URGENT UPDATE: MARCH 13, 2020
It is with very heavy hearts…seriously my heart has felt like there are 10lbs of rocks in it. We have decided to suspend/postpone our trip. We know that Carmichael is supposed to build the church in ICA, but at this time it isn’t safe for us to go with all of the travel restrictions and unsettled governments of the world and the risk of quarantines. The WHO designation of pandemic has made significant changes in how insurance policies are handled in the case of any of our volunteers falling ill. This is not the end of our project just a very sad and unfortunate pause.
Welcome to the home page for our 2020 Mission Trip to Peru. On this page you will be able to find everything you need to start planning for the trip. Below you’ll see an application button. Please fill out an application for every member of your family coming on the trip. Yes we want this to be a trip for almost all ages. We have projects for children (approx. 6 and up) and senior adults in good health. Families are welcome, college/university students, young professionals, pretty much everyone.
The trip is schedule for March 17-30, 2020. Yes we will be going to Machu Picchu on our excursion but our main project will be building a large school in the province of Ica (see map below.) We are estimating the cost for the trip to be $1500. That cost is all inclusive* and will cover all of your transportation, insurance, food and lodging. The only thing not included in your cost is any souvenirs you might want to purchase.
We look forward to doing this mission together as we celebrate, grow and serve together.
*UPDATE(October 2, 2019): Please pray for our trip and the flights. Right now flights are ranging from $1100-$1200. This may make the trip cost more than we thought, more updates to come.
*UPDATE (November 19, 2019): We have purchased 50 tickets for the trip that came in at under $1000. We also have some great pictures that we will be posting.
Money Due dates:
November 15: $250 per person
December 15: $500 total per person due
February 15: Full amount due
College/University Students:
As stated above we want you on our trip! But we also realize that it’s finals week for many of you. We are going to be asking that you fundraise (go fund me, etc) for your own flight. The cost for the trip then w/o the flight will be $800 which is what you w ill be sending to the church. We ask that you partner with each other an not fly alone. Also please arrive by the 20th of March. There are daily busses from Lima to Ica that are safe affordable, and nice. You will need to grab that bus on your own. We see this as a wonderful international travel adventure for you guys 😉
The Mission trip planning team
Documents
Peru2020 Carm Fundraising Letter
(Please complete by January 15, 2020)Medical Review Form
(Please Complete by January 15, 2020)Tetanus Waiver
FAQ’s
Here is a list of questions you may have about the upcoming trip, and as questions are more frequently asked we may add to this page.
Do I have to be a Carmichael Church member/attender to come on this trip?
No, this is open to anybody that is willing to work hard and serve.
What does my Mission Trip money pay for?
We are providing, Airfare, building materials, food, lodging and at least 1 day of vacation fun. Some of this is due to our partnership with Maranatha.
I can’t afford the cost of the trip but I want to go, what should I do?
We realize that this is expensive, especially when considering taking a whole family. At this time we will do not have scholarships available, but as the trip gets rolling there will be fundraising efforts. We also have seen success in writing letters or starting a ‘go fund me’ campaign online. There are lots of creative ways to earn/raise money for the trip. Also on or forms page you can see a sample fundraising letter. We encourage you to personalize it as much as possible.
How do I pay for this trip?
The easiest method is to write a check payable to Carmichael SDA Church and make sure the memo section of the check says Mission Trip Participant. If you want you can also put account 714.1 on your check. Check with your tax professional about how to best get a tax deduction for your trip. With all the new tax laws we don’t feel comfortable giving you tax advice. Also, if you have someone donating money for you to go on the trip your name cannot be on the check or they won’t get a deduction so please have them write the check to the church and send it with the fundraising letter signed by you. Donors must realize that if you’re account is already covered their donation will go to cover others who need assistance.
It sure would be nice to be able to pay for this trip online. Can I do that?
You can make a donation to either the Mission Trip building fund (Acct. 714) or the Mission trip participant (Acct 714.1) online by using the other space on the giving website www.carmsda.org/give.
What will we be doing on the trip?
Our main project is building a large school building. This will take the majority of our time and people. We are also exploring doing some medical/dental/vision/health work depending on who signs up to go on the trip. (Update after the site visit: The local pastors have told us that what they need most is simple healthful living programs) The final thing we plan to do is a children’s ministry while we are there.
Since this is a family trip, what will my kids be doing and is there an age limit?
No, we are not setting a specific age limit. The goal of the trip is to serve and not to take a family vacation or babysit your kids. We are asking that you use your judgement. Much of the work will be done on the construction site and there will be places for kids to serve there. We also see younger children helping our with the VBS and children’s ministry program. For all participants we strongly encourage them to get medical clearance from the Doctor if they have any questions about being able to serve on the trip.
Is this all work or do we get some time to play?
We are planning several opportunities for doing tourist activities including shopping, and of course Machu Picchu. Also each evening there will be time for recreation and games at the place we are staying. Many people play card/board games and we also have a worship each morning and evening.
Can I book my own airfare?
We believe that the best experience you will get is travelling with the rest of the team down to Peru on the flights we have booked. However we also realize that some are coming from other parts of the country/California. If you do book your own airfare you will be charged $800 for the trip and we are strongly encouraging that you arrive on March 17 with the rest of the team. Getting our start date together makes a big difference on the cohesiveness of our trip. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask.
What if I signed up but can’t go?
Once we receive your deposit for the trip it is non-refundable. There are expenses that we have to pay for and by signing up we are counting on you coming. We do have a wait list for this trip. If somebody fills your spot we may be able to issue you a refund. However any monies that have come in to help with your participation from other individuals will go to others participating on the trip.
Basic Itinerary: as of November 18, 2020 (Things change)
Tuesday, March 17: Group flight leaves from *SFO at 6:00AM PST, Arrive in Lima 11PM, Go to convent for the night.
Wednesday, March 18: Travel to Ica via charter buses. (All participants except college students should be on these buses no matter what flight option you choose), Get settled in Ica, Hotel, possible work site visit.
Thursday/Friday, March 19-20; Work site for all participants.
Sabbath, March 21: Worship services at different churches throughout Ica. Afternoon will be an excursion and nature hike.
Sunday-Wednesday, March 22-25: Worksite and VBS, other community programs
Thursday, March 26: Work most of day, finish VBS and community programs, take bus back to ICA, stay at convent
Friday, March 27: Travel to Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Sabbath, March 28: Worship service and hike to Maccu Piccu, then back to Sacred Valley for night.
Sunday, March 29: Travel back to Cusco, Fly to Lima, Head to airport for trip home
Monday, March 30: Group plane leave Lima 12:30AM local time. Arrives back in *SFO 1:30PST.
*All participants are responsible for getting to and from SFO.
Email Updates
Incase you signed up late here are the email updates we have sent out:
(Sent October 3, 2019)
Hey early adopters! So glad you are signed up for the Peru trip. This weekend we are starting our full throttle push for the trip. So this email is just a warm up for the many you’ll be getting in the future!
Hey everyone,
Greetings Missionaries!
- Info
- Facebook page
- Let me know if you are traveling separately
- December 7 Q&A after church