First, pray about your interest and desire to consider such a trip. Consider your spiritual, physical, emotional and social levels of preparation by completing the "Am I Ready?" questionnaire. On the Global Impact page, click on the trips in which you’re interested. Along with details about the serve trip, you’ll find an online application, dates for mandatory trip training and a link to complete Safe Gatherings. Safe Gatherings is mandatory for anyone working with children, youth and vulnerable adults, because serve trip participants have opportunities to develop relationships with persons of all ages. It is required by both the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church and by Resurrection.

Yes. If you have a willing heart and are open to a relationship with Jesus Christ, you are welcome to register for a Global Impact Ministries serve trip. All criteria and expectations that exist for Church of the Resurrection members apply to non-members, with the addition of a reference from a current or past pastor, from a Resurrection member, or from your employer.

We have multigenerational domestic serve trips for families with children as young as 5 to join. Our international trip age requirements vary. Please check the specific serve trips on the Global Impact page for specific locations and age requirements.

No special skills or experience are required. Most trips have a variety of roles and responsibilities; even medical teams need support people. The ability to connect with members of our partner congregations or people in their communities (even with the help of a translator) is as important as any other skill you have. Every team member should expect to be in "learning mode," ready to do what is asked of them by the local foreman. The goal is to come alongside, to learn and to provide genuine, loving support to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Serve teams that are prepared are more successful and have a richer experience than other serve teams. Successful serve trips depend upon the team cooperation and bonding which must begin before departure. The Community Team Preparation is vital to this process and mandatory for all team members. If you’re unable to attend the Community Team Preparation meeting on the date shown on the trip web page, please choose an alternative trip with a training date you can attend.

In most cases, yes, it is possible to add personal time to the end of your trip. Because we require that all teams travel together to their serve destination, adding personal time is only possible at the end of a trip and the participant is responsible for 100 percent of the additional expense. Requests for an extension are considered on a case-by-case basis.  Please contact your team leader or Global Impact Ministries if you're considering an extension.  Be aware that extending a trip could result in the trip becoming non-deductible.  Consult with your tax professional to learn more.

Resurrection reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any serve trip without notice. Each participant should consider purchasing cancellation insurance, which helps in recovering some of the cost of a cancelled trip. Although rare, a trip most likely would be cancelled due to one of the following conditions:

• Travel conditions or conditions in the destination city or country are deemed to be extremely unsafe. We rely on information and recommendations from the U.S. Department of State, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and our ministry partners in making this decision.
• The serve trip fails to achieve the minimum number of team members required to make the project feasible.

There are risks involved in any form of travel, and Christian service is no exception. Every precaution is taken to provide safe travel, shelter, food and water for our serve teams, beginning with information provided ahead of time in the required training. International Serve Trip Participants are also encouraged to review information available online from the State Department regarding travel, as well as current physical and medical precautions.

In Philippians 2:1-18, the Apostle Paul offers his perspective on Christian service and sacrifice. In the end each of us must decide for ourselves when to say, “Here I am, send me.”

Yes, each team member is provided trip accident insurance through the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church. This insurance does not cover your travel costs or the trip fee.

Each trip is unique and the most important principle for any successful serving endeavor is flexibility. Nevertheless, a daily and/or weekly schedule is determined before each team departs, and your team leader will share the schedule with you during trip preparation meetings. Every effort is made to include an opportunity to worship with members of the host church, to participate in their regular activities, to play with children, to learn about community life, and to end each day with a team debriefing and devotion.

The following costs are included in Domestic and International Serve Trips:

• All meals at the serve trip destinations
• Accommodations
• Medical insurance for the duration of the serve trip (supplementary for those with primary insurance)
• Contribution to host projects
• Trip-related cultural events (museum entry fees, etc.)
• Other items as specified in your team information

The following costs are included in International Serve Trips Only:

• Translators
• In-country transportation
• All necessary visa processing costs (if applicable)

The following costs are not included in the price of serve trips:

• Airfare
• Airport fees and departure taxes
• Passport and passport photos
• Immunizations
• Additional travel insurance (including cancellation insurance)
• Optional trip add-ons
• Spending money for snacks, trinkets, gifts, etc.
• Film or development of photos
• Loss of your ticket
• Loss of luggage
• Vandalism
• Any medical attention requiring payment
• Any additional item not listed in the previous question

Yes, Resurrection does have a scholarship committee that will evaluate applications for need-based scholarships. All applications will be anonymous. To apply, fill out a Scholarship Application and Reference Form. All scholarship recipients are still obligated to raise funds for their trip. Please refer to our fundraising guidelines to assist with personal fundraising. All of this information is available on our Scholarships page.

• Hepatitis A and B
• Tetanus/Diphtheria Booster
• Measles Immunity
• Polio Booster
• Typhoid Vaccine
• Rabies, if concerned about animal contact
• Malaria Prevention (medications are country-specific)

Other Resources

• CDC website or hotline: 1 (877) FYI-TRIP
• Johnson County Health Department website or (913) 826-1200
• Your own county’s health department