Why a mission trip?
As a church on a college campus, Illini Life exists to help train up the next generation of leaders in the church. We know there are so many Kingdom organizations and opportunities available to you and we want to share as many as we can over your time here at Illinois. A short term missions trip over Spring Break gives you the opportunity to see and encounter God's people doing work in different places than our own.
We'd love for you to contribute to justice work in our world, learn about places to serve and participate in Kingdom ministry, and develop deeper bonds with others from Illini Life on the trip.
What'll it be like?
We'll take a road trip to Memphis, Tennessee over Spring Break, where SOS (learn about them below) will host us, feed us, and put us to work on their home restoration projects in the city. You'll work on homes during the day, learn about how God feels about the poor, and how you can help in hard situations like these. In the evenings, there will be opportunities to be exposed to different perspectives on how Christians can engage in communities like the ones SOS serves.
What are the details?
Dates:
Sunday March 16 - Friday March 21
We'll return in time on Friday for you to visit with family or catch up on homework over the weekend.
Cost:
$45
It can't be that cheap. Is it?
No, it's not actually that affordable. We know there are real financial burdens on you as a student, so we are inviting you to participate in financial support raising to cover the rest of your trip cost. We'll train and coach you. We've found this to be an incredible experience & we see people that want to help every year. If you choose not to raise support, there is an additional $350 trip fee.
Travel Details:
We'll organize a road trip both there and back. If your vehicle is used, you'll be compensated for wear and tear.
What should I pack?:
We'll send a packing list, but know you'll be wearing work clothes during the day and we'll have a few social opportunities in the evenings. You'll also need to bring bedding for the bunks at SOS. SOS will also provide the equipment necessary to do the work on the job sites.
Ready to go? Questions?
If you have questions, feel free to contact Michael Doehring (michael.doehring@reliant.org). Ready to commit? Register with the link below.
About Service Over Self
Service Over Self (SOS) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was started in 1986 as a means to meet the needs of some of the city’s most vulnerable homeowners and they have repaired more than 1,000 homes in Memphis utilizing more than 25,000 volunteers (many are college students on Spring Break projects).
Their strategy involves focusing on specific neighborhoods and partnering with homeowners and organizations in those communities. We currently serve the Memphis neighborhoods of Binghampton, The Heights, and Orange Mound. Through partnerships with other organizations and residents within the communities they serve, SOS is playing a vital role in the holistic Christian community development of these neighborhoods.
All of their work is done with the gospel at the heart of their motivation. Jesus came to reconcile all things to himself (Colossians 1:20). That is, he came to set right all that has been broken by sin. Today, because of sin, we do not fully experience the Shalom with which God created the world. Through home repair and leadership development, SOS seeks to be a participant in restoring God’s Kingdom on earth through proclaiming this good news to a hurting world.