2014 Group Mission Trips Catalog

Youth mission trips
making jesus real every summer
2014
jesus-centered service experiences for teenagers
Inspiring Community Service Trips
Powerful Home Repair Trips
Life-Shaping International Trips
www.groupmissiontrips.c om
WHATS INSIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Choose Your Trip Explore the Map Expect Jesus 2014 Theme Hear From Youth Leaders The Top 3 Reasons to Do a Youth Mission Trip Getting Approval From the People Who Matter Most Why Partner With Group Mission Trips? Community Service Mission Trips Home Repair Mission Trips International Mission Trips Book Your Trip 12 20 28 35 4 6 8 9 10
Your youth will encounter jesus
Build meaningful relationships
At Group Mission Trips, our priority is making your mission trip powerful and life-changing for your students, and seamless and easy for you. We work hard to cover all the bases for you, so you can maximize time with your group.
HERE IS WHAT YOu GET:

Easy pre-planning and an organized experience. We sweat every detail so you can spend quality time with your teenagers. Spiritual growth. Last year a whopping 94% of students said they grew closer to God through their experience with Group Mission Trips. More fun than youve ever expected. You and your group will have a great time as you travel, hang out, work, worship, and meet new friends. unmatched inter-denominational Christian worship programming, pre-tested with youth and leaders to help your students grow closer to Jesus and to each other. Team-building opportunity, so your youth group members can draw closer to one another in a unique ministry setting. Leadership by mature, trained staff you can trust. Our leaders are the best of the best: trained, thoroughly screened, and passionate about helping youth grow in their faith. Robin Jake Robin Bri Jory Brent
Plan now
to give your students a powerful spiritual growth experience next summer!
800-385-4545
or visit
Call our group mission trips advisors at
GroupmissionTrips.com
choose from
jesus-centered service options for teenagers!
Community Service
mission trips
At Week of Hope, your students learn Christ-like empathy and compassion for others while preparing meals at a homeless shelter, serving disadvantaged children, visiting with lonely elderly residents, and more.
fundraising idea
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Parents, volunteers, and youth can work concession stands at local stadiums. Companies like Aramark Inc. pay nonprofit organizations 10% of the inventory that is sold at each game. Find a local event center, get a crew of people, and raise some money. A youth group in Houston, TX, raised $43,000 during the course of one Houston Astros season.
Starting at only $299
120 trips
See page 12
CHOOSE FROM OVER
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2
Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com
home repair
mission trips
international
mission trips
A Workcamp is a big, high-energy mission trip where your group will work hard repairing homes for people in need, and experience the amazing power of community to accomplish Gods work.
Lifetree Adventures will take your group around the globe to provide help and learn what it means to meet Gods call by serving others in great need around the world.

SERVE IN
40 locations
See page 20
CHOOSE FROM OVER
Haiti, Puerto Rico, Peru, and many other locations

See page 28
Week of Hope and Workcamps 800-385-4545 Lifetree Adventures 800-747-2157
Okanogan
WHErE DO YOu WANT TO CHANGE LIVES?
Glenwood
Fort Collins
Monument Valley
Parsons
Chandler San Diego Mescalero
Austin
Community Service Youth Mission Trips

Austin, TX Charleston, SC Cincinnati, OH Fort Collins, CO Grand Rapids, MI Indianapolis, IN Kenosha, WI Manassas, VA Minneapolis, MN Nashville, TN Newark, NY Orlando, FL Pittsburgh, PA San Diego, CA St. Louis, MO York, PA
Home Repair Youth Mission Trips

Albany, NY Brighton, TN Buffalo, NY Burlington, NJ Centralia, IL Chandler, OK Cumberland, MD Danville, IL Dinwiddie, VA Evansville, IN Glenwood, MN Guilderland Center, NY Hamilton, OH Hammond, IN Imperial, PA Kanawha County, WV Kittery, ME Maysville, KY Mescalero, NM Midland, MI Miintown, PA Milford Center, OH Monument Valley, UT Oak Grove, MO Okanogan, WA Parsons, KS Pensacola, FL Philipsburg, PA Pocahontas, VA Port Huron, MI Racine, WI Red Lake, MN Rochester, NY Scranton, PA Shamokin, PA Spring Grove, PA Tioga Center, NY Valdosta, GA Virginia Beach, VA Waterloo, IA
International Mission Trips

Alaska Canada Costa Rica Haiti Honduras Peru Puerto Rico
Red Lake Kittery Guilderland Center Newark Albany Philipsburg Shamokin Miintown Burlington York Spring Grove Scranton Cumberland Manassas Kanawha County Dinwiddie Virginia Beach
COSTA RICA HONDuRAS
Minneapolis Racine Kenosha Waterloo Midland
Rochester Port Huron Buffalo Imperial Pittsburgh Hamilton Cincinnati Maysville Pocahontas
Tioga Center
Grand Rapids Hammond Milford Center
Oak Grove St. Louis
Danville Indianapolis Evansville Centralia
Nashville Brighton
PERu
Charleston
Valdosta Pensacola Orlando

HAITI
PuERTO RICO
ALASKA
CANADA
when Will My teenagers Connect With Jesus at a Group Mission Trip?

