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"Let us not love in word or speech, but in truth and deed." - 1 John 3:18
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Our Alternative Spring Break Service Trips seek to:
- To provide time to be involved to cross-cultural ministry, especially among the most in need;
- To provide a time to live with experienced missionaries from different communities;
- To provide a brief experience of the values of community living including nightly Bible studies;
- To provide the opportunity to learn about making an impact through immersion service;
- To provide the opportunity to reflect on life choices through an experience of mission
- To provide time for prayerful reflection about that experience
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
One of our trips will be to Wyoming County, West Virginia in the Appalachia Mountains for work with the Passionist Volunteers. Because the Appalachia region of the United States falls victim to economic hardship and agrarian poverty, this area is ideal for outreach ministry. Participants in this trip reach out to the impoverished, the elderly, and the youth of the region.
The other trips are in partnership with Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the southern part of the United States. Past trips have gone to Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, & Tennessee. The main focus of Habitat for Humanity is to make adequate housing a matter of conscience and action. On such trips, participants work in hands-on construction and renovation. From building trusses to framing houses or putting up drywall to staining wood trim, groups experience the rigors and joys of providing shelter. Habitat is more than building homes; it is building hope.
| Basics of Appalchia | Basics of Habitat |
| Packing List | Itinerary |
Check out the spring break service trip photo galleries...
West Virginia 2004 | Alabama 2005 | Arkansas 2005
+BASICS of APPALACHIA+
ON SITE: We will be working in many different places. We may be involved in a variety of jobs; including, cleaning, painting, landscaping, -- you do NOT need any previous experience to be helpful, you will learn in partnership with experienced volunteers, sometimes simply visiting and listening are the best jobs done, an open heart and willing hands necessary.
AT HOME: Our "home" has full bathroom facilities (i.e. showers), sleeping rooms, a kitchen.
EVENING REFLECTION & COMMUNITY TIME: Each evening after preparing and sharing dinner together, time will be spent reflecting on the day's work and where God's presence was made known. This is a time to gauge how we are doing as servants of Christ to the people we are helping and to each other.
+BASICS of HABITAT+
ON SITE: We will be working on new construction homes. We may be involved in a variety of jobs; including, siding, roofing, putting in new windows, painting -- you do NOT need any previous experience to be helpful, you will learn in partnership with retired carpenters and handymen, an open heart and willing hands necessary.
AT HOME: Our "home" is a church which has a gym for our use with locker rooms for our showering needs, large sleeping rooms, a kitchen with full appliances.
EVENING REFLECTION & COMMUNITY TIME: Each evening after preparing and sharing dinner together, time will be spent reflecting on the day's work and where God's presence was made known. This is a time to gauge how we are doing as servants of Christ to the people we are helping and to each other.
+SUGGESTED PACKING LIST+
- Sleeping bag / bedding
- Pillow
- Towels and other toiletries
- Medicines
- Work clothes & shoes (boots if possible)
- Bible
- Hiking / play clothes & shoes
- Windbreaker or hooded sweatshirt
- Camera & film
- Sunglasses / sunscreen
- Journal (to record your experiences in)
- Work gloves (optional)
- Hat (optional)
- Flashlight (optional)
- Alarm clock
- Money (meals on the road / souvenirs)
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+EXAMPLE ITINERARY (APPROXIMATE)+
- SATURDAY -- meet at 6:30 a.m. in the Newman Center parking lot, depart by 7:00 a.m., travel to our site, check-in and explore our new home.
- SUNDAY -- go to church: our host's service, rest of the day exploring our area and the local sights, group reflection time.
- MONDAY -- on work site by 8 am, lunch at noon, quit for day at 5 PM, home to clean up, dinner, group reflection time, free time.
- TUESDAY -- same as Monday.
- WEDNESDAY -- same as Monday.
- THURSDAY -- same morning schedule, free afternoon for outdoor activities and sightseeing trip, usually dinner out.
- FRIDAY -- same as Monday (only sad because it is the last day), clean up and pack.
- SATURDAY -- depart by 7:30 a.m., arrive in Newman's parking lot at 10 p.m., crash at Newman or new (or old) friends' apartments.
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2005 Newman Catholic Student Center, DeKalb, IL |
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