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Short-Term Mission Agencies A-E

In an effort to provide a good starting point for planning short-term mission trips, we put together a list for you with contact information and other short info-bites that will help you narrow your focus when searching for agencies to help you put trips together. Once you've chosen a few mission agencies that look like they'll meet your needs, see their Web sites for more information.

Listed in alphabetical order:
A - E  |  F - N  |  O - T  |  U - Z

Adventures in Missions
6000 Wellspring Trail
Gainesville, GA 30506
Phone: 770-983-1061
Fax: 770-983-5000
E-mail: info@adventures.org
Web site: http://www.adventures.org
Ages: 13-22
Group Size: 2-250
Adult Participation: welcomed, Ratio 1:5 or 6
Trip Locations: over 40 locations worldwide
Trip Duration: 7-30 days
Trip Availability: year round
Types of Service: listening evangelism, outreach, prayer, construction
Skills Needed: none but must be a Christian
Training: yes
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: Matthew 10
Evangelistic Method: disciple making
Hope Students Return With: a desire to become world changers
To Register: process is laid out at our Web site
Cost: $320-$750
Cost Covers: everything except getting there
Distinctives: Teaching participants to follow God's leading on a daily basis, they learn to share their faith, meet felt needs, make personal connections with locals. We are a leader in planning for follow-up after the trip. Over 36,000 have participated in our trips.
In Existence: 11 years

Agua Viva Ministries
PO Box 1488
Lemon Grove, CA 91946
Phone: 619-644-9492
Fax: 619-644-9493
E-mail: program@aguaviva.com
Web site: http://www.aguaviva.com
Ages: All ages
Group Size: 10-200
Adult Participation: welcome, ratio 1:15
Trip Locations: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Trip Duration: 1 1/4 - 2 weeks
Trip Availability: year round
Types of Service: construction, prison, sports, evangelism, drama, VBS, medical, youth camps
Skills Needed: none
Training: student training manual, leaders manual, song cassette, promo video, site set up, on-site training, and daily debriefing
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: Our type of short term mission experience gives students the possibility to first hand test the waters to see if fulltime missions to the ends of the earth is what God is calling them to be as an adult.
Evangelistic Method: door to door, sports, prison, using the example of Christ's love to provoke interest and response
Hope Students Return With: a grasp of what it means to be a world Christian; learning to rely on the Lord
To Register: Registration takes place in November for the following year. Contact office for details.
Cost: approx. $35 per day
Cost Covers: food, dorm housing, hot showers, translators, full prep of construction projects, missionary coordinator
Distinctives: With experienced missions coordinators who love the Lord, group learns by observing someone with experience
In Existence: 25 years

Alternative Missions
19812 W Georgia Ave.
Litchfield Pk., AZ 85340
Phone: 623-853-1197
E-mail: alternativemissions@earthlink.net
Web site: http://fp.premier1.net/alternative
Ages: jr and sr high, college
Group Size: 10-70
Adult Participation: welcome, ratio 1:8
Trip Locations: Cofradia, Nayarit, Mexico, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico, Roatan Bay, Honduras
Trip Duration: 1-2 weeks
Trip Availability: year round
Types of Service: evangelism, open air meetings, social needs, music, church planting, sports, construction, medical/dental
Skills Needed: servant's heart
Training: fund raising and plenty of advice
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: Attempt great things for God..Expect great things from God.
Evangelistic Method: we will do just about anything
Hope Students Return With: taking the lessons learned in a cross cultural situation and believe God for creative answers to local situations
To Register: phone or email to begin the process
Cost: $950-1600 Airfare, $450 per person per week
Cost Covers: plane tickets, food, housing and ground transportation, ministry set-up; NOT included: tourist activities
Distinctives: Groups joining us contribute to a long term project that will bear fruit after they leave (not a shot in the dark approach to missions)
In Existence: 5 years
Et Cetera: We love short term missionaries, but love long/short term missionaries even more!

Amor Ministries
1664 Precision Park Lane
San Diego, CA 92173
Phone: 619-662-1200
Fax: 619-662-1295
E-mail: mtsc@combuildhope.com
Web site: http://www.comebuildhope.com
Ages: any
Group Size: min 6, no max, best 15-18
Adult Participation: welcome, ratio based on discretion of youth leaders
Trip Locations: MEXICO: Ciudad Juarez, Baja California, Puerto Penasco
Trip Duration: no min or max. Typical 4 work days/5 nights
Trip Availability: year round
Types of Service: provide housing for the poor
Skills Needed: none
Training: training materials include Mission Trip Planning manual and house building plans; available on CD ROM
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: AMOR is a non-profit religious organization whose mission is to provide housing for the poor while focusing on the needs of the local church.
Evangelistic Method: We equip the local church in Mexico.
Hope Students Return With: changed lives and wanting to go back to their own communities to make and impact.
To Register: download registration info off our Web site or call the AMOR office
Cost: avg. cost is $145 (for a 4 work day/5 night trip)
Cost Covers: project materials, secured camp, shower water, staff. Group provides: food, drinking water, transportation, camping and cooking gear
Distinctives: Participants experience the same conditions that the families live in all year: bucket showers, dealing with elements, building a house by hand
In Existence: 20 years

Caribbean Lifetime Missions
1108 Airport Blvd. Suite C.
Pensacola, FL 32504
Phone: 850-475-5818
Fax: 850-474-0757
E-mail: info@clmissions.org
Web site: http://www.clmissions.org
Ages: 13 and over
Group Size: 20-100
Adult Participation: welcomed, ratio n/a
Trip Locations: Caribbean (Jamaica, Barbados, Cuba, etc)
Trip Duration: one week to a month are typical
Trip Availability: all year
Types of Service: construction and repair, evangelism, VBS, music and drama
Skills Needed: none
Training: A culture awareness package is sent along with other information they need to know.
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: Look, I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields and see how they are already white for harvest. (John 4:35)
Evangelistic Method: We are committed to spiritual and social counseling. It is our vision to reach out to people of the Caribbean with the Gospel.
Hope Students Return With: a closer relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and a appreciation of what they have and how fortunate they are
To Register: A team questionnaire is sent and, upon its return, a mission package is sent.
Cost: depends on trip logistics
Cost Covers: application fee, food, lodging, transportation, airport tax, tips, gratuity, recreation day
Distinctives: ground staff in the country, there is no language barrier
In Existence: since 1990

Center for Student Missions
PO Box 900
Dana Pt., CA 92629-0900
Phone: 949-246-8200
Fax: 949-248-7753
E-mail: info@csm.org
Web site: http://www.csm.org
Ages: junior high - adult groups, min. age 12 years
Group Size: 7-120
Adult Participation: welcome, ratio 1:4 or 5
Trip Locations: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington DC
Trip Duration: 3-7 days
Trip Availability: year round
Types of Service: relational ministry, working in soup kitchens, rescue missions, prisons, etc
Skills Needed: willingness to serve
Training: pre-trip packet and also a post-trip follow up packet
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: to provide an effective urban mission and service experience for students that transforms lives, advances the church, and honors Christ
Evangelistic Method: relational evangelism through serving people
Hope Students Return With: desire to take what they have learned and done in the inner city back to their local churches and communities. They begin too see how much we all have in common, rather than how different we are; how much serving others can mean and do for both those who are served and those doing the serving.
To Register: application can be found online at csm.org
Cost: $61 per night
Cost Covers: food, lodging, scheduling and staffing. NOT INCLUDED transportation
Distinctives: We only do inner city relational ministry.
In Existence: 19 years