Your teenagers will spend time with Jesus like never before. And they wont dread that time, because its woven into the entire day through four spiritual touch-points that occur naturally, as if Jesus were simply a natural part of the day (which he is!) Spiritual Touch-Point 3
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The Evening Programs
The Evening Program is an interactive worship experience that is carefully craftedand fieldtestedto ensure that your youth come face-to-face with Jesus. Through singing, dramas, compelling video, and guided activities, students make connections that prompt deep, lasting growthgrowth theyll take with them to live out back home.
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Spiritual Touch-Point 1
The Morning Programs

These brief, wake-you-up gatherings focus students on Godand set expectations for the day: that God will be there...that theyll serve him...and that great things will happenexpectations that God is delighted to meet, day after day.
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Youth Group Devotions

Each evening, just before lights out, youll meet with your kids to talk through the day. To debrief what theyve experienced...what it taught them...and what it means in their walk with Jesus. Your team members will come to these devotions bursting with stories they cant wait to share. Theyll tell you how theyve seen God at work, explain what theyve learned about Jesus, and quietly share what theyve discovered about themselves. And youll have stories from your own day to share, too, because on a Group Mission Trip youre an active participantnot an observer whos busy organizing the next meal or scrambling for supplies.
Crew Devotions
During the day, crews take a break at their worksites to sit, enjoy a quick bottle of cold water, and dig into what the Bible says about the daily theme. The Jesus-centered questions asked during Crew Devotions do more than just challenge teenagers to grow in their faith. They also transform serving a handicapped child or painting a porch from work into worship.
2014 theme
Jesus is always on the job. He never stops repairing us, never tires of transforming us into the people he wants us to become. And hes always eager to work through us, transforming those whose lives we touch. This summer, your youth group will experience Repair in unforgettable ways. Well look at stories of transformation. Some of these stories come right from the pages of the Gospels. No one who encountered Jesus came away unchanged. That was true thenand its true now. Youll see your kids welcome the Jesus who wades into pain and fear to bring healing and hope. Youll see them open themselves in new ways to Jesus desire to repair whats broken as only he can. Another story your youth will dig into is their own. Each of us is right in the middle of our own story with Jesus. During this incredible week of service and spiritual growth, students will experience Jesus at work in their own livesrepairing them, right now. Your teenagers will also become stories of transformation, as they literally change the lives of those around you. As they repair the tired, weather-worn home of a thankful resident, theyll discover that Jesus is repairing themdrawing them closer to himhealing whats brokenopening their eyes to see him as never before. Through fast-paced evening programs and depth-inspiring devotions, your group will encounter Jesus. The real Jesus. The blood-and-bone carpenter King who understood how to repair a fractured table legand a shattered life. And who was willing to do both. Youll leave your Group Mission Trip with a new story to share. A story of repairs made where you needed them mostwhere you might not have known you needed them at all. And youll never be the same. Give one week to a Group Mission Trip and see what Jesus can do inand throughyou and your group. Watch him swing the hammer and obliterate walls, clear out whats broken, rebuild what was once fresh and new. Be a story of transformation.
pre-trip curriculum available january 2014
FrEE
TOP
reasons to do a youth mission trip
1 2
Your students will experience life-changing spiritual growth.

My kidsboth the youth group and my biological kidshave experienced amazing spiritual growth on mission trips, says Gregg McCaslin, a veteran minister of youth and discipleship. We think were going to do good things for others, but the entire time God works on us, too.
Youll super-size relational time with your group.

Much of the ministry time we usually spend with teenagers is actually structured programming. Thats fine, but not typically where the good stuff happenswhere kids open up about their lives. A mission trip builds in long stretches of relational timeand when you let a mission trip organizer handle the details, youll experience the trip alongside your kids. All the organization is done, says youth pastor Jill Wenker of her mission trip experiences with Group Workcamps. I can go through the week with my kids rather than leading the camp. McCaslin points to the road trip as another benefit of mission trips. Youth groups can do things in their own neighborhoodsand should, he says. But theres bonding that happens on a mission trip. The road trip to and from the workcamp is great for our kids.
Youll shift to a servant-focused ministry.

We first went on a mission trip in 2001 because I had a small, floundering youth ministry, says Wenker. A youth ministry friend told me, Youve got to go to a Workcamp. Itll transform your groupand it did. Wenker says many of her students grew up in the church and inherited their faith from parents and Sunday school teachers. When they go to a Workcamp, my kids faith becomes their own, she says. Kids get the message Jesus died for them, that God loves them, and that they can share Gods love with the world.
Getting Approval
From The People Who Matter Most
Youve seen the light! Youre all-in for taking your teenagers on a youth mission trip.
But unless your church leaders, adult volunteers, parents, and students agree, its going to be one empty church bus sputtering off on a mission trip next summer. Heres what veteran youth leaders have discovered about getting all those people excited about a Group Mission Trip board with a Workcamp mission trip. I showed them the Workcamps video from Group Mission Trips and that won them over, she says. I stressed that safety is Groups priority, that adult volunteers have to pass background checks, and that experts go from site to site to make sure things are going well. Thats all it took. Weve found thats all it usually takesand were happy to send you the same video that warmed the heart of Jills church leaders.
Church Leaders
She knows it sounds too good to be true, but youth Pastor Jill Wenker had zero problems getting her pastor and church leaders on
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Why
Partner With Group Mission Trips?

With dozens of organizations lined up to help you organize a youth mission trip, why pick Group Mission Trips? Try these three reasons on for size
Nobody has done youth missions longer.

Weve learned a thing or two during our 37 years of organizing youth mission tripsand it shows. Everything is thought out from start to finish, says associate pastor Adam Just. That means from the moment you decide to pitch the idea of a mission trip to your studentsand your church boardGroups experienced staff is there for you with the tools you need to cast vision, build enthusiasm, and raise funds. They will also walk you through our online resources for planning and registration, and set you up with mission trip-focused devotionals that will prepare your teenagers for their experience.
encourage that growth by building in compelling morning devotions, worksite devotions, and powerful evening experiences. Plus, you go home with ready-to-use sessions to debrief what your group experienced.
Nobody gives you more for your money.

