1-Month Mission Trips

1-Month Mission Trips

What is a 1-month mission trip?

A 1-month mission trip is an IMMERSION program where young adults ages 18 to 30 live in one community for a month, learning and serving together with local ministry partners. Team members apply as individuals, and Experience Mission (EM) forms the team. EM currently offers 1-month programs to communities in four countries: Namibia, Uganda, Indonesia, and South Africa. Each upcoming program costs $5,750 per person.

1-month teams consist of 7 to 12 team members who take part in a mission trip long enough to learn names, share meals with a host family, and experience ongoing ministry that will continue after you leave. See every IMMERSION length on the IMMERSION programs page. If you would rather travel with friends or a church group for a week, explore all of EM's international group mission trips.

Which 1-month programs are open?

Four 1-month programs are currently open for applications! Three trips launch in May 2027 and one launches in August 2027. They are:

1-Month Namibia - May 17 to June 17, 2027; apply by December 18, 2026; $5,750 per person
1-Month Uganda - May 17 to June 17, 2027; apply by December 18, 2026; $5,750 per person
1-Month Indonesia - May 17 to June 17, 2027; apply by December 18, 2026; $5,750 per person
1-Month South Africa - August 23 to September 24, 2027; apply by March 26, 2027; $5,750 per person

Each program page lists out trip details, community partners, housing accommodations, and what past teams have done on similar trips. The two sections below compare the settings and the weekly rhythm, which may help you decide which trip to apply for.

Where do 1-month teams serve in Africa?

Three of EM's 1-month IMMERSION programs serve in Africa, each with incredible local partners and a different kind of work for volunteers to join:

Namibia: Rehoboth or Swakopmund - 1-Month Namibia joins the 3-Month Namibia team for the first month of that trip, with the two groups functioning as one team. EM Africa staff assign exact ministry sites closer to departure. In Rehoboth, teams work in local schools, with the church, and at a community center while staying with host families. In Swakopmund, teams join a church youth ministry, care for small children at a baby house, and spend time at the local craft market
Uganda: Wakiso District, near Kampala - Alongside Daniel and Ruth Kasozi at Another Hope Children's Ministry, helping at the children's home and on the farm, volunteering as a teacher's assistant, and joining clean water projects
South Africa: Pretoria East - Alongside KAIROS, a Pretoria East ministry with school meal programs, after-school care, and a food and clothing center, while living with host families in Centurion

EM's Africa Directors, Hein and Helene van Wyk, oversee the Namibia and South Africa programs. Local pastors, teachers, and families carry this work all year, and a 1-month team steps in alongside them to serve, encourage, and learn.

Where do 1-month teams serve in Asia?

The Indonesia program is EM's only 1-month trip in Asia. Teams serve in Sentani, in Papua, on the eastern edge of Indonesia, alongside David and Noni Graves, who have lived and served in Sentani for over 20 years. The first week is mostly language study, with Indonesian lessons from a local teacher and practice at the market. After that, teams volunteer with local ministries on weekdays and help lead English camps for children on weekends. Past teams have supported an orphanage, a library, and a plant nursery that focuses on loving those on the margins and caring for creation.

Papua is a very different setting from southern or eastern Africa, so read the program page closely before you choose!

Who are 1-month mission trips for?

EM's 1-month IMMERSION programs are open to adults ages 18 to 30 who have the ability to step back from normal life for a month to serve, learn, and grow. The May programs fit an ideal stretch between a spring semester and a summer job, and the August program fits a break before or around the start of fall classes.

Ideal team members desire to grow in faith through service, are open to physical work, respect local customs and ways of life, and adapt quickly when plans change. A 1-month trip is also a great opportunity to test out a life of long-term missions before committing 100%, or for anyone who desires to immerse in cross-cultural ministry but cannot leave work or school for a full semester or longer.

How much does a 1-month mission trip cost?

Each 1-month program currently available costs $5,750 per person, the lowest cost among EM's IMMERSION trips. Across all available IMMERSION terms, 2027 and 2028 programs range from $5,750 to $19,950 depending on length and communities.

The trip cost covers all international flights, visas, food, housing, local transportation, training, and EM's medical and evacuation insurance. Plan separately for immunizations, your own travel to and from the U.S. training site, meals on travel days, a passport if you need one, and spending money. EM also asks every participant to bring an emergency fund of $1,000 to $1,500 available on a credit card plus $300 in reserve cash. However, this is a safeguard, and most participants never touch it.

Most participants cover the cost by raising support from family, friends, and their church community. Each team member gets paired with a Fundraising Coach and an online giving page, and gifts given through EM qualify as tax-deductible donations (EM is a registered 501(c)(3)). 1-month trips have the smallest total to raise, but starting early is always the best plan to make sure you are able to raise the full amount on time. Check out the IMMERSION Fundraising Guide.

Who arranges visas for a 1-month mission trip?

EM handles this part of the team's travel! If your program needs a visa, EM purchases the visas, with the cost already included in the trip fee. A 1-month team enters one country once, so there is a single set of entry rules to follow, and EM staff will tell you everything you need to submit and when.

You will need to make sure you have your own passport. All passports should be valid for at least six months beyond your return date, and a new passport lasts 10 years, so start early if you don't have one already.

For other trip preparations, health and immunization requirements depend on the country. Uganda requires the yellow fever vaccine for entry, and the CDC recommends malaria prevention medication there. EM does not require vaccines for the other programs, though it highly recommends checking CDC guidance for your country and consulting with your doctor.

What does a typical week look like on a 1-month mission trip?

