Children’s HopeChest Visit Policies

Our Vision Statement: To see hope restored to those who need it most.

Our Mission Statement: Children’s HopeChest exists to glorify God by releasing the potential of orphaned and vulnerable children and their communities through partnerships that cultivate holistic transformation and sustainability.

The policies of Children’s HopeChest have been very carefully critiqued to ensure the safety of the participants and the integrity of our ministry. The policies are to protect the vested interest of the ministry audience within respective countries, and our national staff. We expect that all participants, including leaders, fully respect and submit to the designated authority of Children’s HopeChest leadership and staff, including the times, before, during and after your visit. We require that you adhere to the authority of Children’s HopeChest without exception due to the potential liability that Children’s HopeChest incurs within respective countries. While it is our desire that each group has a positive experience, the breadth and scope of the ministry is such that each decision impacts many other aspects of the ministry. Some of the requirements are predetermined by governmental structures, laws and policies

Personal Covenant

Understanding that service is a way of demonstrating my faith, I promise to abide by this covenant.

• I agree to share my faith in a respectful, Christian manner.
• I agree to cooperate at all times with the leader and others in the group concerning all activities including: daily work, food, lodging, transportation. I agree to stay with the group when expected to do so.
• I agree to abstain from habits that may offend others and to be aware that my behavior represents my Christian faith.
• I understand that group cooperation is essential to the success of the mission and I take full responsibility for being a part of team activities.
• I agree that I am under the authority of the team leader and the HopeChest staff for my own protection and that of the team.
•  I will work as a member of the team, having a flexible attitude, setting aside my own personal agenda for the better of the team.
•  I will submit to the authority of the team leader and I will follow instructions.
• I will do my best to submerge myself in the local culture as much as possible and will refrain from expressing (whether by work, implication or action) criticism of the local way of doing things.
• I will do my best to willingly adapt to different/difficult living conditions.

I certify that the above information is without exception true and correct and that I have not omitted anything which would be important to the consideration of my application by Children’s HopeChest.

Your Team’s Role

Please remember that you are on a Partner Visit/ Vision Trip. Your role is to represent Christ, your church/business and Children’s HopeChest while serving alongside the orphans, vulnerable children, orphanage/CarePoint directors, teachers and staff. In order to protect staff, volunteers, and children, participants should avoid being alone with a single child where they cannot be observed by others. Please educate your team on personal conduct with the children we work with and ensure each traveler understands the Child Protection Policy.

Keep in mind the most well-planned itinerary will change on occasion. Remember, “flexibility is your friend; expectation is your enemy.”

Kidnapping and Hostage Taking of Children’s HopeChest Employees and Volunteers

International acts of terrorism, violence and kidnapping are a tragic part of current reality. As Children’s HopeChest grows and touches the lives of more people in a variety of countries, it is always possible that Children’s HopeChest employees or volunteers may be affected.

Children’s HopeChest recognizes the difficult decisions involved when hostages are taken; however, we believe that governments, organizations, and individuals have a common interest in not giving in to terrorist demands. Children’s HopeChest strongly believes that concessions, whenever they are made, only encourage further attacks and put additional people at risk. Children’s HopeChest is prepared to use every legitimate means to secure the release of any of our employees or volunteers being held hostage.

We at Children’s HopeChest acknowledge that this form is intimidating. However, all organizations in our field to our knowledge require similar forms and we have signed it ourselves. In our history, we have not encountered the threat of or an actual abduction; nor have we had any group, individuals or employees directly impacted in an actual terrorist attack. However, such events, especially abductions for ransom, are becoming more commonplace and are occurring in unexpected parts of the world. When traveling internationally, everyone needs to acknowledge that anything is possible, however unlikely. The purpose of the following policy statement is not to scare but to establish how Children’s HopeChest would deal with acts of terrorism involving its employees or volunteers.

Employee / Volunteer Agreement 

Children’s HopeChest recognizes that the risks to personal safety encountered by Americans traveling abroad are greater now than in past years. While safety for our travelers and our field staff is top priority, we follow U.S. policy on terrorism, kidnapping and hostage taking. Children’s HopeChest will make no concessions to terrorists. We will not negotiate for the payment of ransom for the release of hostages or prisoners. Children’s HopeChest will cooperate with the appropriate governmental agencies to insure that all perpetrators of violent acts against its employees / volunteers are brought to justice. Without exception, all volunteers and employees of Children’s HopeChest who are / or potentially will be in areas of the world where this is a risk shall sign a document which affirms they have read and understood this policy. Travel related to the missions work of Children’s HopeChest is expressly an assumed risk.