Ive talked with youth ministers who use cheaper providers, says Gregg McCaslin, a veteran minister of youth and discipleship. All they get for their money is someone lining up places to work. Group provides it allsupport, planning, programming, leadership, volunteers, and lining up all the details. Its all done and its done well.
Nobody is better at keeping first things first.

Mission trips arent about fixing houses. Or cleaning alleys. Or hugging orphan kids. All that happens, but more important is the spiritual growth of everyone involvedand Group Mission Trips goes the extra mile to
Youll be satisfied, too. Let us prove it to you. Contact Group Mission trips by visiting GroupMissionTrips.com or by calling 800-385-4545.
Adult Volunteers
Their big question was about construction skills, says associate pastor Adam Just. Once they understand there are experts to help supervise repairs and that their role is to be with the kids, theyre OK. The good news: Well help you reassure your adult volunteers by providing clear, detailed job descriptions so they know what to expect and just how rewarding their week at a Workcamp will be.
They care about safetyand where their kids are staying, says Adam, who has that information in hand courtesy of the materials provided by Group.
Students
This one is easy: simply ask. Share the materials well give you with your youth. Let them see how theyll change lives, serve God, and make a difference in the lives of specific people in specific ways. Then ask your youth group which Group Mission Trip location looks like a winner and stand backyou wont believe how fast they catch the vision. And then watch what happens as God works in and through them. Were happy to send you the tools youll need to cast the vision in your church. Call us today at 800-385-4545.
Parents
Workcamps promotes the fact that worksite safety is a top priority, says volunteer youth leader Dan Hemberger. And its trueGroup backs it up. The training and safeguards provided on a Group Mission Trip go a long way toward reassuring parents. A parents meeting about a month before the mission trip can also be a great forum for addressing parental concerns.
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1 mission.
50,000 students.
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Community service
mission trips
community service youth mission trips

Five days of service. A lifetime of rewards. Week of Hope is an affordable summer mission trip packed with practical acts of love and service. Your students will build meaningful connections as they serve people through local ministries and nonprofit organizations. Teenagers will learn Christ-like empathy and compassion for others as they meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of disadvantaged children, youth, and adults. As students serve in the name of Jesus, theyll develop friendships with the people being served, with teenagers on other teams, with members of their own youth group, and, most importantly, with Jesus. Denominational differences disappear as like-minded youth work together for a common purpose. Its awesome to watch! Week of Hope meets the needs of all age groups wherever those needs exist. Projects might include: Providing meals to the homeless Tutoring poor or struggling children Helping to lead a day camp for kids Organizing a home or sprucing up a dilapidated home Painting a room or deep-cleaning a home Working with disabled children Sharing stories with a lonely elderly person in an assisted-living facility Your teams acts of kindness will mean the world to the people you serve. But the impact on your students will go Group Mission Trips Advisor even deeper. Spiritual growth is a top priority at all of our camps, and through meaningful worship and devotions, the lessons learned will take root in the hearts of your youth. Each day, students will enjoy meaningful, thematic worship and devotion times, plus opportunities for devotions. Theyll spend time together and connect more deeply in their Christian faith. Programs are led by a well-trained staff but you and your youth will have the chance to serve by leading parts of each worship program, including worship music. (Feel free to bring guitars, drums, harmonicas, banjos, and great voices!) Turn the page and take a closer look at this years Week of Hope mission trips. Your group will be immersed in the experience of being others-directed instead of selfdirected, and challenged to live as Jesus didin authentic, sacrificial relationships.
Week of hope community service trips
Bri,
Learn more by calling Bri at 800-385-4545
dates & locations

WEST
Fort Collins, CO $266 San Diego, CA $229
south
Austin, TX $262 Charleston, SC $266 Nashville, TN $266 Orlando, FL $229
All Week of Hope locations are offered these seven weeks:

June 15 - 20 June 22 - 27 June 29 - July 4 July 6 - 11 July 13 - 18 July 22 - 25 July 27 - Aug 1
midwest
Cincinnati, OH $252 Grand Rapids, MI $262 Indianapolis, IN $262 Kenosha, WI $252 Minneapolis, MN $252 St. Louis, MO $262
northeast
Manassas, VA $266 Newark, NY $266 Pittsburgh, PA $262 York, PA $262
What about trips for
Preteens?
Choose a Preteen trip during these weeks:

June 15 - 20 Fort Collins, CO June 29 July 4 Charleston, SC July 6 - 11 Minneapolis, MN July 13 - 18 York, PA Orlando, FL July 20 25 Pittsburgh, PA Kenosha, WI July 27 August 1 Austin, TX
Preteen Week of Hope is a great mission experience that your 10- to 12-year-old students will never forget! Helping younger students explore their faith is one of the most important and fulfilling responsibilities you have as a leader. Research suggests that by the time theyre 13, your kids basic value systems are set for life. We created Preteen Week of Hope trips to respond directly to this aspect of your ministry.
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fundraising idea
All-u-Can-Eat-Spaghetti Dinner
The key to an All-U-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner is opening your church doors to the publicmore people means more financial support. Ask local businesses to donate any needed suppliessauce, meatballs, noodles, bread, dessert, and/or paper products. The youth and volunteers serve, and some can play music or perform skits. Its customary to ask for a $10 minimum donation per person, and $5 per child under 12. But make sure to price things to ensure you make money.
Group Mission Trips are by far the best way to go for a youth mission trip! The work is so organized that you only have to think about getting the work done and building relationships with your crew and the resident. Worship is outstanding every night! For our youth group there is no other way to go!
SCARLETT DOWDY, YOUTH WORKER IN MOUNT AIRY, NC .
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serving a community
At Week of Hope, campers provide helping hands to local nonprofit ministries. Your group may serve meals to the homeless, work with disabled children, or share stories with a lonely elderly person. Whatever role your students fill, their service will be felt in the community and will be a shining example of Gods love.
day camp programs

