3-Month Namibia (Africa) Mission Trip

What will my team do in Namibia?

Teams volunteer Monday through Friday and keep weekends for debriefing and rest. Within that weekly rhythm, ministry takes a few main forms, and it shifts from town to town and from team to team:

• Schools and children - Helping in local schools in Rehoboth, and caring for and playing with the children at the baby house in Swakopmund.
• Local churches - Partnering with the church in Rehoboth, and joining the youth ministry and Sunday volunteer roles in Swakopmund.
• Community care - Serving at a community center in Rehoboth.
• Craft market - Getting to know vendors in Swakopmund. The market has no assigned tasks, so you look for your own place to join in.

Eleven weeks gives your team more time with the same classrooms, children, and church groups than a one-month term allows. Past teams in Namibia have also worked on farms, tutored students, prepared and served school meals, helped with construction, painting, and landscaping, packed food parcels, organized storage units, led kids clubs like vacation Bible school, joined neighbors for sports and games, shared messages in local churches, and spent daily life alongside host families.

Plans shift often in Namibia, so not every activity happens on every trip. Come ready to be flexible and show up where you're needed for these 3 months!

What does the 11-week program look like?

The program opens with a 4-day training retreat in Michigan. Your team then flies to Windhoek, met there by EM Africa staff who help you travel on to your community. From there, your weeks follow the rhythm of the town you're in: service Monday through Friday, team learning and debriefing each week, and weekends for rest. Across the program, your time is split roughly evenly between serving, learning the culture, and building relationships with partners and host families. After your team returns from Namibia, the program closes with a 2-day debrief, back in Michigan, where your team talks through what you experienced, how to re-enter life back home, and where you see God leading you next.

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What is IMMERSION?

IMMERSION is EM's service-learning missions program for young adults, with teams serving alongside community partners for 1 to 9 months. Team members step outside the normal rhythm of their lives to gain a broader picture of the world around them, the way God works in that world, and the value of relationships and quality service alongside people whose lives are just as valuable as their own.

What does "how we do it" mean in a 3-month program?

IMMERSION puts the way you serve ahead of the projects you finish. Authentic relationships are the keystone of healthy ministry, so your weeks divide evenly between serving, learning the culture, and building relationships with partners and host families. A summer-length term lets those relationships grow, because you see the same people week after week and your hosts and partners get to know you too. Explore EM's approach to missions.

How is three months different from one month?

The 3-month Namibia program runs about 11 weeks, and the 1-month Namibia program runs about 4 weeks. The differences at a glance:

• Length - May 17 to August 5, 2027, compared with May 17 to June 17, 2027
• Ages of Team Members - 20 to 30, compared with 18 to 30
• Cost - $7,550, compared with $5,750, with international flights and visas included in both

A 3-month term fits a summer break or the stretch between spring and fall semesters, and a 1-month term can fit between school terms or jobs. See all IMMERSION programs, or browse mission trips to Africa, including 12-day group trips.

Who will I serve alongside in Namibia?

Hein and Helene van Wyk, the EM Africa Directors, lead the Namibia program with support from EM Africa staff Danieko and Megan van Wyk. Hein and Helene are native Namibians with dual citizenship who spent more than 20 years living and serving in South Africa. They have worked with EM since 2011, when IMMERSION first began as a program. They also lead 12-day group mission trips across South Africa and Namibia, and they have built ministry partnerships throughout southern Africa.

Day to day, your team serves under the direction of local church partners and ministry leaders, who know their towns and set the plans. The van Wyks keep in touch with those partners and your team leader throughout the program.

Where will I live and eat?

Where you sleep and eat depends on the town where EM Africa staff place your team:

• Rehoboth - You live with a local host family. The local church partner and EM Africa staff screen every host family, and whether you share a home with a teammate or stay on your own depends on the size of your team and the family's space
• Swakopmund - Your team lives together in a local church building. You manage a food budget, buy groceries, and cook your own meals, and EM Africa provides bicycles as your main way to get around

Your housing, local transportation, and meals are covered by the trip cost.

How do team members get to Namibia?

Your flight lands in Windhoek, where EM Africa staff greet your team. EM books the flights and arranges a visa for every team member, and all international flights and visas are included in the trip cost.

Who can apply to the 3-Month Namibia IMMERSION program?

The 3-month Namibia program is for young adults ages 20 to 30 who are ready for eleven weeks of:

• Faith and service - Curious about the connection between following Jesus and serving others in everyday life
• Life with others - At ease in a Rehoboth host family's home, or ready to share a church building and cook with teammates in Swakopmund
• Flexibility - Ready to adapt when plans shift
• Initiative - Willing to find your own way in, such as meeting vendors at Swakopmund's craft market
• Physical readiness - Ready for hands-on work like building, farm chores, and painting, plus bicycle travel in Swakopmund
• Teachability - Willing to follow local norms and safety guidelines and to work through conflict with teammates or community partners
• Steadiness - Ready to keep showing up for service, relationships, and team life across 11 weeks

The IMMERSION program is for adults, age 18 or older, depending on the trip. Every team member must also complete an IMMERSION application, have a video interview with IMMERSION staff, and pass a criminal background check. Get started by submitting an interest form!

