Our mission in Honduras is to spread Christ’s love to the orphans there and those caring for them, as well as to experience God’s presence and His ability to supply everything we need. At the core of CCC’s mission statement, I hope we will be able to say that we were simply responding to the same call we give every week at camp: “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people’” (Matthew 4:19). We desire to have an Acts 1:8 model, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” We would love for your whole youth group, or even just one or two individuals, to join us in making this happen!
Overseas
Mission of Love
Working with Orphans
CCC has been blessed to work with many organizations in Honduras as well as several orphanages. Much of our work in Honduras consists of bringing love and support to these kids and the adults who take care of them. We partner with the orphanage directors to meet immediate needs as well as plan and pray to meet longterm needs. Like any other CCC week, we want to help meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
How and Why Honduras?
How did Carolina Cross Connection, a home repair ministry that started in North Carolina, start serving orphans in Honduras? In a way similar to how we originally started in the eighties, we have had multiple connections, relationships and conversations take place that have connected us to organizations in Honduras where we have been able to partner and serve with them in the love of Christ.
How Do We Spend The Week?
Our week in Honduras will include encouraging orphanage workers, playing with children, helping out with construction and repair projects, laughing and worshiping with the new people we meet, and sharing the love of Christ!
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” James 1:27
Fees and What's Included
Total payment is around $1800 per person (this can change slightly depending on airfare costs). This covers plane tickets, lodging, extra travel inside the country, food, your visa, travel insurance, donations for the orphanages we serve and weekend retreats for the orphans, baggage fees and materials. You are responsible for getting a passport, vaccinations, and food while traveling in and out of the country.
Fees
|
Payment Schedule |
Costs | Notes |
| First Payment |
$100 deposit July 1-October 15, 2016 |
Deposit is non-refundable, and non-transferable. Deposits for airline tickets are made for 25 people per week in August. |
| Second Payment |
$500 December 15, 2016 |
From this point forward, numbers are locked in and participants will be expected to complete all payment obligations in full. |
| Third Payment |
$600 March 1, 2017 |
All payments are non-refundable. Price is subject to change if airfare goes over the budgeted amount. |
| Fourth Payment |
$600 May 15, 2017 |
There will be a $25 per person fee for all late payments. |
Additional Fees
Additional Costs (around $250-$300)
- Passports: You can go to www.uspassportnow.com in order to obtain a passport if you do not already have one. For those under 16 it usually costs around $140, while those 16 and older it usually is about $170.
- Shots: We would recommend getting a typhoid Shot, which is generally around $70.
- Spending money: You may want to bring extra money for any personal items you would need on the trip, as well as for spending at the Honduran market that we visit.
- Travel meals: You will need money to cover any meals while you are traveling to and from Honduras We cover food costs once you are in the country.
Dates & Locations
Week 1: June 19 - 26 Week 2: June 26 - July 3 Week 3: July 3 - 10 Week 4: July 10 - 17 Week 5: July 17 - 24 Week 6: July 24 - 31. For registration information please contact Brittany at brittany@carolinacrossconnection.org
Welcome to Camp Jerusalem!
We will be staying at Camp Jerusalem in Peña Blanca. It is a gorgeous and green campsite in the mountains of Honduras that has all the necessary amenities. We will building relationships, worshiping with those we meet, and serving orphanages! You can see pictures of the campsite on their Facebook page.
Week Walkthrough
Week Walk-Thru:
Flight times and departure/arrival location can potentially change. You will receive flight arrangements in your first team meeting.
Monday
4:30 am: Be at CLT/RDU airport to catch 6:20 am flight to Miami, Flordia
9:00 am: Depart Miami for flight to San Pedro Sula, Honduras
11:00 am: Arrive in Honduras!
12:00 pm: Lunch at Power Chicken in San Pedro Sula
1:00-3:00 pm: Drive to Camp
3:00-4:30 pm: Settle into Camp
4:30-7:30 pm: Orientation & Dinner
7:30-9:00 pm: Worship
10:00 pm: Lights out
Tuesday-Saturday (excluding Thursday)
6:30 am: Breakfast and Morning Watch
7:30 am: Leave camp for orphanages
12:00 pm: Packed lunches on site
4:00-5:00 pm: Return to camp
6:00 pm: Dinner and Free Time
7:30 pm: Worship and Sharing
8:30 pm: Church Small Groups
10:00 pm: Lights out
Thursday
8:30 am: Breakfast and Morning Watch
10:00 am: Leave camp for Waterfall
12:00 pm: Lunch
12:00-4:00 pm: Waterfall activities
5:00 pm: Return to camp
6:00 pm: Dinner & Free Time
7:30 pm: Camp Activitiy
8:30 pm: Worship and Sharing
10:00 pm Lights Out
Sunday
7:00 am: Breakfast and Morning Watch
8:00 am: Leave for Market
10:00-11:00 am: Shop at Market/Lunch
1:00 pm: Serve at last orphanage
5:30 pm: Arrive at Bed and Breakfast in San Pedro Sula
7:00 pm: Dinner Out
9:00 pm: Worship/Sharing
10:00 pm: Lights Out
Monday
7:00 am: Breakfast
8:00 am: Leave for Airport/buy visas
11:45 am: Depart Honduras for Miami
5:30 pm: Depart Miami for Charlotte/Raleigh
9:07 pm: Arrive in Charlotte/Raleigh
Requirements
Individual Requirements
- Participants for a week in Honduras must be entering the 8th grade or older to attend without a parent. Anyone under that age will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
- We welcome anyone to attend, no matter what race, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, or religious beliefs. You are quite welcome to come if you do not consider yourself a Christian, but we do ask that you be open to hearing about the love of Christ as we share His love to those around us during the week.