Medical Authorization and Limited Power of Attorney

I wish to participate in a Children’s HopeChest short-term visit. In consideration of acceptance for this visit, I, being of legal age, do hereby authorize any necessary medical and/or dental treatment on my behalf/ on behalf of my minor child, should I be unable to give such consent, and confer upon Children’s HopeChest a special power of attorney for that purpose. This consent and power of attorney includes reasonable medical and/or dental treatment including but not limited to diagnostic tests, x-rays examinations, anesthesia, or other procedures within the country visited which may be deemed necessary to my medical well-being / the medical well-being of my minor child for the duration of the visit. “Deemed necessary” means the reasonable judgment of Children’s HopeChest staff and the Team Leader of the visit under all circumstances thereafter.

Minors Traveling

All minors traveling abroad must have a signed POA & Memorandum of Understanding. Even if one or both parents are traveling, there must be a Power of Attorney and Memorandum of Understanding on file. This is to ensure safety and well-being of all minors in the event of unexpected circumstances.

Children’s HopeChest Visit Cancellation/Reschedule Policy

Children’s HopeChest continues to closely monitor events in the areas around the world that we operate. Due to the nature of international travel that we facilitate, there may be very rare occasions when, for the safety of team members and field staff, Children’s HopeChest will be required to reschedule or postpone your visit upon short notice. While we work diligently to avoid these kinds of situations, there may be significant crises or political unrest that occur spontaneously. We take into account the following when deciding to reschedule or postpone a visit for the safety of all involved:

• Regionally specific U.S. State Department Warning in your team’s location AND/OR
• The U.S. State Department is asking U.S. Citizens to evacuate that country AND/OR
• The U.S. State Department is asking U.S. Citizens to avoid travel to that country AND/OR
• Input from Children’s HopeChest In-Country Leadership on their first person accounts of the situation AND/OR
• Hostilities occur between the U.S. or an ally of the U.S. and the host country.

If there is notable political activity directly prior to or during your visit, Children’s HopeChest will be in frequent contact with field staff and consistently monitoring the U.S. State Department’s recommendations and multiple news outlets. You will be advised of a change in team itinerary by your assigned Children’s HopeChest representative. Children’s HopeChest registers all of our travelers with the U.S. State Department, thus travelers might receive travel warnings, alerts, or updates directly from the U.S. State Department.

While Children’s HopeChest is diligent in reducing both risk to persons and financial loss, the final risk for financial loss beyond deposits received by the team from its members rests with those traveling. If Children’s HopeChest has already incurred expenses that are above and beyond deposits received by your team and those expenses cannot be recouped, team members, by submitting their applications, agree to be responsible for covering these costs. Examples include: train tickets, hotel reservations, visa processing, and certain cultural activities. If Children’s HopeChest cancels/reschedules the visit, the planning costs will be deleted from the charges to your team. If you, and/or the Church/Community Partner reschedules/postpones your visit, $225/person is non-refundable due to the administrative time and cost incurred by Children’s HopeChest’s staff both in the U.S. and the host country. In addition, if your group or an individual team member should reschedule:

Additionally, if there is a natural disaster in the U.S. or in the country where the team will be traveling, visits may be postponed. If Children’s HopeChest has already incurred expenses that are above and beyond deposits received by your team and those expenses cannot be recouped, team members will be responsible for covering these costs.

 CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Children’s HopeChest, Inc. is committed to the holistic care of children and believes that each person is a special creation, made in the image of God. The guiding principle of this policy is that the protection and privacy of the child is always the overriding consideration in all actions by CHILDREN’S HOPECHEST staff and volunteers. This policy is instituted and designed to govern the interactions of Children’s HopeChest, Inc., staff members, contractors, partners, sponsors, travelers, donors, and any other individuals and/or groups who engage with any children associated with our projects and/or programs at a CarePoint and in their immediate and/or surrounding communities. We work to ensure that every possible measure to prevent all forms of child abuse is taken. Additionally, we want to ensure that none of our staff or volunteers engage in behavior that could allow abuse to occur or to have any behavior that could be misinterpreted by children, their families or other adults as constituting, or leading to abuse. This policy recognizes that the age of consent varies in different countries and judgments will need to be made on how far sexual relations or emotional attachments between young adults and people under 18 constitute abuse of power or authority. 