Play games with children, and send the affirming message that they matter.
nursing homes
Serve the forgotten in long-term nursing care facilities.
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homeless shelters
Serve hundreds of hungry homeless folks.
recovery programs
Serve nonprofit agencies that couldnt operate without your help.
Week of hope community service Week of hope community service trips
ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITIES
Give attention and love to disabled children.
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what to know
Whats included in the registration fee?
We want your trip to be as easy on you as possible. Thats why we provide the following so you dont have to: Lodging during the week All meals, except for dinner on your free night All supplies and project materials for each worksite Themed T-shirt for each participant Development of Bible-based, thematic, fun, faithbuilding programs Devotions to read before, during, and after your trip Highly trained, mission-minded staff Comprehensive online Planning Center and project preparation materials Fundraising ideas and support Site selection and organization Unlimited customer support from professional and courteous staff Mission trip handbook for each participant (a personal devotion book and guide for the week)
What about transportation?

You need to provide transportation for your group to and from your mission trip. And during the week, the vehicles you bring will be used to provide daily transport to and from project sites.
Where do we stay?
Most lodging is in local churches or schools. Accommodations will include areas for groups to room together by gender, a common eating area, and a program area.
What happens if the trip I want is full?

All trips are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early. However, if you register for a trip thats full, well give you a choice: Join the waiting list for your first choice, or register for your second-choice location. Call us. Were eager to help!
When do I have to pay?

Fundraising takes time, and sometimes more than one effort, so weve broken your trip costs into three convenient payments: Early-bird registration: This special offer lets you hold your spot and pay no deposit until September 30th, 2013. Registration AFTER SEPTEMBER 30, 2013 A nonrefundable deposit of $50 per person is required at the time of registration to reserve space on your trip. Payment #2 - MARCH 15, 2014 50% of your groups remaining balance is due. Payment #3 - MAY 15, 2014 Your remaining balance is due.
Who can participate?

We offer trips for preteen, junior high, and senior high students. Participants must be at least 10 years old or entering the fifth grade in the fall of 2014.
How many adults should we bring?

Adults (age 21 and above) are a critical part of the experience because they help provide safety, relationships, spiritual guidance, and discipline. Please bring a minimum of one adult for every five youth.
Can Group Mission Trips provide references?

Absolutely! Give us a call (800-385-4545 option 2) and wed be happy to connect you with other youth leaders who have taken teenagers on a Week of Hope mission trip!
How are crews organized?

A typical crew is a group of five young people and one adult. Each crew usually includes participants from a variety of churches so students can meet new people. Call us and well gladly accommodate your request.
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Last year at Week of Hope, i served at Project C.u.R.E. and it was an amazing experience. This warehouse shipped medical items across the globe. Not just new items that were donated, but discarded items that we recycled and also pieced back together. Week of Hope makes a difference.
RICH HOuSE, YOUTH WORKER IN CINCINNATI, OH . .
A TYPICAL WEEK OF HOPE DAY

6:45 am 7:00 am 8:00 am 8:30 am 3:30 pm 5:00 pm 7:30 pm 8:45 pm 9:30 pm 11:00 pm Rise and shine Hot breakfast Morning program Depart for projects Return to camp Dinner Evening worship program Youth group devotions Free time Lights out
Week of of hope hope community community service service trips Week
Group Mission Trips Advisor
Jory,
lets chat!
Give your students a powerful spiritual growth experience next summer!
800-385-4545
or visit
give jory a call
1 mission.
37 years.
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home repair
mission trips
Workcamps are weeklong mission trips where your youth group will work hard repairing homes for people in need, while experiencing the amazing power of community to accomplish Gods work. Workcamps are high-energy and action-packed, yet powerful and life-changing. The camps are big: Sometimes upwards of 450 youth participate, creating lots of energy and excitement throughout the entire week. At Workcamps, teenagers come together to serve individuals and communities while building strong, long-lasting relationships with their friends and youth leaders. In six short days, hundreds of students from youth groups across the country repair and transform homesand strengthen and transform their own faith. One way their faith gets built is through daily challenges to do something they may not have done before: painting a house, using a chop saw or drill, or doing some other task that can make students feel a little uncomfortable and vulnerable exactly where God can speak to them. Workcamps began in 1977 as a home repair project in Loveland, Colorado, in response to the tragic ood of the Big Thompson River the previous year. In July 1976, more than 12 inches of rain fell within three hours near Estes Park, overowing and ooding the river. Ultimately, the river became a raging wall of water that destroyed hundreds of houses, washed away miles of roads, and killed more than 140 peoplethe worst natural disaster in Colorado history. After that ood, Thom Schultz, founder of Group Publishing, asked church youth groups from across the country to come to Colorado and help rebuild the homes and lives of the oods victims. Over 300 youth and their adult leaders responded, working on more than 50 home repair projects.
And so the first Workcamps experience was born. Thom saw a dramatic change in the hearts of youth and adults serving the oods victims, and realized that the challenge of helping others in need could ignite and strengthen the Christian faith of teenagers and adults. Since then, about 300,000 people have participated in a Group Mission Trips experiencelogging more than 6 million volunteer hours. These participants have gained a new understanding and deeper faith in Jesus by serving others. The mission opportunities keep growing, and the same passion that prompted Thom Schultz to launch the first Workcamps continues to help teenagers from all different Christian denominations grow closer to God and take on the challenge of service by helping people in need. Turn the page to see more than 40 Workcamp locations where your youth can serve next summerand give your teenagers a God-centered summer experience theyll never forget!
workcamps home repair missions
Brent,
Learn more by calling Brent at 800-385-4545
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dates & locations

