Come with BE A HERO to the slums of Uberlandia and Sao Paulo, Brazil!Training sessions led by Stacey Campbell, Heidi Baker and others will equip you to extend love to street children, prisoners and the poor. Join with about 1000 believers at “The Worshipping Bride” conference. Enjoy Brazil’s fabulous shopping and spectacular sights

Experience God in a whole new way This will be a life-changing experience! Space is very limited – apply early.  Application deadline is March 8, 2011

View a video of a previous Hero Holiday to Brazil here

Details – Hero Holiday to Brazil April 25 to May 3, 2011

OVERVIEW OF ITINERARY

Everyone will arrive in Uberlandia on Monday, April 25th.  Team meeting and orientation will take place in the evening.  Classes in mercy and social justice, prayer, healing, prophetic, evangelism and how to minister on the streets will be taught by Stacey Campbell, Heidi Baker and others. They will lead teams into the slums. The group will attend a conference on the weekend “The Worshipping Bride”, with Stacey, Heidi, Kelry Green and Judson Oliveira. We will have two days in Sao Paulo for shopping and sightseeing before returning home the evening of May 3. Accommodations will be provided in local 3 or 4-star hotels.

Requirements for Applicants

All applicants must be in good health as the pace will be brisk, we may be eating unfamiliar foods, we will have some late nights, and we will be doing a fair amount of walking.  A positive attitude and a willingness to be very flexible are essential. Children under 18 years of age MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

FEES

The full fee for the trip is $950.00 USD.  Cheques should be made payable to BE A HERO.

A non-refundable deposit of $100 USD must be included with your application, and reserves your place on the trip, pending approval of your application.  Applications received without a deposit will not be processed. Refunds will be issued for denied applications.

Full payment of the balance and all requested information must be received in our office by April 4, 2011.  Late payments will be subject to a penalty of $100 USD.
 
What Is Covered: 3 or 4-star hotel accommodation including breakfasts, all ground transportation including to and from the Brazil airports, registration for the conference, tuition for the classes, leaders for the street and children’s ministry, guided shopping and sightseeing and a BE A HERO t-shirt.
 
What Is Not Covered: Flights to Sao Paulo and Uberlandia, personal spending money, lunches, dinners and snacks (about $20 - $25/day for meals), optional conference offerings, and gratuities where appropriate (waiters, bus drivers, housekeeping, etc.), passport and visa fees, country exit tax, and immunizations where required.

Depending on your departure point and date of booking, flights to Sao Paulo range from $900 to $1600 USD, and the flight to Uberlandia is $110 to $300 USD. 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Your acceptance email will include further details regarding how to book your flights.

Once your application has been accepted:

FLIGHTS

Once your application has been approved, you will be sent details regarding which flights to book. Our travel agent will be happy to assist you in obtaining the best rates at your time of booking (she can get you a missionary rate).  PLEASE DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHT UNTIL WE HAVE APPROVED YOUR APPLICATION. Also, be sure to obtain flight cancellation insurance in the event your visa application is denied or you are unable to travel. You will have to provide proof of paid airline tickets in your visa application.

VISA

You will need to obtain a tourist visa.  Full details of how to go about this can be found at www.visaconnection.com and other similar sites. A visa costs $220.00 for Canadians, and $270.00 for Americans.

First arrival in Brazil must be within 90 days of the date the visa was issued. The Brazilian Embassy is warning that visa applications are now taking 30 business days (this is 6 weeks) so please apply for your visa asap.

Citizens of Canada and America require visas, but citizens of some other countries (including United Kingdom) do not.  Please check the web site to confirm whether you must arrange a visa.  If you are returning to a country other than that of your own citizenship you will need a copy of your Permanent Residence Card or that countries visa.

Download the visa application from the web site – one form per application.  You must get it signed and send in documentation.  Ensure you have all the relevant paperwork, photographs etc before you send in your visa application to avoid delay.

If you are under 18 there are additional requirements for travel – full details can be found on the web.  In summary – your parents must both sign the application for visa, and also give specific permission to travel, either in the presence of the Consular Officer, or it must be notarized. You will need to complete the form of authorization for minors to travel (even if your parents are accompanying you on the trip).

PAYMENT OF REMAINING FEES

Balance of fees to be submitted to BE A HERO no later than April 4, 2011.  Late payment could result in forfeiture of your space on the trip.

LIABILITY RELEASE FORM

Please print out and complete the Liability Release Form, then fax it to (250) 717-1003 or mail it to Box 25077 Mission Park, Kelowna, BC V1W 3Y7 by April 4, 2011.  Failure to submit the Liability Release Form could result in forfeiture of your space on the trip.

