.

Immigration: When you arrive in Madagascar you will go through both immigration and customs. Be sure to tell immigration that you will be in the country until a date of your choosing beyond September 15 you will be authorized to stay in the country until that date. It's better to give yourself a few extra days to cover any eventuality. Though it is standard operating procedure BE SURE your  passport is stamped with the date of entry when going through immigration. Immigration authorities will be looking for that stamp when exiting the country and not having it is likely to cause may create unnecessary and frustrating delays, questionings, etc.

Customs: Please note, it will be FAR better if your laptop and video projector arrives in something looking like a suitcase or a briefcase and NOT in a box.  If a customs inspector happens to review your bags it could be that you will be delayed and they could ask you to pay duty, a situation that is less likely to develop if you've packed the equipment as I mentioned. The Carolina Conference graphics equipment does come in a heavy duty case designed to be carried on or checked.

If a customs inspector should happen to open your bags and find the equipment explain that you've been invited to present some lectures and you need this equipment for that purpose.  If their concern continues it is because they are afraid you will sell the equipment to someone in the country and leave it without someone paying duty.  In that situation invite them to note in your passport that you are bringing the equipment in the country so, on your way out, you can show it to Customs so they will see that the equipment is indeed leaving the country. 

In the worst case, you may need to leave it with Customs and then we'll have to ask church leadership to go through the formalities to retrieve it--hopefully in time for the opening meeting.  As you can see, all these problems are likely to be avoided if you pack this equipment in something that doesn't attract the attention of the inspectors. 

"Jesus" Videos: I will send each guest evangelist a videotape on the Life of Christ in Malagasy that will be compatible with the local format.  We will request the union to arrange for a video tape player to be loaned to each campaign and the video can be projected on the projector each evangelist will bring.  However, don't forget to bring that tape with you since we will not have any extras.

Local Transportation: The Union will be responsible, at their expense, to assign someone to transport each evangelist from the hotel to the meeting site and return him/her to the hotel each night..