senior high camps
WEST
Monument Valley, uT Mescalero, NM Parsons, KS June 22 - 28 July 6 - 12 July 20 - 26 $429 $399 $439
midwest
Hamilton, OH Hammond, IN Racine, WI Milford Center, OH Oak Grove, MO Waterloo, IA Midland, MI Glenwood, MN Red Lake, MN June 15 - 21 June 22 - 28 June 22 - 28 July 6 - 12 July 6 - 12 July 13 - 19 July 13 - 19 July 13 - 19 July 20 - 26 $449 $439 $449 $449 $449 $449 $449 $439 $439
Workcamps home repair missions
south
Pensacola, FL Valdosta, GA Brighton, TN Virginia Beach, VA June 15 - 21 July 6 - 12 July 6 - 12 July 13 - 19 $429 $429 $439 $449
appalachia
Maysville, KY Kanawha County, WV Pocahontas, VA June 22 - 28 June 29 - July 5 July 20 - 26 $449 $449 $449
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Fundraising Idea
Youth for Hire
Advertise for odd jobs like yard work, house cleaning, or painting within your church. Begin accepting and coordinating jobs, times, and crews to complete each project. TIP: Asking for donations will oftentimes net you more money than a set price.
northeast
Cumberland, MD Spring Grove, PA Imperial, PA Miintown, PA Burlington, NJ Rochester, NY Buffalo, NY Guilderland Center, NY Tioga Center, NY Shamokin, PA Kittery, ME Philipsburg, PA Scranton, PA June 15 - 21 June 15 - 21 June 22 - 28 June 22 - 28 June 29 - July 5 June 29 - July 5 July 6 - 12 July 6 - 12 July 20 - 26 July 20 - 26 July 27 - August 2 July 27 - August 2 July 27 - August 2 $459 $459 $459 $459 $459 $459 $459 $459 $459 $459 $469 $459 $469
jr/sr. high camps

workcamps home repair missions Okanogan, WA Chandler, OK Evansville, IN Danville, IL Centralia, IL Port Huron, MI Dinwiddie, VA Albany, NY June 22- 28 July 13 - 19 June 15 - 21 July 6 - 12 July 20 - 26 July 20 - 26 July 27 - August 2 June 29 - July 5 $399 $449 $439 $439 $439 $449 $449 $459
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transform homes & lives
Workcamps give youth groups a chance to serve people in need through home repair, basic construction, and paintingbut students also build strong relationships with their friends and youth leaders. Sometimes more than 450 teenagers participate in a camp, which fuels the enthusiasm and excitement throughout the entire week!
Before
fresh coats of paint

Fresh paint keeps houses from rotting and becoming unsafe.
After
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After
Before
new, sturdy porches

Dangerous steps are transformed into a safe patio for families.
After
Before
safe wheelchair ramps

A safer wheelchair ramp gives a disabled person the freedom to live life.
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what to know
Whats included in the registration fee?
We want your trip to be as easy on you as possible. Thats why we provide the following so you dont have to: Lodging during the week All meals, except for dinner on your free night All supplies and project materials for each worksite Themed T-shirt for each participant Development of Bible-based, thematic, fun, faithbuilding programs Devotions to read before, during, and after your trip Highly trained, mission-minded staff Comprehensive online Planning Center and project preparation materials Fundraising ideas and support Site selection and organization Unlimited customer support from professional and courteous staff Mission trip handbook for each participant (a personal devotion book and guide for the week) Comprehensive safety training at the beginning of the week
What about transportation?

You need to provide transportation for your group to and from your mission trip. And during your mission trip, the vehicles you bring will be used to provide daily transport to and from project sites. If you intend to bring a large bus, check with your trip advisor to be sure your trip location can accommodate it.
Where do we stay?
Most lodging is in local schools or churches. Accommodations will include areas for groups to room together by gender, a common eating area, and a program area.
What happens if the trip I want is full?

All trips are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early. However, if you register for a trip thats full, well give you a choice: Join the waiting list for your first choice, or register for your second-choice location. Call us. Were eager to help!
When do I have to pay?

Fundraising takes time, and sometimes more than one effort, so weve broken your trip costs into three convenient payments: Early-bird registration: This special offer lets you hold your spot and pay no deposit until September 30th, 2013 Registration After September 30, 2013 A nonrefundable deposit of $50 per person is required at the time of registration to reserve space on your trip. Payment #2 - MARCH 15, 2014 50% of your groups remaining balance is due. Payment #3 - MAY 15, 2014 Your remaining balance is due.
Who can participate?

We offer trips for both junior high and senior high students. No special skills are required.
How many adults should we bring?

Adults (age 21 and above) are a critical part of the experience because they help provide safety, relationships, spiritual guidance, and discipline. Please bring a minimum of one adult for every five youth.
Can Group Mission Trips provide references?

