MMT hosts a large number of visitors and interns each year. We welcome family, supporters, and others with gifts to contribute to the mission effort here.
Here are some tips to help you as you prepare for your visit.
Finances
We recommend that you bring cash or personal checks. Traveler’s checks, ATM cards, and credit cards can be used in some places but not everywhere. So, while you might bring a credit card in case of an emergency, it is better not to count on being able to use it to withdraw cash.
Some people assume that since they are coming to a third world country, everything will be inexpensive. In some cases, this is true. You can buy delicious bananas and pineapple for a fraction of the cost in the US. And many craft items are inexpensive. However, imported items that you might need (such as sunscreen and batteries) will be double or triple the US price. So, be prepared.
Important!!! – When you bring American cash, be sure to not bring any bills older than 2003 with you. The foreign exchange bureaus do not like older American currency and will not accept them. When you get your cash, ask the bank for 2003 or newer bills. In addition, bills smaller than $50 will bring a lower rate. Most ForEx bureaus will not accept anything smaller than a $20.
Immigration and Visas
While it is possible for you to send your passport to the Ugandan Embassy (in America) and receive a tourist visa, it may actually be easier for you to wait until you arrive in Entebbe and purchase one at the airport. Currently it costs $50 to purchase a tourist visa, and you can get it within a few minutes. You do not need extra passport-size photos for the visa (though it is wise to bring three or four extras with you), but you will need to fill out a short form.
Medical
Vaccinations
We follow the guidelines of the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) for all short-term workers who join us in Uganda. We recognize that it can be very expensive, not to mention painful, to get the number of vaccines necessary to insure safety. But we feel strongly that this is an important part of trip preparation, and any exceptions must be cleared through the team. For the latest updates, check the CDC website at www.cdc.gov. We have found that local health departments are usually cheaper than travel clinics or doctors’ offices for vaccinations.
Yellow fever is the only vaccine required by the government of Uganda. That is because there is currently no yellow fever at all in Uganda, and the government is trying to prevent the entry of any. So you will have to get this vaccine, not because you personally need it, but because the government of Uganda has adopted this policy to prevent the possibility of a yellow fever outbreak, which would propagate as an epidemic, and doubtless cause many deaths.
Malaria Prophylaxsis
Malaria is very common nationwide and very common in the villages and other places we may be traveling. Bring insect repellent.
If you have good insurance with a co-pay, we would recommend Malarone, the newest preventive medicine for malaria. It doesn’t seem to have many side-effects, and is considered highly effective. It needs to be taken daily, starting a week before you come to Uganda and continuing for four weeks after you get back to the U. S. It is not currently available in Uganda.
If you are cash-poor, Doxycycline is a good alternative. It is readily available in Uganda and may cost just a few dollars for a two-month supply. It may make oral contraceptives less effective, and is not for children under age eight years or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Some people sunburn more easily while on it, so bring sunscreen AND insect repellent. The dose is 100 mg (one pill) daily, starting a week before you leave the U. S. and continuing for four weeks after getting back.
Some people like to use a combination of drugs, such and Chloroquine and Proguanil (Paludrine) as malaria prophylaxis. Chloroquine alone has a 40% resistance rate here, and is not appropriate for single drug therapy, but its effectiveness is increased by adding proguanil to the regimen. It is probably not quite as good as doxycycline or malarone, but is a reasonable alternative. The Chloroquine is taken weekly, 300 mg base (usually two tablets, depending on strength of base), and proguanil is taken 200 mg once daily (usually two tablets). Both are started one week before departing, and continued four weeks after returning to the U. S. Proguanil may be difficult or impossible to obtain in the U. S.
Mefloquine (Lariam) has been widely used, but is falling out of favor for malaria prophylaxis, and is completely out of favor with the Mbale missionaries. It is expensive, considerably more than doxycycline or chloroquine/proguanil, and has resistance rates variably recorded, but up to 15% in Uganda. Its side effects were originally thought to be uncommon, but are now considered more common than previously recorded. Most side effects are neurological in nature, and include tremors, paranoia, irrational behavior, depression or emotional instability, and occasionally psychotic behavior. Insomnia is very common, as is the feeling of being on an “emotional roller coaster”. Trust us, culture shock will be difficult enough without drug effects to make it worse.
Emergency Care
In Mbale, we have a very good hospital called Cure Hospital. It is staffed with Western and Ugandan doctors and nurses. Although their primary work is pediatric neurosurgery, they are very willing to help missionaries and visitors with medical emergencies (and have done so a number of times in the past). We have good laboratories and are able to help you with just about any kind of sickness that you might encounter while here.
What to Bring
Clothing
Days in Uganda are fairly warm, with the possibility of cool mornings and evenings. Cotton clothing is recommended for breathability.
Ladies, in order to be culturally appropriate, plan to wear dresses or skirts. The exception to this is in the homes of the missionaries, or when dining out. So bring a couple pairs of pants or capris as well. Sleeveless shirts are acceptable, but no spaghetti straps, please.
For men, when going out to the village and in town, pants or jeans are recommended, along with a polo or button up shirt. Do consider that jeans may be hotter than khakis. T-shirts and shorts are OK around the house.
Toiletries
If you are coming for an extended visit, you may not need to bring all of your toiletries with you. Most things are available here. However, bear in mind that most toiletries cost double here what they would in the States, and your favorite brand may not be available. One notable exception is contact supplies. If you wear contacts, please be sure to bring all the carrying cases and solutions that you will need for your entire time here.
Medicines
Most over-the-counter medications are easily available in Mbale. We can also get a wide range of prescription drugs as well. However, if you regularly take a prescription medication, we recommend that you bring a full supply with you. If you will be here for an extended time, please check with us if you would like to know what is available here.
Internships
Students with a serious interest in missions may inquire about our internship program. We host interns for intervals of 2 months to one year. Our interns experience a cultural orientation, mission-work orientation, language studies, projects and other activities that expose them to various aspects of mission work. Interns usually participate in business meetings, team devotionals, prayer breakfasts, village visits, women’s Bible studies and discipleship programs.
In 20 years of internships, we have hosted 87 interns from more than a dozen different colleges and universities. Many of these interns currently serve and or have served in countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe.