momofkhm Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 emphasize family. I would like to do a family mission trip. Our church doesn't sponsor trips for youth and I've got one in high school now, another will be next year. And I've never been on one. But my ds is only 10. I googled "family mission trips" last night and when I got into several to see what they actually were, the ages started at 12 or 7th grade. How can you advertise it as "family" when you're leaving out the youngest ones?? Now I completely understand that they need cut off ages. And I understand that the younger they allow children, the more it will impact how much someone else can do. I do understand that! But if you are going to say family mission trip, don't you think they'd go a tad younger? So anyway, does anyone know of an organization that I can look into that does offer family trips for kids who aren't in middle school yet? OH, right now I don't necessarily care if it's inside the US or not. It would more depend on cost and when. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 emphasize family. I would like to do a family mission trip. Our church doesn't sponsor trips for youth and I've got one in high school now, another will be next year. And I've never been on one. But my ds is only 10. I googled "family mission trips" last night and when I got into several to see what they actually were, the ages started at 12 or 7th grade. How can you advertise it as "family" when you're leaving out the youngest ones?? Now I completely understand that they need cut off ages. And I understand that the younger they allow children, the more it will impact how much someone else can do. I do understand that! But if you are going to say family mission trip, don't you think they'd go a tad younger? So anyway, does anyone know of an organization that I can look into that does offer family trips for kids who aren't in middle school yet? OH, right now I don't necessarily care if it's inside the US or not. It would more depend on cost and when. Thanks! We've never been on a missions trip individually or as a family. However, I'd very much like to. Have you contacted Christian organizations that may steer you in the right direction? BGEA, Focus on Family, others? Also, the large churches, like ours here in Charlotte, that have large missions departments/programs? Keep us posted. Sheryl <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyshoe Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) Are you wanting a domestic or international experience? A short-term mission (1-2 weeks) or something more like a year? Edited January 21, 2011 by Staceyshoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Our family had in incredible experience in Guatemala last year. Dd was 12yo and ds was 8yo. Pm me with some questions and I'll try to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 If you all want to come to Guatemala, I can set you up! Just let me know the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 A number of families (with kids as young as 6) have gone to Thailand to work with children who are Burmese refugees. The organization really values families and the children in the families are able to get involved in real work in Thailand. http://imaginethailand.org/volunteer-short/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Are you wanting a domestic or international experience? A short-term mission (1-2 weeks) or something more like a year? Domestic or international will depend on price. We all have passports and, in my naivete?, that's the biggest hurdle to international missions. Short term - one week right now. DH will soon get 5 days off for volunteer work. I've been wanting to do a family mission trip for a couple years but didn't want it to take vacation away. Now it won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 We are taking a 'family' missions trip of sorts this summer. The 'family' will be there at least 2 weeks-- I may be there a few extra. Youngest dd will be 9.5 yrs old. Oldest dd 20 and Dh will also join me. (Dd 18 does not want to go so will stay home and 'take care of the farm'). I will be doing teacher training in Uganda and we will be doing all sorts of 'charity' work with orphans, homeless, widows... We will get to experience extreme comfort and extreme poverty (especially in Nairobi). We will go on a safari in Kenya led by some men of the Masai Mara tribe. This fall we participated in a 'bead party' fundraiser for a program called Bead For Life. While in Uganda we will get to visit some of the beaders in a 'beading village'. We may team up with a few other organizations --but due to youngest dd's age most of our plans will have to be somewhat independent (but we have many friends who live there and lots of contacts since I've been there before). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamarley Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 This may help: http://www.shorttermmissions.com/?STM=1ffed1a651a87107451afbeefbdfd456 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narrow4life Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 One idea would be to consider some ministries you enjoy and contact them to see if they could use your family. Maybe International Alert Academy could use a family for service type projects on location. Maybe Gospel for Asia could benefit from your family coming in to help take care of a family that volunteers for them but is having some major medical issues or injury. Maybe Focus on the Family is going to be doing a city wide outreach for spring break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 This may help: http://www.shorttermmissions.com/?STM=1ffed1a651a87107451afbeefbdfd456 That looks very interesting. Have you actually used the site, or know someone who has? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamarley Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 That looks very interesting. Have you actually used the site, or know someone who has? I have not. We're searching for a new church home and the church we visited last Sunday talked about this site. Sorry I don't have more info on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 If you all want to come to Guatemala, I can set you up! Just let me know the details. I would talk with Dayle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 If you all want to come to Guatemala, I can set you up! Just let me know the details. I am interested! We have run into the exact same issue as the OP....our church does missions trips but none to where we feel led. All the other places we have checked into have a minimum age of 13 (our youngest is almost 10). My dh spent a year in Guatemala and that is his heart...my kids want to go there as well. I don't think we can do it this year, although we might, but next year definitely. Should we wait until it's closer or is there something we should be doing now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 In addition to talking with Dayle, which I'd also recommend, look into YWAM's (Youth With A Mission) King's Kids program. They are all over the world, and welcome kids from age 8 and up. They are geared for families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 If you all want to come to Guatemala, I can set you up! Just let me know the details. Dayle is the one who set us up, and it was truly incredible. We did Spanish language instruction in the mornings with a local Spanish language service (we still do lessons with them via Skype), then spent afternoons volunteering various places. We had never met Dayle before--she and her family are truly lovely. We'd love to go back sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Youthworks has multi-generational trips in the US. http://www.youthworks.com/trips/family.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks ladies! Now that I have places to look, dh and I will look into it and make plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Wow! This has been on my agenda and heart for a while. Thank you for all of your great ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 (edited) Talking with Dayle is a fantastic idea! Another thought: even if your church doesn't sponsor youth trips, does your church sponsor any missionaries? If so, you could find out who they support and where they're located and then go from there on visiting them. I totally understand wanting to do a family trip. Dh is on his first missions trip even as I type - he's in Nairobi, Kenya right now. He is doing this trip in part, because he has never been on one (I've been on several) and we would like to take our kids to Peru where I have a very good friend who is a missionary. He wanted to have some kind of international trip under his belt before taking his family on one. When we go to Peru will determine whether we take the littlest one. If it's within the next 2-3 years, we will leave him with grandpa and grandma. But I would have no hesitation on taking a 7yo and up. Edited January 22, 2011 by Janna spelling errors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'd love to do a mission trip. We've discussed it and will probably try to plan one once ds is 8 or so. My church sponsors Casas por Christo which is like Habitat for Humanity, but in Juarez, Mexico. That would be the most affordable, I just don't want to go to that area right now with my kids. I'll definitely keep Guatemala in mind!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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