When traveling on a mission trip with LEAP Global Missions, each team member is expected to be of high moral character and exemplify a positive, considerate, and professional demeanor to all individuals encountered. This can become more challenging during the course of the trip, particularly as our days usually require long work hours that can translate to increased stress and less sleep overall. Individual team members, our host country representatives, patients, hospital staff, and all others should always be treated with the greatest respect.

In each country that we serve, there are unique situations that can arise. Overall, consideration of each team member’s basic needs is very important. The following general guidelines apply when traveling with LEAP on a mission trip:

1. After 11:30 pm, each team member that has completed their day at the hospital is expected to turn out the lights and provide a quiet environment that allows for team members to sleep, particularly when living and sleeping in close quarters.

2. Staying up until the early morning hours is strongly discouraged because sleep is vital to the success and overall health of the team.

3. All team members agree to read, become familiar with and follow the policy  for possible exposure to blood borne pathogens.

4. Please help ensure that all team members have eaten their meals. In some instances, food is served, and other team members may not be able to eat at the same time. It is important that food be saved for team members who need to eat at a later time. While LEAP staff will make every effort to help ensure that food is saved, all team members should be aware and help their teammates receive meals.

5. Drinking on mission trips should be done on a very limited basis. Having a glass of wine or a beer is permissible at the end of the day; however, it should be limited to only one or two drinks. This is important to reflect a positive role model to others, but it is also absolutely necessary in case there is a patient emergency at the hospital. In the latter case, if a team member plans to drink any alcohol, then another team member of the same or similar skill level should be made aware they are “on-call” in case of a patient emergency.

6. No team member is allowed to drink any liquor on the trip. This does not reflect well on the team member nor is it representative of the type of behavior we want our host country or other team members, particularly our impressionable youth, to associate with a LEAP volunteer.

7. If alcohol is desired, then it is up to team members to donate their personal monies. One designated volunteer should coordinate this with team members, but this must be communicated and coordinated further with a LEAP staff member to avoid unnecessary issues that can arise.

8. Please avoid asking our host country coordinator for special requests. If you need or want something, then please speak with a LEAP staff member.

9. If you have any concerns or see anything that needs to be addressed during a mission trip, please inform a LEAP staff member as soon as possible. This is particularly important if you have any safety concerns.

10. Be very careful about giving your personal information to anyone. If anyone outside the team asks for money or any of your personal contact information, please let the LEAP staff know.

11. Make every effort for our team to have a positive experience. The work we do is so important and the memories we share together can be life changing, particularly for youth and new team members. Help everyone to have a great experience.

12. Each team member will be provided a Mission Participant Code of Conduct. Please review this document prior to your mission trip.