No, this is a personal expense paid by you. Any additional funds raised in addition to trip costs will be put towards other team member’s expenses or will be funneled into the General Children’s Fund.

Check out our Guide to Fundraising for some helpful tips.

Funds can be donated for your trip two ways:

• By credit card: Donate online
• Send a check made payable to CURE International and include a note saying this is for, “YOUR NAME, DATE, LOCATION.” Mail check to:
  CURE International
  Attn: Global Outreach
  17011 Hickory Street
  Spring Lake, MI 49456

Each volunteer is unique in the way they approach funding. Some choose to pay the entirety of their trip cost while others count wholly on fundraising.  CURE International will provide a tax-deductible receipt for donations made payable to “CURE International” only.

Each short-term trip sent through CURE International is unique. Trip fees will differ greatly based on time of year, destination, length of stay, etc. Most often a trip cost will include food, lodging, in-country transportation, travel medical insurance, and administrative fee. Trip fees are based on what it takes to mobilize and host with excellence. No donated monies are rerouted from patient care to accommodating visiting volunteers. A detailed, itemized list of your trip expenses can be supplied upon request.

We require information to be up to date in our system (i.e. address, passports, medical licenses.) If these have changed or expired, then please notify the Global Outreach Office. Otherwise, every 5 years we will ask you to update our records (i.e. address, background check, forms.)

Generally speaking, CURE requests at least 6 months from the time you apply until the time you depart on your trip.

First, submit an application for service. Once we receive your application, a member of the Global Outreach Office will be in touch to begin a conversation about where your skills and desires best align with a service opportunity with CURE.

You will be sent a series of documents and information via both email and mail. This will include a Pre-Trip Orientation packet containing trip expectations, cultural information, and pre-trip planning instruction. After arrival in the country, CURE staff will guide you through understanding the new culture and processes of the hospital. At any time throughout the process, trip members are welcome to contact the Global Outreach Office with questions. Also, processing your experiences after arriving home is vital. You will receive post-trip guidance to help debrief and how to effectively incorporate your short trip into your life journey.

Depending on the type of trip you will be taking, the skills required will differ. Medical Professionals will need to have the capacity to teach as you work alongside our national hospital staff. GO Team members need the willingness to share their talents. An attitude of flexibility is essential for all travelers.

Yes, CURE International has limited spaces available for third- and fourth-year medical students in orthopedics or neurosurgery.  If you meet that criteria, we would encourage you to fill out the application.

Yes, CURE mobilizes nurse volunteers to serve in a variety of ways at our hospitals. We are looking for nurses to consider volunteering in the following ways:

• Short term: (two months or less):
  • Roles and responsibilities include; short educational modules; training in administrative/computer or professionalism courses; assistance with ongoing projects; sharing with spiritual training and Bible studies for nurses; sharing with children in play/art/recreation therapy; AHA training; and any other areas or requests from a specific hospital.
• Long term (two months or longer):
  • Roles and responsibilities: specific project or implementation of the program, new wards or specialty areas (ie PACU training), safety officer training, infection control nurse training.
  • Legal requirements: work visa, nursing license, or permission to practice, other in-country requirements.

Our Nurse Volunteer Brochure will answer many of your questions.

Students should first check with their learning institution to see if this can be done. If so, when you apply let the Global Outreach Office know what the requirements are and they will look into this option more closely for you.

CURE has no formal lectures for trip participants. There are no Continuing Education Credits offered.

We hope that your short-term experience with CURE is only part of your life journey and that your participation in missions and relationship with CURE will not end when your trip does. One of the most effective ways you can stay involved with CURE is by becoming a CURE representative and sharing your story with friends and family to help raise awareness and funds for CURE.

There are many ways to be involved in the work of CURE without visiting our hospitals. CURE relies heavily on prayer and the provision of our Lord and Savior. Joining us as a prayer supporter is simple. To receive this month’s prayer guide simply click this link or send a get well message to a child currently at a CURE hospital. Also, you can help CURE by supporting us financially.