Absolutely! Give us a call (800-385-4545 option 2) and wed be happy to connect you with other youth leaders who have taken teenagers on a Workcamps mission trip.
How are crews organized?

A typical crew is a group of five young people and one adult. Each crew usually includes participants from a variety of churches so that they can meet new people.
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Our youth group has been on a Workcamp mission trip every summer since 2006! Our youth receive the joy of serving others in need while making lifelong friends in the process. god is most definitely at work during the entire week, and it is truly a joy to behold!
DON BROAD YOUTH WORKER IN CARMEL, IN . .
A TYPICAL WOrKCAmPS DAY

6:45 am 7:00 am 8:00 am 8:30 am 3:30 pm 5:00 pm 7:30 pm 8:45 pm 9:30 pm 11:00 pm Rise and shine Hot breakfast Morning program Depart for projects Return to camp Dinner Evening worship program Youth group devotions Free time Lights out
Jake,
Plan now
to give your students a powerful spiritual growth experience next summer!
800-385-4545
or visit
give jake a call
1 mission.
7 destinations.
28
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international
mission trips
Pack your passport and broaden your horizons! Join groups from other churches to live out Gods love internationally as you and your students minister to those in need. You and your youth will make an eternal difference in the lives of people you serve. You may build a church, play games with needy children, help feed entire neighborhoods, or teach good hygiene to people who want to learn. Youll encounter poverty firsthand. Youll see the pain that true need brings. A nd youll better understand the daily struggles facing much of the worlds population. A s your teenagers engage with people in need, theyll develop a heart for serviceand a deeper desire to pursue God. At Lifetree Adventures, well help you plan the most meaningful short-term mission trip your youth group has seen, all with relative ease on your part. Well provide you with everything from itinerary planning to specific service-project plans once youre there. Youll get great fundraising ideas and secrets, all the marketing materials youll need to recruit for your trip,
and even tips on what to pack and what to leave at home. Whether youre traveling to earthquake-stricken Haiti or the rainforests of Peru, well be with you every step of the way to provide meaningful service in the name of Christ. Youre a busy leader, so its our goal to lift some of the weight from your shoulders when it comes to planning an international short-term mission trip. Youre probably not an expert in the country where youll serve, but we are experts in the locale where youll be serving. Well book you and your group to stay in safe, quality accommodations. Well have translators to help you communicate with the local people. We know the transportation system and we understand the local culture and customs. And one of our personal trip leaders will accompany you and your group every step of the way. You and your students will be supported by our welltrained staff as you enjoy faith-building programs that help your teenagers translate their international service adventure into life-changing spiritual growth.
lifetree adventures international trips
call 800-747-2157 or visit lifetreeadventures.com

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dates & locations

Peru 2014
$1,199 per person
(price does not include airfare)
Puerto Rico 2014

$599 per person
Dec. 28, 2013 Jan. 4, 2014 June 7-13 June 21-27
July 5-11 July 19-25 August 16-22
March 8-15 March 15-22 June 14-21 June 21-28
July 5-12 July 12-19 August 2-9
Are you ready to sail into the Amazon rainforest to build a church for a Shipibo tribe? Join Lifetree Adventures as we partner with a local congregation in Peru whose ministry is to bring the Gospel to these remote areas of the jungle. You can be part of a team that makes a dry church building possible for these new Christians. Youll have the opportunity to meet and work alongside these villagers and play games with their children. No special skills are requiredjust bring a willing heart and a desire to serve these amazing people. Youll enjoy delicious and safely prepared food as you stay onboard an airconditioned riverboat for your journey up the Ucayali River. Although Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since 1898, if you serve on one of Lifetree Adventures 2014 mission trips to Caguas Puerto Rico, youll feel youve ventured into a whole new culture. Your impression of Puerto Rico might be of the beautiful port city of San Juan or the lush white beaches, and these impressions are true. Whats also true is that tremendous need exists for the people living 20 miles away from the thriving tourist capital of the Caribbean. Youre invited to serve with other youth groups as we extend the love of Jesus to the people of Puerto Rico. Your labor of love to repair homes, beautify parks, or serve kids with disabilities will leave an eternal impact on the people of Puerto Rico. No passport or special construction skills are required...just a heart of love and hands of service.
Youll grow closer to Christ as you and your friends discover the joy of ministry service at the ends of the earth.
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Honduras 2014
$799 per person
March 15-22
June 21-28
Haiti 2014
$699 per person
Rural Honduras is a place of great beauty as well as significant poverty. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated the community of Choluteca, in southern Honduras. The city has been in recovery mode ever since, and our friends in ministry have been a vital part of the rebuilding effort. They are looking for youth groups to help further many aspects of their ministry, including construction of homes and orphanage buildings, as well as constructing beds for children that do not have one. After a short bus ride, you and your team will spend a week living in quality dorm-style accommodations and extending the love of Christ to the families of Choluteca. Please come with a flexible spirit, a willing heart, and eager hands to extend the love of Christ to the beautiful people of Honduras youll meet. You will experience a great sense of accomplishment as you complete a construction project that will safely house a family for years to come.
March 8-15 March 22-29 June 7-14
June 14 - 21 June 21-28 July 5-12
Haiti still needs your help. Come serve with Lifetree Adventures as we partner with an outstanding ministry that provides critical services for Haitians. Our ministry partner runs vocational training as well as pre-natal, delivery, and post-natal care for Haitian women. They need help cleaning, maintaining, and building facilities that will allow them to deliver this life-saving and eternity-changing care for their neighbors. Were looking for youth groups with a desire to serve the tangible facility needs of our partner so they can continue to reach out in the name of Christ to provide services that matter for Haitians. Youll be inspired by the stories of women who were able to deliver a healthy baby in a clean facility without cost. You and your team will grow closer together as well as closer to God while you meet the urgent needs of our partner.
Costa Rica 2014