Children’s HopeChest, Inc. defines a child as anyone under the age of 18. This is consistent with the definition used by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children’s HopeChest is emphatically opposed to any form of harm that includes, but is not limited to, sexual, physical, emotional or societal abuse; sexual, physical or emotional exploitation and/or conduct; any form of trafficking; or any form of oppression that could result in the altered state of a child. 

Children’s HopeChest values and appreciates our partners and advocates, and acknowledges that the majority of our donors and travelers share Children’s HopeChest core values of respect and dignity for each child. Sadly, we must also acknowledge the possibility that an individual or a group of individuals may attempt to use Children’s HopeChest to gain access to vulnerable children for improper and/or immoral purposes. In obedience to the scriptural injunction to be “as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16), we have developed the following policy to provide direction and guidelines for meaningful, appropriate interaction with children in all of our programs. 

1. Children’s HopeChest will not share medically sensitive information about children (or their family members) in our programs with donors, travelers or others who are not employees of the organization. 
2. If a child is abused in any form, the details of the situation will not be shared publically with a donor, traveler or others who are not employees of the organization. All cases will be handled between the Children’s HopeChest U.S. and international office(s) with the authorities of the respective community, region, and/or country to abide by local, regional and/or national protocol and laws. 
3. Children’s HopeChest Staff, travelers and donors must never: a. Develop sexual relationships with children b. Develop relationships with children which could in any way be deemed exploitative, binding, or abusive c. Act in ways that may be abusive or may place a child at risk of abuse 
4. Children’s HopeChest, donors, travelers, and organizations/groups will not take photos for marketing, personal, or fundraising purposes that diminish the respect and dignity of the child or their family. This includes: photos or videos of deformities, malnourishment, special mental or physical needs, nudity* of any kind. 
5. Children’s HopeChest will obtain parental/guardian consent before a child is registered to be a participant in our ministry program(s). This includes but is not limited to: permission for photos to be used for child registration (profiling), photos on our community pages, website, social media, photos that could be used for marketing and/or fundraising purposes, photos, quotes or stories for reporting purposes. 
6. Donors and travelers will not share personal financial information with a child or his/her family/guardian. 

* Even within cultures where nudity is socially accepted 

All individuals and/or groups associated with traveling to countries and communities on behalf of Children’s HopeChest’s ministry, must be and remain accountable within their travel groups and avoid the appearance of inappropriate behavior for the protection of all involved parties. Travelers should be aware and attentive to the perception of their relationship with vulnerable children, particularly because perceptions of Americans and their intentions can be highly inaccurate and sometimes even abnormal and culturally unacceptable. We require all travelers to adhere to the following rules: 

1. A Children’s HopeChest staff member or representative is required to be present during any visits to the CarePoint, homestead/home, school, or orphanage by our volunteer travelers. 
2. Under no circumstances may a traveler spend the night with a child/children – whether a Children’s HopeChest representative is present or not. 
3. Travelers should not accept lodging in the home of a child who is a participant of Children’s HopeChest ministry/programming. 
4. Travelers may not exchange any personal contact information including but not limited to: personal or work address, email, social media accounts or phone numbers with a child or his/her family or guardian. This is a protective measure to both the traveler and the child/family in our program. 
5. A traveler must always show respect when interacting with children, translators, hosts, and staff at a CarePoint, orphanage, or Ministry Center. 
6. Travelers are expected to be familiar with information given from Children’s HopeChest (verbal or in written form) on culturally-appropriate ways to show care, concern, or affection. Please refer to our travel guidelines and cultural tips for more information. 
7. If a traveler is made aware of any type of inappropriate interaction involving a child, they will notify a local Children’s HopeChest representative immediately. 
8. Any public reference to a child by a donor, traveler, staff member, should only include a first name. It is not permissible to associate a child’s photo/update/information with their full name. This includes any social media platforms, email exchange, videos, and texts messages. 
9. Any information related to known or unknown medical issues should never be shared or made public or communicated via the internet or other communication channels. 
10. Do not give money to any children, families, community members, or CarePoint staff. Regarding gift-giving, please reference our Gift Policy. 

If any individual breaks any of the aforementioned rules and guidelines they are subject to lose their opportunity to sponsor a child, correspond with a child, or travel to Children’s HopeChest CarePoints, orphanages, Ministry Centers or country offices. Any employee of Children’s HopeChest who violates the terms of this policy is subject to loss of employment. 

If a violation of the rules and guidelines occurs while an individual is on a trip, the individual in violation will be removed from the trip and sent home immediately at their own expense. 

