Information:
Date: SPRING BREAK- 4/4 (Saturday) to 4/11 (Saturday)
Location: Nashville, TN
Mission Organization: Center for Student Missions (www.csm.org)
Cost: To be determined. It will be less than last year.
Details: We are only able to take 12 youth to Nashville, sign up ASAP.
Cost: $300

Requirements:
This mission trip is for mature high school and middle school believers. It is only for students who are actively involved with the church, (unless there are mitigating circumstances that prevent them from doing so), because an important theme within the New Testament is being connected to the body of Christ and growing together. An important component of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is baptizing believers, so youth must also be baptized OR DESIRE TO BE BAPTIZED. Participants must be mature enough to take care of, lead, and teach while setting an example.
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***NEW*** middle school and high school students must attend 2 monthly whirlwind visits in order to attend this mission trip.***

Activity:  
The primary focus of this trip is on the homeless and impoverished community in Nashville. We will be working in soup kitchens, community gardens, and other places.

Purpose:
Short-term mission trips are not for you to cross something off a spiritual checklist. Neither are the impacts of short-term mission trips limited to the trip itself. Mission trips are NOT designed to help those who feel distant from God grow closer to God. We go on mission trips because we desire to see others changed by the power and Word of God. Short-term mission trips are not about those going on the trip. During a mission trip, the participants experience engaging in ministry and seeing a different lifestyle. We go on these mission trips to wholeheartedly serve God with open eyes to see what God may want to teach us. These may take the form of God laying on the heart a desire to serve as a foreign missionary, or to minister to the local community, and everything in between. Short-term mission trips are catalysts for God to work a change in our lives, both in long term goals and immediate lifestyle improvements, which will last longer than the trip.

Rationale:
We do have poverty here in Atlanta, but going away to Nashville serves some functions that are not as easily fulfilled here.
There are three components to this mission trip:
(1) First, we live in the city – experiencing firsthand the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of urban life. Our housing is located in the heart of Nashville at an old Baptist church. We also eat at local ethnic restaurants and discover the delights of Salvadorian, Middle Eastern, Filipino, Indian, African–American, and other cuisines.
(2) Second, we learn about the city – unique issues and problems that city dwellers face and what God is doing to foster and further His Kingdom in the city, through the indigenous organizations that operate on the front lines of urban ministry. Throughout this trip, we are given opportunities to talk with people about their lives as well as about Nashville; its strengths, and its areas of need. Most nights, we eat at various cultures represented in Nashville by dining at some of the best family-owned ethnic restaurants. Each day concludes with a time of “debrief”, where we reflected on what we experienced, seen, and heard
(3) Third, we become part of the solutions for the city – by offering your time, energy and sweat as we support these indigenous "ministry sites." CSM plugs us into a variety of hands-on ministry opportunities to ensure that our time in the city is spent supplying substantive help to God’s people in the city. Most days, we meet, learn, and serve at 2 different ministry sites. Some of the sites may have work projects, while others will be more relational (listening to someone’s story, playing with children, etc.).

Specifically for Nashville, we hope God will move you with compassion for those that have been hard hit, either from their own actions or the actions of others, and live in poverty.

Training dates:
- Sunday, March 1st, 1-3pm
- Sunday, March 15th, 1-3pm
- Sunday, March 29th, 1-3pm
During these training sessions, we will have team bonding activities and informative sessions to prepare us for what God is already doing in Nashville. It is important that we prepare well for this mission trip, training sessions are mandatory. If a participant cannot make a training session, a makeup session will be scheduled.

Information
Date: 5/24 (Sunday) – 5/30 (Saturday)
Location: Azalea Place: 3500 Chamblee Dunwoody Way, Atlanta, GA 30341
Mission Organization: Whirlwind Ministries
Cost: FREE

Requirements:
This mission trip is for mature high school and middle school believers. It is only for students who are actively involved with the church, (unless there are mitigating circumstances that prevent them from doing so), because an important theme within the New Testament is being connected to the body of Christ and growing together. An important component of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is baptizing believers, so youth must also be baptized OR DESIRE TO BE BAPTIZED. Participants must be mature enough to take care of, lead, and teach while setting an example.
- - -
*** NEW *** middle school and high school students must attend 1 monthly whirlwind visits in order to attend this mission trip.***  

Activity:  
The primary focus of this trip is ministering to everyone who lives in this lower-income, immigrant community. Most of these families do not have good exposure to the Gospel message of Jesus Christ since a lot of the families are culturally Catholic, Muslim or Hindu.