$799 per person
June 14 21
July 12 - 19
Costa Rica is both one of the premier tourist destinations of Central America as well as a country wracked with challenging poverty. Many families struggle as they live in shacks in the hillside surrounding the capital. You and your team are invited to serve with one of our ministry partners who are extending love in tangible ways to their neighbors. Your group might build homes in a hillside neighborhood or help in a community co-op organization that provides services for their neighbors as well as translates Scripture into their native tongue. Youll be inspired by the jaw-dropping beauty of the rain forest, but youll be even more moved with love and compassion as you get to know the beautiful Costa Rican people and experience pure life, or as they say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida.
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dates & locations

Alaska 2014
$799 per person
SAmPLE ITINErArY
Saturday: Travel to your destination city and transfer to your lodging for the first night Sunday: Experience worship in a different
Date to Be Determined
Alaska has both breathtaking scenery for tourists and hopedraining challenges for some of its elderly year-round residents. Your youth group is needed to bring hope in the form of landscaping and home-repair projects for older families who are no longer able either physically or financially to care for their own property. Youll build a strong sense of community with your team while you tackle these meaningful service projects. By the end of the week youll be receiving as much blessing as youre giving while you serve in the name of Christ. Please come both to give your heart away and to have your breath taken away by the amazing beauty of both the land and the people of Alaska.
culture and get to know the ministry partner Monday: Begin service projects Tuesday: Continue to serve Wednesday: Serve some more Thursday: Keep serving Friday: Complete your project and have some fun in the afternoon Saturday: Journey home
Canada 2014
$599 per person
Date to Be Determined
Native Americans have a proud heritage, and yet many of our Canadian Native American friends struggle with the basic necessities of life. Join our Lifetree Adventures spring break team as we provide important home repair and maintenance for our neighbors across the border to our north. Well partner with an agency that meets the basic housing needs of Native American residents and provide a fresh coat of paint as well as a big boost of hope to families that often find it hard to hang on. Your team will develop stronger relationships with Christ as well as each other as you serve and share your hope with your new Canadian friends.
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what to know
How do I book my mission trip with Lifetree Adventures? Just call any one of our expert mission trip planners at 800747-2157. Is airfare from North America included in the Lifetree Adventures price? No, the Lifetree Adventures price does NOT include airfare from North America. In-country transportation is provided in the trip price. In Peru, our price includes the airfare from Lima to Pucallpa. What travel documentation do I need? All U.S. citizens need a valid passport to enter a foreign country and return to the United States. It must be valid six months beyond your intended stay and have 1-2 blank pages remaining. A passport is not required for trips to Puerto Rico. Visas are not required for most trips. For full information, please ask your mission trip planner at time of booking. Is there an age requirement? Our trips are family-friendly, so kids can serve along with adults. The minimum age is 12 years old when not accompanied by a parent or guardian. When parents are present, children as young as 7 may attend. Whats your policy on deposits, payments, and cancellations? To reserve space on a trip, a nonrefundable $100 deposit is due when you register. Final payment is due 60 days before departure. Please visit our website for complete details of our cancellation policy. How strenuous are the activities? While some adventures are more physically strenuous than others, most Lifetree Adventures trips will include at least four 8-hour service days in hot and humid environments. Team members should feel comfortable spending multiple days working outdoors and standing most of that time. Temperatures may be hot and humid, so youll want to wear cool clothing and a hat, and drink plenty of water. Service projects consist primarily of construction work, but some trips include ways to help that arent as physically strenuous. Youll have the chance to work at the level of physical exertion with which youre comfortable. What types of meals are served? Most meals will be provided by our ministry partners, who have been carefully trained to prepare safe and nutritious meals for our teams. Are all meals included in the cost? Most meals are covered as part of your registration. Please see the detailed itinerary of your Lifetree Adventures trip for any exceptions. Can you accommodate special dietary needs? Lifetree Adventures will make every reasonable effort to accommodate special dietary needs at no additional charge. Unfortunately, we may not be able to accommodate every situation. Please contact your mission trip planner before your trip to advise us of your needs. Are tips included in the cost? Lifetree Adventures covers gratuities for all included meals and activities, such as tips for porters, housekeepers, drivers, activity providers, local experts, and dining room staff.
Lifetree Adventures Advisor
Robin,
go global!
give robin a call
800-747-2157
or visit
lifetreeadventures.com
why we exist
Group Mission Trips is the Leading Provider of Christian Youth Mission Trips.
We leverage 37 years of expertise to guarantee well-planned, stress-free mission trips for you. Group Mission Trips are designed to give you an opportunity to spend your time in ministrynot administrative details! Our experience in mission trips helps us refine the process and eliminate the hassles of trip planning. We take care of the details so you can focus on what matters most: the spiritual growth of your students before, during, and after the trip.
First and foremost, our mission trips are about spiritual growth. Something exciting happens in these unique environments. Your students will step out of their comfort zones and into a place wherealongside their peersthey put their faith into practical action! Theyll also experience powerful, innovative evening programs. We never take shortcuts that would jeopardize the spiritual impact on your youth. Year after year, our programs consistently challenge and inspire young people to grow in their faith with Jesus Christ. In 1976, Colorado sustained a catastrophic flood. The following year, Thom Schultz, founder of Group Publishing, organized church youth groups from across the country to come to Colorado and help rebuild the homes and lives of the floods victims. More than 300 teenagers and their youth leaders, just like you, arrived in Colorado and worked on over 50 repair projects. That same year, Group Cares (formerly Group Workcamps Foundation) was established as the nonprofit division of Group Publishing. Since then, 300,000 mission trip participants have racked up more than 6 million volunteer hours serving people in need. Since that first event, one thing remains true: We strongly be-
lieve in providing opportunities for teenagers to grow closer to Christ through serving others either in their own backyard or halfway across the globe. Today, Group Mission Trips has grown and offers several unique multi-day mission trip experiences that take place in the spring, summer, or fall:
Week of Hope
Focuses on providing trips that build friendships and meaningful connections while caring for children and the elderly. Through heartfelt experiences and acts of kindness, youth will share the love of Jesus and bring hope to the lives they touch.
Workcamps
Week-long, home-repair mission trips where youth work hard repairing homes for people in need, while building strong relationships with friends and youth leaders.
Lifetree Adventures
Travel to Peru, Haiti, Puerto Rico, or one of several other amazing destinationsand share the love of Jesus globally!
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe the Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God. We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in his virgin birth, in his sinless life, in his death on the cross, in his bodily resurrection, in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in his personal return. We believe people receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life through a relationship with Jesus.
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REGISTER NOW! 1 2 3
Here are your three easy options for registering:
Call 800.385.4545 Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
(Mountain Time)
Register with your credit card on: GroupMissionTrips.com
Fill out the registration form and mail with a deposit check to: Group Cares 1515 Cascade Avenue Loveland, CO 80538
Sign up now and challenge your teenagers with a week of Christian service and fun!
Choose a Group MISSION TRIP
[ ] Workcamps [ ] Week of Hope [ ] Lifetree Adventures
Primary Contact
Name Please Send Correspondence to: Address City Daytime Phone State Email Address Zip [ ] My Church [ ] My Home
Church Information
Church Name [ ] My church has attended a previous Group Mission Trip
Select Your Mission Trip