Christian Team Ministries
1025 Grange Road
Meadow Vista, CA 95722
Phone: 530-878-0697
E-mail: nvogt@christianteam.org
Web site: http://www.christianteam.org
Ages: high school and older
Group Size: all sizes
Adult Participation: welcome, ratio 1:3
Trip Locations: Philippines
Trip Duration: 2-3 weeks
Trip Availability: summer
Types of Service: athletic ministry, as well as school/youth/church/orphanage
Skills Needed: a heart to serve, one year high school completed (unless traveling with parents)
Training: both at our office and through internet
Denomination: multi-denominational
Philosophy: The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send workers into his harvest field.
Evangelistic Method: Lifestyle evangelism is our priority.
Hope Students Return With: a greater appreciation of the privilege given to them to be an ambassador for Christ. Many past participants now in full time mission work.
To Register: submit application, references, written testimony, agreement with statement of faith and practice
Cost: $1200-$1300
Cost Covers: airfare, food, local travel expenses
Distinctives: We live and work with the people in their homes and communities.
In Existence: 26 years

Dayspring Outreach Ministries
PO Box 726
Duenweg, MO 64841
Phone: 417-781-3211
Fax: 417-781-2080
E-mail: dspring@greencis.net
Web site: http://www.dayspring-outreach.org
Ages: teen groups, teens without groups, adults
Group Size: any group 1 or more
Adult Participation: welcomed, ratio 1:10
Trip Locations: Northern Mexico
Trip Duration: 7-10 days
Trip Availability: year round
Types of Service: construction projects, church planting, children's ministry, drama, door-to-door evangelism
Skills Needed: heart of a servant, desire to be used by God
Training: materials sent to youth leaders, as well as on-site training
Denomination: non-denominational
Philosophy: We are convinced that the responsibility for evangelizing the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ is the imperative task of all Christians.
Evangelistic Method: desire to reach people for Christ, but also to be involved in the discipleship process
Hope Students Return With: a new vision for missions; a realization that the Lord has a special plan for their life and that He is ready to use them; an understanding of the blessings that God has placed on our lives and the responsibility we carry for the world because of those blessings.
To Register: application form with picture, liability release from, medical release, permission form for those under 18
Cost: $425-$550
Cost Covers: food, lodging, transportation in Mexico, project materials, Mexican visa fee
Distinctives: real life ministry experience with a ministry that has a long term vision of evangelism and church planting in Mexico, trips to the interior of Mexico, not just border regions
In Existence: 15 years

Destination Summit New Tribes Mission
1000 E. First Street
Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: 800-233-GOYE
Fax: 561-365-0224
E-mail: summit@ntm.org
Web site: http://www.ntm.org/summit
Ages: 15 and older
Group Size: up to 35
Adult Participation: adults/youth pastor welcome, ratio depends on team
Trip Locations: 17 countries among remote tribes including Papua, New Guinea, Mexico, Philippines, Brazil, Bolivia, Mongolia, and Serbia
Trip Duration: from one week to six and a half weeks
Trip Availability: summer and winter
Types of Service: Our primary focus is to coordinate cross-cultural exposure. We aid in the work of tribal evangelism by tackling the physical side of work.
Skills Needed: willingness to serve
Training: We send out handbooks when a participant is accepted to a team. Trip begins with orientation.
Denomination: none
Philosophy: We target young people for short term trips so we can encourage them to make the decision to choose missions as a life long career.
Evangelistic Method: New Tribes Missions translates key Bible passages into tribal language so as to teach tribes chronologically through the Bible and bring them to the point where they can choose God.
Hope Students Return With: a first hand sense of man's need for the gospel and surrender their lives to fulfill that need.
To Register: fill out application forms, select four people you know well and have them fill in confidential reference forms, and submit for approval
Cost: $1200-$5600
Cost Covers: travel from orientation site, living expenses on the field, and return to the orientation site
Distinctives: While we are glad to have work done, it is incidental. We are more interested in challenging others to fulfill God's command to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
In Existence: over 20 years
Et Cetera: two programs available: ASSIST for those 15 and older, and INTERFACE for those 17 and older

Listed in alphabetical order:
A - E  |  F - N  |  O - T  |  U - Z