Rationale:
We already have VBS and children’s ministry at ACCCN, so why should we go to Whirlwind?
(1) Children at Whirlwind are a different demographic. Most of the children that attend ACCCN have nearly identical backgrounds to the youth. Spending time at Whirlwind lets the youth see a way of life and upbringing that is very different, including race, culture, and socioeconomic level.
(2) Related to the above point, we stay in living conditions that are very different from what the youth are used to. It helps them see how fortunate they are and how much of what they have are luxuries, not necessities. Staying in these conditions helps them realize how little they truly need and have compassion for those that lack it.
(3) Living at the site gives the youth a chance to have a focused experience. They are away from Facebook, school friends, TV, video games, and other parts of their regular lives. This keeps them less distracted so that their minds are focused on God and the mission during the trip. Lessons are better retained and God can continue to build upon the previous day’s experiences.
(4) Dwelling together as a group helps build unity and camaraderie. Most students enjoy each other’s company in the context of school, church, or a hangout. On a mission trip, students live with each other and can share and learn from other areas of their lives, including prayer, sharing family-style meals, shared ministry, and morning devotionals.
 
Training Dates:  
- Sunday, May 3th, 1-3pm
- Sunday, May 10st, 1-3pm
- Saturday, May 23th, 10:00am - 3:30pm
During these training sessions, the participants will learn the curriculum (Jesus Storybook Bible, The Biggest Story ABC, etc.), plan, and practice sharing the Gospel. It is important that we prepare well for this mission trip, training sessions are mandatory. If a participant cannot make a training session, a makeup session will be scheduled.

Information:
Dates: July 16th - Aug 1

Cost: The total cost is estimated at a total of around $2,300 per person. All team members are responsible for raising the needed support. Any surplus funds will be left with the VGM to support their ministry.

What: Summer Bilingual Camp, in which we partner with local elementary and middle schools to teach English and share the gospel.

Why: Bring the hope of Jesus to the underprivileged children in South Taiwan’s villages. We partner with local churches who will disciple the children we serve after we leave.

When: Two-week Bilingual camp. We will be serving at two different schools, each for one week.  

Where: Villages in South Taiwan. In which children are often forced to raise themselves.

Who: HS Senior and up. Teams of 6-8 people.

How: Pair up with Taiwan’s College Teams to teach English and share God’s Love

Requirements:
This mission trip is for mature believers who are high school seniors (those who have just graduated from high school... not rising 12th graders) or older. It is only for students who are actively involved with the church, (unless there are mitigating circumstances that prevent them from doing so) because an important theme within the New Testament is being connected to the body of Christ and growing together. An important component of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is baptizing believers, so participants must also be baptized. Participants must be mature enough to take care of, lead, and teach while setting an example.

Preparation:
Will be a mixture of online video calls and in-person meetings (TBD).

The purpose of the essays is not necessarily to see if you have the right or wrong answer (unless your answer is that wrong), but to gauge the mindset of the applicants. I just want to get a feel for where you are in your walk with the Lord. It will help me see what needs to be worked on during the training sessions before leave. I’m not looking for the academic, standardized test answers, so be truthful and honest. If you have written these essays before, it’s been a while since the last mission trip. Write it again and see how you have changed.

I permit my child to attend the mission trip they selected, sponsored by Atlanta Chinese Christian Church (ACCC) and Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North (ACCCN). I understand and agree that I fully assume any and all risks for my said child’s safety and absolve ACCCN from any and all responsibility and liability in the event of any injury, loss, and/or damage of person and/or property which my child may suffer while attending this trip.