First Option Second Option Date Date Fee Fee
Check Your Payment Option Below

[ ] Early Bird Registration
This special offer lets you hold your spot and pay no deposit until September 30th, 2013.
Reserve Space
Please register a minimum of 1 adult for every 5 students. If you register both males and females, sign up at least 1 adult male and 1 adult female.
Space for participants under age 21
[ ] Check Enclosed to Group Cares $
+
Space for adult participants
Check #/MO #
=
Total registered participants
[ ] Please contact me for my credit card information to finalize my registration.
Starting September 30, 2013, a $50 nonrefundable deposit is required from each participant. Deposits are not transferrable to camp balances. Please only register the number of participants you intend to bring. However, you can add more participants until the camp reaches its capacity by calling your Registration Team 1-800-385-4545, option 3. Upon registration youll be asked to sign our Terms and Conditions to complete the registration process.
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GROuP MISSION TRIPS c/o Group Cares 1515 Cascade Avenue Loveland, CO 80538
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE BOLINGBROOK, IL PERMIT 1917
PAID
GIVE YOUR STUDENTS A JESuS-CENTErED EXPERIENCE THEYLL NEVEr FOrGET.
To register call (800) 385-4545 or visit GroupMissionTrips.com

2014 Group Mission Trips Catalog

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Youth mission trips

making jesus real every summer

jesus-centered service experiences for teenagers

Inspiring Community Service Trips

Powerful Home Repair Trips

Life-Shaping International Trips

Your youth will encounter jesus

Build meaningful relationships

HERE IS WHAT YOu GET:

Call our group mission trips advisors at

jesus-centered service options for teenagers!

Starting at only $299

CHOOSE FROM OVER

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

Starting at only $399

Starting at only $599

CHOOSE FROM OVER

Haiti, Puerto Rico, Peru, and many other locations

Week of Hope and Workcamps 800-385-4545 Lifetree Adventures 800-747-2157

WHErE DO YOu WANT TO CHANGE LIVES?

Chandler San Diego Mescalero

Community Service Youth Mission Trips

Home Repair Youth Mission Trips

International Mission Trips

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

Minneapolis Racine Kenosha Waterloo Midland

Grand Rapids Hammond Milford Center

Oak Grove St. Louis

Danville Indianapolis Evansville Centralia

Valdosta Pensacola Orlando

Week of Hope and Workcamps 800-385-4545 Lifetree Adventures 800-747-2157

when Will My teenagers Connect With Jesus at a Group Mission Trip?

The Morning Programs

Youth Group Devotions

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

pre-trip curriculum available january 2014

Your students will experience life-changing spiritual growth.

Youll super-size relational time with your group.

Youll shift to a servant-focused ministry.

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

Partner With Group Mission Trips?

Nobody has done youth missions longer.

Nobody gives you more for your money.

Nobody is better at keeping first things first.

Week of Hope and Workcamps 800-385-4545 Lifetree Adventures 800-747-2157

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

community service youth mission trips

Week of hope community service trips

Learn more by calling Bri at 800-385-4545

dates & locations

community service youth mission trips

All Week of Hope locations are offered these seven weeks:

Week of hope community service trips

What about trips for

Choose a Preteen trip during these weeks:

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

Week of hope community service trips

Week of Hope and Workcamps 800-385-4545 Lifetree Adventures 800-747-2157

community service youth mission trips

day camp programs

Week of hope community service trips

Learn more at GroupMissionTrips.com

Week of hope community service Week of hope community service trips