- We welcome those who have any physical or mental handicaps, but we do ask that you discuss any concerns or arrangements that you need with the CCC staff beforehand.
- You do not need any prior experience with us, with missions trips, or construction or childcare experience to come on the trip! Our leaders will be with you each step of the way and will be able to equip you to do whatever tasks we undertake while in Honduras.
- A commitment to the trip, and to building the community that CCC desires, means committing to be present the entire week and arrive/depart on time. If you cannot commit to the entire week than we ask you to wait to join a CCC trip until you can.
- Each person must attend CCC pre-trip preparation meetings.
- You are responsible to make payments by the deadlines so that your church can their check into CCC on time. If you sign up for the trip you must pay for your portion of registration, even if you end up not being able to come. This is because the CCC office purchases each person’s plane ticket in their name and it cannot be exchanged once it is bought.
- Each individual should complete required readings and Bible Study materials.
- Everyone is responsible for obtaining their own passport, shots and medications.
- Individuals must complete their own application and be approved by their youth pastor/director or the leader of the trip. If the youth pastor/director has any other stipulations they will be communicated and must be followed on top of CCC’s regulations.
Group Requirements
- Every group should have a ratio of one adult per every five youth. We recommend bringing adults over the age of 25, but ages 18-25 can be considered as long as they meet your church’s Safe Sanctuary Policy.
- A group can have up to 40 participants total, but if you bring more than 30 people let our office know beforehand.
- We strongly encourage you to get all payments in by the dates listed, but if due to extenuating circumstances your payment will end up being late please contact our office and let us know.
Planning Your Trip
Our Overseas Administrator Brittany Bethel will visit your church and give an introductory meeting, as well as four preparatory sessions, to get your team ready to join us! We encourage you to bring anyone who is interested in going to these introduction meetings. In the preparatory meetings she will cover topics ranging from logistics of travel, registration forms, money, cultural expectations, and preparing your heart spiritually to serve at the orphanages. Youth Pastors/Directors are responsible for checking that all of their participants have gotten vaccinations, medications, and passports, and for doing any fundraising that they might need in order to finance the trip.
Below is a timeline for getting ready to join us in Honduras in 2016!
Now – September 2015: Host an Introduction Meeting!
We have introductory meetings with your church to tell them more about CCC and ignite interest in going on the trip. There is no commitment necessary at this time.
October 15, 2015: Sign up and 1st Payments due!
One leader from each group should turn in a combined check to our office. The cost is $100 per person participating.
December 15: A list of the full names of each participant (the name that appears on their passport), as well as birth dates and a photocopy of each person’s passport is required.
Pre-Trip Meetings:
Meeting 1: The first meeting will be about Introductions and Logistics of the trip. Books, individual notebooks and journals will be handed out, along with some reading assignments to prepare you for the trip. Prayer partners will be assigned. We will also cover Group Covenants. We will start to discuss how we define poverty and what it means to understand poverty as it relates to Honduras, and medical forms will be due. This meeting will last 2 1/2 hours and will held when it is convenient for the group.
Meeting 2: At our second meeting we’ll discuss some of the cultural differences you will encounter as well as teach you basic Spanish phrases you will need throughout the week. We will cover final travel preparations, note any changes in flight times or schedules, and answer last minute questions. We will also discuss assigned readings. This meeting will last 2 1/2 hours and will be held when it is convenient for the group.
Overseas Outreach Registration & Forms
Registration for 2017 CCC Honduras Weeks is open! One person is asked to be a designated group leader, communicating with Brittany Bethel, CCC Administrative Director, to register your group. Each participant must fill out an application packet. To register and receive packets, please contact Brittany at 704.721.0033 or brittany@carolinacrossconnection.org. A $100 non-refundable deposit per person is required at time of registration. Registrations for the 2017 summer must be received on or before October 15.
Ready to serve with us? Register today!