IMMUNIZATIONS

In Sao Paulo there are no problems with dengue fever or malaria but if you are fair skinned you should bring some mosquito repellent with you.  We also advise you to talk to your own doctor or local travel clinic about recommended vaccinations for Brazil.  Brazil does ask visitors from certain countries to provide proof of vaccination against Yellow Fever.  (See the Brazilian Consulate in your own country for information on this).

MEDICAL/TRAVEL INSURANCE

You must have medical/health insurance in place that will cover costs in case of illness or emergencies in Brazil. This must cover the cost of air transport home in case of an accident/emergency. You must be sure that all installments are fully paid during your time with us. Note to Canadians – your Medical Services Plan insurance is not adequate.  You require an additional policy available from any insurance office. We will require proof of your medical/ travel insurance by April 4, 2011. Failure to submit proof of your insurance could result in forfeiture of your space on the trip.

WHAT TO BRING

Any items that you bring are entirely at your own risk.

April is the start of autumn in Brazil, with temperatures ranging from 22C – 28C (72F – 82F). Unpredictable sudden rainstorms can hit any time of year.

Brazilians take great pride in cleanliness and in their appearance.  When you are ministering among the poor, we ask you to dress simply.  Please do not wear expensive jewellery or watches.  Brazilian Christians are sometimes offended by piercings (upper ear/eyebrows/nose, etc.), and shorts may not be acceptable at the church.  We ask you to be understanding in this area. 

The days should be pleasantly warm, but the nights cool off so you will want a sweater or light jacket and possibly an umbrella.  Bring comfortable covered shoes or runners for the visits to the slums as the streets will be uneven and dirty. Appropriate footwear will help avoid possible contamination and skin diseases.

Women
Pants, long shorts (knee length), skirts and dresses are all acceptable forms of dress for women.  Please do not bring cropped tops that expose your midriff.    Short skirts, shorts or dresses are also unacceptable, as are low-cut necklines.  Avoid tight fitting or revealing clothing of any kind.
Men
Men may wear jeans, pants, long Bermuda shorts, t-shirts, etc. 

Other essentials:

Bring your original documents, Passport/ID card with attached visa, with you. By law, everyone, even Brazilians, have to carry ID with them at all times. The law states that foreigners must carry their original passport with them at all times.

It is also a good idea to leave copies of your documents, travel/health insurance and plane tickets with family or friends in your own country in case of loss or theft in Brazil.  Also, bring a couple of photocopies of your passport in your suitcase – again, in case of loss of the original.

Important Note:  Please do not lose the Landing/Arrival Card that you will be given to fill in shortly before you exit the plane.  You are required to deposit this when leaving the country.

OTHER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.  Can I pay with a credit card?
A.  Yes.  We will impose a 4% fee for paying for paying with your credit card (whether by phone, mail or on-line)

Q. Can I join the team for just part of the trip?
A. No.  We ask for you to sign up for the whole trip.

Q: Can we sign up as a group for the trip?
A: YES. Be A Hero welcomes groups, whether they are organized by a church, some other ministry, or it is simply a group of friends. Give your group a name and put this group name on each application or correspondence you submit to our office. We ask that all payments to our office be done individually (please don’t try to collect money and write one check to us as this is very confusing for our record keeping). If the church or ministry is making a payment toward one or more individuals, be sure that it is clear exactly how much each person’s account should be credited.

On the trip, we form “teams” with team leaders. Teams are formed randomly to encourage interaction between those who do not yet know each other.
 
Q: What will be expected of me?
A: Flexibility! There are several aspects to our trip, each of which will be different and require different skills from you.  We ask that you be flexible and adaptable as arrangements may change during the trip.  You will come across people from all walks of life, and we expect that you would treat each one with courtesy and love them in a way that Jesus would love them. We anticipate that you will respect the culture that you are visiting.

Q: What are the conditions like?
A: The accommodations will be comparable to North American good quality hotels. You will see some very poor areas and disadvantaged people. We will do a fair bit of walking, and of course you will have to cope with jet lag and unfamiliar (but tasty) food.

Q: What type of people will I meet?
A: Brazilians are typically friendly people, who use a lot of hand gestures and physical contact to express themselves.  You will meet a diverse range of individuals, from those in the malls, to those in the slums.  Each person is different, and should be treated as an individual.  We would suggest that you don’t base assumptions of Brazilians on any individual you meet.

MORE QUESTIONS?    Email Dawn at admin@beahero.org or call (250) 717-1003

Address for submission of application and other requested documents:

BE A HERO Head Office
Box 25077 Mission Park
Kelowna, BC V1X 3W5
admin@beahero.org
www.beahero.org