Mission Guidelines  (Pacto Penuel)

At Camp Penuel Costa Rica, we are extremely excited that you are considering a missions trip to serve the Lord through this ministry. To keep that enthusiasm running high and allow you to experience the maximum potential for your life, it is important that each member is aware of and agrees to the information found in Pacto Penuel, which literally means a pact or covenant between us and you. I would suggest that this information be read aloud at one of your preparatory meetings for the trip.

A. Organization Structure

Camp Penuel Costa Rica is directly affiliated with Camp Penuel, USA that has its headquarters and main campus near Ironton, Missouri. In Costa Rica we operate under the following rules:

1. We are under the direct authority of the camp’s founder and president, Rev. Harry H. Douma and the camp’s Board of Directors.
2. The USA Board of Directors established Camp Penuel Costa Rica as a mission and appointed Paul Bernhagen as Director of this mission.
3. The Director in Costa Rica submits himself to a local volunteer steering committee, which in turn makes all decisions regarding the development of the camp.
4. Camp Penuel Costa Rica submits itself to all the laws of Costa Rica and follows very strict accounting principles for reporting its finances locally and also in the USA.

B. Preparing for a Mission Trip

Taking into consideration the following advise will help to prepare you intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually for a mission trip.

Packing list:

For work days –

1. 2 pairs of jeans or work pants
2. Comfortable T-shirts
3. Work boots or hiking boots

For going to church (dress comfortably) –

1. Men – long pants and short-sleeve buttoned or polo type shirt
2. Women – Skirt or pants with blouse or a dress

Touring time –

1. Casual clothes – shorts and t-shirts
2. Light jacket for the cloud forest
3. Swimming suit for the beach

Rainy season – (May, June, July, August, September, October, and November)

1. Rubber boots
2. Rain suit
3. Umbrella

If you come when the camp is in session, dress casually, like you would for a touring day in a moderate climate.

Additional items –

1. Sunblock
2. Insect repellant
3. Granola or high energy foods
4. Toiletries and medications

In addition, we may ask you to bring items that we need at the camp that are more costly than buying them in Costa Rica.  In some cases the items will have been purchased already.  If not, the group may choose to purchase the items and bring them along with them, but this is not obligatory.  We will notify the mission group two weeks prior to departure if this service is necessary.

C. Airport Travel Tips

1. Don't change dollars to colones (Costa Rican currency) in any airport.  Dollars are accepted in most tourist areas and you can exchange cash or traveler's checks at a local bank if necessary. Cash is better than traveler's checks in most cases.
2. A country exit fee needs to be paid at the airport upon leaving Costa Rica.  As of last update, this amount was $26/person and needs to be paid in cash or credit card.

D. What We Provide

1. Room and Board – We provide all mission groups with adequate, clean housing within walking distance of the camp. All food is provided with the following meal schedule:
   • Breakfast – Self-serve (Cereal, toast, coffee, juice)
   • Lunch – Self-serve (To be prepared by the group before you head to the work site) 
     - Note: when camp is in session, a hot lunch is provided at the camp.
   • Dinner – Prepared by our staff. (You’ll be very glad that you came.) 
     - Note: if any team members have special dietary needs, please indicate that in the PVAF (Penuel Volunteer Application Form).
2. Transportation – We can provide transportation to and from the airport, to the work site, if needed, and to the church. We can also provide transportation to all touring spots, but this cost is in addition to the $250 per person weekly amount.
3. Tours – we are more than happy to set up all aspects of your tours – tour guides, transportation, destinations, lodging, etc. Estimated cost - $125/week, including transportation.
4. Availability – The greatest experience on a mission trip is building our relationship with the Lord and with each other. We are available to you and will make a conscious effort to encourage worship and sharing time activities.
5. Costs – For a one week stay at the camp, we ask for a $250 donation. This is broken down as follows:
   • Room and Board - $100
   • Transportation to and from airport and to travel to worship experiences - $50
   • Donation - $100. This amount covers any additional expenses for materials that you need to do what is asked of you. Any amount that is left over from the total $250 expense is given as a donation to the camp.

E. What We Expect

We basically have two rules that we expect all participants to obey:

1. Accept the bible as the Word of God and the ultimate guide and norm for conduct.
2. Accept the authorities that will be placed over them in all activities. These activities can include construction projects, agricultural projects, sightseeing activities, worship activities, and the like.

Note: Individual conduct while visiting the camp is of utmost importance.  To help in this area, we suggest that youth groups have at least one adult who has previous experience raising children.  As we learn to place boundaries on our conduct, we are then ready to receive God's unlimited blessings!

F. What You Expect

A covenant is a two-way street. We want to know what you expect from us and from your mission experience. We would suggest that you have a group discussion about this and write a summary of it below:

If you are in agreement with the conditions stated above, please proceed to the Penuel Volunteer Application Form.

May the Lord greatly bless and prosper you as you follow his way!

Paul Bernhagen
Director
Camp Penuel Costa Rica

Last updated Nov 2009