Determination of Appropriate Sponsor/Friend Relationships 

Children’s HopeChest reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to determine that the character or content of communication between Sponsor/HopeChest Friend and child is either inappropriate or contravenes Children’s HopeChest’s stated policies and values. In the event of such determination, Children’s HopeChest reserves the right to terminate the Sponsorship/HopeChest Friend, including any and all forms of communication or contact between Sponsor/HopeChest Friend and child. 

Child and Caregiver Safety, Privacy, and Dignity 

Per Children’s HopeChest’s Child Protection Policy, we ask that every sponsor and partner community respect the safety, dignity and privacy of the children and caregivers in our programs. It is our policy to not share the following information: 

1. HIV Status: Children’s HopeChest expressly forbids the public communication of a child or caregiver’s HIV/AIDS status without changing the name and clearly indicating that names have been changed to protect the individual’s privacy. 
2. Trafficking and Abuse: In cases of known sex trafficking, human trafficking or known sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, Children’s HopeChest expressly forbids the public communication of child’s name AND photo without changing the child’s name. It must also be clearly indicated that names have been changed to protect a child’s privacy. Photos may only be used if altered to make faces unrecognizable or faces are not visible. 
3. Communications and Social Media: Any public reference to a child by a donor, traveler, staff member, should only include a first name. It is not permissible to associate a child’s photo/update/information with their full name. This includes any social media platforms, email exchange, videos, and texts messages. 
4. Medical Issues: Any information related to known or unknown medical issues should never be shared or made public or communicated via the internet or other communication channels. 

Furthermore, if a sponsor or community partner encounters any form of abuse while on a Children’s HopeChest-facilitated visit, Children’s HopeChest requests the immediate reporting of the incident to a Children’s HopeChest staff member. 

Background Checks 

For each visit, every traveler must complete a background check through ScreeningOne at the time applications are due. Background checks are done to ensure the safety of all parties and any flags will be evaluated by the Executive Leadership Team at Children’s HopeChest. 

HopeChest reserves the right to deny any application for any reason for the safety of the children we serve, HopeChest staff and volunteers and the traveling team. Travelers are responsible for the cost of the background check at the time of completion of ScreeningOne application. 

Visit Communication 

Communication with Children’s HopeChest has set several guidelines for groups: 

• Teams should only communicate with Children’s HopeChest through their Team Leader. 
• Team Leader must communicate with their Children’s HopeChest Travel Manager, not with the field directly. 
• All travel plans are arranged through the Children’s HopeChest Travel Manager and Children’s HopeChest. 

Communication while in the Field 

While in the field, the first person a team member should address ideas, problems, concerns or questions is the Team Leader. The Team Leader can then address the Children’s HopeChest in-country staff member. The staff member may confer with the appropriate person of authority at your location. Note: Although our translators are normally warm, concerned, helpful individuals, they are contract employees and not Children’s HopeChest in-country staff and as such, do not make decisions for Children’s HopeChest.

Costs Included in Visit Budget

Children’s HopeChest Visit Planning Expense

• Visa processing (Russia Only)
• Travel insurance (Defined by arrival in-country and departure from country)
• In-country ground transportation – defined by itinerary
• Lodging
• Meals (Beer, wines and spirits not included)
• Snacks and bottled water
• Translator fees and expenses
• Host fees and expenses
• Tours and day-off excursion (if applicable)
• Staff services and incidentals

Depending on the country, some tips may be included in the budget. Please contact your Travel Manager to see if tipping is included in the budget.

Children’s HopeChest has more than 20 years of experience in Vision Trips and Community Partner Visits, making the experience as positive and stress free as possible for our travelers. We do not supply cost breakdowns as we think of every detail which allows our travel partners to completely focus in on the encouragement of kids, community engagement and quality time at the CarePoint being visited.

Team Size

Minimum number of travelers is 5; maximum number is 20. All members of your team must arrive and depart on the same day and similar time.

Deadlines

To complete all tasks for visit planning in a timely manner, Children’s HopeChest has established deadlines. Submission after these deadlines will result in additional cost to the individual/team or exclusion from the visit all together.

Team Leaders should monitor the completion and submission of documentation from each team member according to deadlines. We ask the Team Leader to make sure all forms are signed and properly filled out.

Team Leaders to notify the Children’s HopeChest Travel Manager in advance if any individual team member cannot submit paperwork on time.

Children’s HopeChest requires all visit expenses to be paid in full, 4 weeks prior to your team’s departure date. When final payment has been received, Children’s HopeChest will send all visas, itineraries, emergency contact information, insurance cards, etc. to the Team Leader. The Team Leader will then distribute the documents to the team. Any extensions on deadlines will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Special Requests

If you have a special request, please contact your Team Leader at least 90 days in advance of your departure date. Your Team Leader will, in turn, contact the Travel Manager. While we will try to honor each person’s request, please understand that we will not be able to make each one work.

