The Spring 2017 joint missions trip is two mission trips in one. The month of this trip is spent serving with the Children’s Institute. The Children’s Institute is a series of three Christian camps held in three different locations across Taiwan. This part of the trip will introduce you to teaching in Taiwan and will give you the opportunity to experience Christian ministry across Taiwan.
The second part of this trip is about 5 months long and is a normal VOICE Missions trip. This means that after you finish the Children’s Institute trip you will be assigned to a VOICE Missions team location.
Program Schedule Overview
In mid-January, the new team members will fly to Taiwan. After a few days of training they will start their first Children’s Institute camp.
The VOICE Missions Spring semester starts in mid-February. At this point the new team members will join their respective VOICE Missions teams.
We usually hold our Spring Retreat sometime in April.
The school semester usually ends the last week of June. At this point the sponsor may choose to send some volunteers back early, but many of the volunteers need to stay for Summer camps.
There are usually 2-3 weeks of summer camps during the month of July. Sometimes volunteers from multiple teams work together to facilitate these camps.
The last of the VOICE Missions volunteers usually fly home by the last week of July.
Cost:
TESOL Training = $200 - $400.
There are many different options for TESOL training, but most online 60+ hour courses cost between $200.-400. For more information about TESOL training visit our TESOL page.
Children’s Institute Fee = $500.
Your sponsor does not cover all the costs of the Children’s Institute part of the trip, so you will need to help cover your housing and food expense for this trip.
Background Check = $25. - $50.
Since you will be working with young children, we require a background check before joining the program. The cost of this screening varies state by state, but the price is usually between $25.-$50.
Taiwanese Visa Fees = $200.
Because you will be staying in Taiwan for 6 months you will need a visa. The initial visa application costs $160. And secure shipping to the Taiwanese embassy will cost about $40.
What is provided for me?
Housing
Your sponsor will provide housing for you. Some of our teams live in apartments, while other teams live in dorms at their schools.
A Living Stipend
You will be provided with a monthly living stipend. This stipend will be enough to cover your personal living expenses while you are in Taiwan.
Orientation Training
After arriving in Taiwan, you will receive some training to prepare you for your time serving in Taiwan.
Expectations:
Sponsor Expectations:
Your sponsor expects that you will be a responsible and professional adult. Even though you are serving as a volunteer you sponsor will expect the same level of professionalism that they expect from their hired staff. This means that when you are volunteering that their camps or schools you will need to whole heartedly participate and treat all the staff and students with respect.
VOICE Missions Expectations:
VOICE Missions has many similar expectations to the sponsors. But on top of these expectations we also recognize that you are here for more than simple volunteer work – you are here to represent Christ. We expect all of our volunteers to demonstrate the character of Christ, abide by VOICE Missions’ rules, and work well with their team members.
What is a normal day like?
Normal days can vary from person to person and from location to location, but in general our volunteers work in their schools almost every weekday. Evenings and weekends are usually free for personal and ministry activities.
Is VOICE Missions the place for me?
Making the decision to go into missions’ work should not be taken lightly. During the 11-month trip you will likely face many difficulties as you work and minister in a different culture. Below are some questions to ask yourself before making the decision to come:
- Do I like working with children?
Volunteers with VOICE Missions work with children almost every day. Some of our volunteers teach over 1000 students over their 11 months of service. - Am I OK with being immersed in a different culture?
The Taiwanese culture is vastly different from American culture. Americans living in Taiwan quickly learn that this culture does not have the same concepts about safety, privacy, and work/personal boundaries that the American culture has developed. As guests of this country we are expected to show deference to this culture and learn to accept these differences. - Am I willing to limit some of my personal freedoms while living in Taiwan?
Working on a mission’s team will limit some of your personal freedoms. Are you willing to give of yourself and your time in order to invest in your team and in the people of Taiwan? - Why do I really want to come?
List out all of the reasons why you want to come. Are these reasons good or bad? Make sure that you have good motivations for wanting to be involved in mission’s work.
If you are ready to apply for this VOICE Missions trip click on the button below to proceed:
Apply for the Spring 2017 VOICE Missions Trip