While schedules can often change and EM asks every participant to hold plans loosely, each program divides time about evenly between service opportunities, living and learning the culture, and building relationships with hosts and partners. Because the trip can go by fast, the first days matter: Namibia and South Africa teams begin with worldview training from EM Africa staff, and Indonesia teams begin with helpful language lessons for engaging the rest of the month. After that, a "normal" week differs by program:

Namibia - School and community center visits, youth ministry, and Sunday church; Swakopmund teams cook their own meals and ride bicycles supplied by EM Africa staff
Uganda - Mornings and afternoons at the children's home, the farm, and local schools, with time set aside to explore the area; Wi-Fi is limited, so plan to contact home on weekends
Indonesia - Volunteer shifts with local ministries on weekdays, English camps on weekends, and rest days in between
South Africa - Classroom help, after-school programs, and packing food bags with KAIROS in Pretoria East

Living situation depends on the program. In Namibia, Rehoboth teams live with vetted host families, while Swakopmund teams share a church building. In Uganda, the team shares a guest house on Another Hope's property, with bunk beds equipped with helpful mosquito nets. In Indonesia, the team stays in the Graves family's guest house and brings a sleeping pad or air mattress plus light bedding. In South Africa, participants live with vetted host families in Centurion.

Instead of flying home for a debrief like longer IMMERSION programs, 1-month teams debrief in the country where they served, which keeps them with their community for the full month. A virtual debrief with U.S. IMMERSION Staff follows when you get home.

How is a 1-month program different from a 3-month or 6-month program?

The main difference is how much you commit and how much you see. A 1-month program is an introduction in one place, whereas longer programs have the opportunity to go a little deeper. Here is how the three lengths compare:

Time away - 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months
Cost - $5,750 for 1 month, with 3-month and 6-month programs costing $7,550 and up
Places - One country for 1- and 3-month trips, and 2-3 countries for 6-month trips
Debrief - In the country for 1-month teams, and in the U.S. for 3- and 6-month teams

Want a full semester or longer? Read and compare 3-month mission trips or 6-month mission trips. For 6- and 9-month options that combine regions, explore all Christian gap year programs.

How do I prepare and apply?

Start by connecting with EM staff! May programs close to applications in December, so start as soon as you can if you're interested in joining a trip. Here is the typical to-do list:

Choose your program - Pick the country and launch month that fit your calendar and interests in serving
Reach out - Fill out the IMMERSION interest form to schedule an interest call, or take the program fit quiz to see if you're ready to go
Apply and pay your deposit - Submit your application and, once accepted, the deposit holds your place on the team while you fundraise
Start raising support - Meet your Fundraising Coach and open your online giving page
Attend U.S. training and GO! - Join for three to four days of team building and cross-cultural preparation before you fly out to your program's community

Deposits and trip payments are generally not refundable, though EM works to move funds to another trip if possible. Read the 1-Month and 3-Month IMMERSION refund policy in the full IMMERSION FAQ before you commit.

How does EM keep 1-month teams safe?

Local knowledge is so important! EM Africa staff, the Kasozi family in Wakiso, and the Graves family in Sentani tell teams where to go and how to get there safely. For medical emergencies, each IMMERSION team leader holds CPR and First Aid certification, travels with a trauma kit, and checks in with EM's U.S. staff regularly. Emergency contacts also get an emergency phone number in case emergencies arise at home. All team members are encouraged to sign up for the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for in-country updates while traveling.

What is EM's approach to a 1-month mission trip?

Month-long mission trip volunteers soon discover that a month is too short to ever take the lead but long enough to learn much about a place and the people who live there. EM's 7 Healthy Service Principles ask all team members to come with the posture of a guest and follow the lead of people and ministries who have already been serving their community year-round.

Training before you arrive can make all the difference. IMMERSION teams go through EM's healthy cross-cultural service training along with team building at the start of their trip, in order to assume the right posture when they arrive in-country. Learn more about EM's approach to missions, or explore additional cross-cultural training resources.

1-Month Mission Trip FAQs

Can I go on a 1-month trip by myself?

Yes! If you are 18-30, you can apply to join a team, and EM puts the team together. You don't need to be part of a group to join.

Which 1-month program should I choose?

Start with the community and the dates available. We recommend going to Uganda if you want to work with children on a farm and in a children's home; Indonesia if you want to study a new language, explore nature, and lead English camps with kids; Namibia for school and church ministry in a coastal or desert setting; and South Africa for a late-summer/early fall term with host families working with schools and church ministry. Submit an interest form to talk it through with an EM staff member and figure out which term is right for you.

Is one month long enough to make a difference?

It's long enough to build real relationships and join work already happening in communities where you go. A month of time together can create a real bond, encouraging people in the trenches of full-time ministry, and changing you in the process. We prefer to measure the success of a mission trip by those relationships, not by how many projects a team finishes.

Can I earn college credit for a 1-month trip?

Possibly. EM can provide a letter to your academic advisor or sign paperwork for your professor, and past participants have received foreign language, internship, independent study, or elective credit. Each school sets its own rules, so ask yours first.

Can I turn a 1-month trip into a longer one?

EM offers 3-month, 6-month, and Gap Year programs as separate trips rather than extensions. Ask EM staff what is available and possible for the timeframe you hope to go.

Find a 1-month mission trip that fits your summer or fall!

Compare Namibia, Uganda, Indonesia, and South Africa, pick a launch month, and send an IMMERSION interest form to start the conversation with EM staff. Traveling with a group instead? See international mission trips.

Written and reviewed by Experience Mission Staff - Updated: October 2026