Specifics differ within various countries, but generally, it is required that volunteers abstain from alcohol and tobacco use, and the typical dress code is business casual. During trip orientation, you will receive more specifics. Modesty is a valued attribute at every hospital and should be pursued when preparing to travel to a CURE hospital.

Health care professionals will volunteer under the authority of the Medical Director or someone they appoint. Before arrival, expectations about screening, surgeries, daily schedule and other tasks associated with your trip will be communicated.

The Spiritual Ministry or Facility Team will volunteer under the authority of the Executive Director or Spiritual Director. The Global Outreach office will work with you to make sure your trip expectations complement CURE’s objectives to meet the needs of people in the host country.

A “typical day” is hard to define. Each country has a unique ministry style and needs. There are many ways for you to embrace the culture and the people by working alongside nationals in hands-on projects. Most days are long and sleep comes easily! Depending on your skills, you may be asked to serve with our staff inpatient care, office work, facility improvement, or in the surrounding villages in an outreach program.

Our trips are typically 10-21 days. Although they can vary in length depending on your skillset.

Families are welcome to travel with children of all ages. However, to travel independently you must be 18 years or older.

Requests from the field for an individual with specific skills may result in an individual trip. These trips are often composed of medical professionals. If you do fit into this category, we highly suggest getting your church or school involved and lead a Spiritual Ministry trip. For more information, contact us at [email protected]. Or if you are a college-age student, consider applying for a summer CURE U Team.

• Medical – These are specialized trips made up of individuals who have specific skills and proper licensing to participate. Opportunities include, but are not limited to the following: orthopedic, plastic surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, registered nurses, physical therapists, residents, and medical students. Also, we often like this group of individuals to be ready to train and teach our co-workers. Current opportunities can be found here.
• Ministry – Families, schools, churches, or individuals without specialized medical skills may apply for an amazing and humbling volunteer experience that includes caring for children in the hospital and throughout the community. These groups are often a patchwork of skills and gifts that serve and engage the patients, families, and communities of our hospitals. Current opportunities can be found here.
• Maintenance – A global network of hospitals adds up to a lot of facility care! These teams provide services such as HVAC, electrical, construction, and painting. They also identify future projects and areas of concern. Current opportunities can be found here.

CURE International welcomes people of all skill-sets, backgrounds, and nationalities to serve alongside us as we heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom. However, meeting the needs of our hospitals is CURE’s primary concern.  A volunteer with a skill-set that meets a specific need of a CURE hospital will be placed.  Other volunteers will be considered to help either with spiritual ministry or facilities.

Top Ten Mistakes

• Both Physical and Spiritual Healing – Everything that is done while you are in-country should reflect excellence in work ethic and personal character. CURE International is an unapologetically Christian organization, and we request that all participants respect that basis of faith while honoring the laws of the land in which we operate.
• Respect and Relationships – CURE is based on relationships and relational care. The overall value of your work is not only impacted by how much you get done, but also by your attitude in doing it. Work hard, but focus on the relationships with the staff and patients. Each volunteer is asked to honor, encourage, and submit to our in-country staff.
• Financial Responsibility – Our goal is that short-term volunteers cover their in-country expenses. The hospital you are serving is run with excellence, which may be quite a contrast to the surrounding region. However, the financial needs within CURE are great. You are encouraged to raise funds for CURE International before and after your trip. Please do not give gifts to individuals or other organizations on the field during your trip unless you clear it with the host ahead of time.
• Training and Education — CURE is a medical training facility and we value short-term medical professionals who come, not only to practice but also to teach. We hope this cross-cultural experience expands your worldview as you begin to make missions a lifestyle.
• Decision Making – The Hospital Leadership Team makes all final decisions on your participation and opportunities. Good pre-trip dialogue with the Global Outreach staff regarding your trip will help set expectations.

CURE International’s mission statement is simple: to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God.