Please keep in mind as you travel, Children’s HopeChest’s in-country staff have already spent hours gaining the proper permissions and making all arrangements for the finalized visit itineraries. Once in country, please do not ask the staff to honor a special request that was not worked out with the Colorado office prior to arrival in their country. Though it appears that these last-minute requests are easy to honor, closer scrutiny will reveal how our staff have to scramble to gain all necessary approvals from government and orphanage officials in order to change plans.

With over 900 travelers each year, visit planning is a very detailed and time consuming process. Children’s HopeChest is not able to make last minute additions or adjustments for teams or individuals. Your patience is much appreciated as Children’s HopeChest works to meet deadlines.

Individual Visits

Our focus is to help various communities serve overseas and therefore individual visits are not part of our vision and cannot be arranged at this time.

In-Country Monetary Guidelines

Oftentimes during a visit, a team will see needs at their CarePoint or orphanage that require funding. In order for all donations to be closely accounted, monitored and reported upon, we ask that teams never leave money with in-country staff. Any projects, initiatives, or needs that a team would like to fund always need to go through Children’s HopeChest.

Release and Hold Harmless Agreement

I hereby voluntarily release, waive all claims against, and hold harmless (i) Children’s HopeChest, its officers, agents, and employees (ii), the Team Leader and other members of the mission team, and (iii) the church or other organization which has sponsored the team, as well as its pastoral staff, directors, elders and other executives, whether acting in their official capacities or otherwise from all manner of suits, actions, claims, demands, and liabilities which may arise from my participation / the participation of my minor child in this visit. I authorize the designated leader of the visit to arrange for my / my minor child’s early return home should this be deemed necessary. I understand that this will be at my own expense should the reason be, as concluded by the leader in his or her sole and absolute discretion, my / my minor child’s inability to work together with the team in an appropriate manner, regardless of cause. I recognize that conditions in some of the places to which I / my minor child will travel will not meet customary U.S. standards in terms of, among other things, sanitation and cleanliness, public health, food safety or preparation, public safety or conduct of public and police officials. Such conditions are inherently unpredictable and outside of the control of Children’s HopeChest. I enter / allow my minor child to enter into participation in this visit with knowledge of this.

I understand that this document constitutes a full and complete waiver of all possible claims, including claims of negligence in personal injury or property loss and / or damage, arising out of my participation / the participation of my minor child in this visit. By reading this agreement, I acknowledge that I have read and accept its terms.

I have read the Kidnapping and Hostage Taking of Children’s HopeChest Employees and Volunteers section of this application, and fully understand that in the event that I am abducted and held against my will under any circumstances, Children’s HopeChest will use every legitimate means to secure my release but will not make any concessions nor negotiate payment of ransom for my release.

In the event of any disagreement respecting the interpretations, application or enforcement of Personal Covenant, Employee/Volunteer Agreement, Medical Authorization, Power of Attorney, Release and Hold Harmless Agreement, Child Protection Policy, or any term or condition of same, the matter shall be resolved under the exclusive jurisdiction of Peacemaker Ministries, and under its procedural rules. Neutral personnel of Peacemaker Ministries shall preside over the arbitration of the matter at hand, whose decisions shall be binding and from which there shall be no appeal. Prior to arbitration, the parties shall engage in a Christian Conciliation process supervised by Peacemaker Ministries. The parties understand the scriptural injunction against taking other believers to court and understand that they are voluntarily surrendering their secular right to take matters to civil court.

All matters respecting the above agreements shall be governed by the substantive law of the State of Colorado.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs Agreement

• HopeChest is a highly relational, cross-cultural organization and expects respectful behavior from all travelers.
• Public consumption of alcohol or smoking is strictly prohibited during trips, especially:
  • At CarePoints 
  • In homesteads
  • During community meetings/events
  • At social gatherings involving HopeChest staff or CarePoint participants
• Many partner cultures forbid or frown upon public drinking or smoking, and these behaviors may be illegal in some locations.
• Private alcohol consumption should be done discreetly and only after hours, such as:
  • At the Guest House
  • At dinner with the team (no CarePoint staff present) 
• Travelers under 21 are not permitted to consume alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substances—even with parental consent.
• Use of illegal substances or violating alcohol/smoking policies may result in:
  • Immediate removal from the trip
  • Return to the U.S. at the traveler’s full expense