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What does the trip cost, and what does it cover?

The 3-month Namibia IMMERSION program costs $7,550 per person. The cost covers:

• Travel - International flights, baggage fees, and any necessary visas
• In country - Housing, transportation, and food
• Program - Training event and materials, IMMERSION support staff planning and supporting this trip year-round, and the cost of a team leader
• Partners - Donations to the local partners and ministries you serve alongside

The cost does not cover travel to your training location or home from the U.S. ending location, immunizations, meals while you travel, any items you need on the packing list, or the Personal Emergency Fund, a debit or credit card with $1,500 available plus $300 in cash that every team member carries in case of a medical issue or an unexpected trip home.

How do the deposit and fundraising work?

If you are accepted, your trip deposit is due within 30 days. The initial deposit is $250 unless you join within 120 days of the program date, when the deposit is higher and depends on how close you are to the trip. The deposit is non-refundable, even if EM has to cancel the trip, and you cannot transfer it after 60 days. After you pay your deposit, you receive a personal EM fundraising profile, the IMMERSION Fundraising Guide, and are connected with an EM Fundraising Coach to help you make a fundraising plan. All donations made through EM are tax-deductible in the United States.

What is the refund policy?

The refund timeline works in three steps. If you withdraw more than 90 days before the start date (before February 16 for the 2027 trip), the trip deposit is the only non-refundable part of what you paid yourself. From 90 days out, 50% of your personal contributions are non-refundable, and from 45 days out (April 2, 2027), 100% are. Refunds are available only on this timeline, and donations that others make toward your trip are non-refundable. Withdrawals must be in writing, and the date of your message determines where you fall on the timeline.

If EM cancels the trip, you can switch to a 1-month IMMERSION trip in Uganda or Indonesia with the same start date (May 17 to June 17, 2027), or take a credit toward a future IMMERSION term used within 24 months of the original start date. EM does not offer refunds if it has to cancel a trip, and the trip deposit stays non-refundable. Read the full IMMERSION refund policy to learn more before you pay your deposit.

Is a mission trip to Namibia safe?

No trip is entirely risk-free. The U.S. State Department's advisory for Namibia, issued on May 15, 2026 and current as of November 6, 2026, is Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, citing crime and health. On the department's four-level scale, Level 2 is the second lowest. Namibia is also one of the world's least densely populated countries, which affects both the risks and how EM plans.

What does the State Department say about crime, health, and roads in Namibia?

The advisory points to these concerns:

• Crime - Most incidents are opportunistic and non-violent, including pickpocketing, bag snatching, and theft from parked cars.
• Health - Some areas are far from emergency services, and healthcare is limited outside major cities.
• Roads - Fatal accidents are common, gravel and wet roads are slippery, and animals are a hazard at night, so State advises against driving after dark outside cities.

Much of staying safe is a matter of where you go, when, and how. EM Africa staff and local partners live close to the communities your team serves, and they brief your team on getting around safely, including after dark and on the road.

Does the Ebola outbreak in Africa affect Namibia?

No. CDC's current travel rules for the Ebola outbreak cover the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan, and its returning-traveler page (October 30, 2026) does not list Namibia. EM plans routes that avoid the DRC, checks each connection against CDC's list of affected countries, and will rebook if CDC adds a country the route passes through. For people in North America, distances in Africa are sometimes hard to judge. Rehoboth and Swakopmund sit more than 1,700 miles (about 2,700 km) from Goma, in the DRC's Nord-Kivu province, in a straight line, with multiple country borders in between. As of November 6, 2026, CDC's highest-level warning in the DRC covers Nord-Kivu and Ituri.

How does EM respond to medical issues and emergencies?

IMMERSION team leaders are CPR/First Aid certified and carry trauma medical kits equipped for a wide range of injuries and ailments. Local clinics and hospitals can be several hours away by vehicle, and team members do not manage that alone: EM staff and team leaders help them contact home and reach care. EM secures travel medical and evacuation insurance for all team members, and an EM emergency phone line is available to every emergency contact. Each team member also carries the Personal Emergency Fund described in the Cost & Refund Policy section.

Local partners and team leaders stay in regular contact with EM's U.S. staff, so EM can respond quickly in an emergency. During training, team members are encouraged to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which sends official alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek about issues such as protests, crime, weather, or natural disasters.

How does EM decide whether a trip goes ahead?

EM will not send a team to a location that has active, high-level safety concerns. EM monitors the State Department advisory and CDC guidance and stays in contact with local partners and EM Africa staff, and we will update this section if conditions change. EM notifies applicants directly if travel plans change or a trip needs to be canceled.

This section was last checked on November 6, 2026. It reflects each source as of the date shown and may not include newer changes.

Sources: U.S. Department of State Namibia Travel Advisory (issued May 15, 2026); CDC information for returning travelers (October 30, 2026); CDC Ebola outbreak situation summary (updated November 5, 2026); CDC Namibia travel health page.

Which town will my team serve in?

EM Africa staff choose each team's placement as the trip approaches, depending on what partners need. The Communities section describes both Rehoboth and Swakopmund, and EM staff can answer placement questions during the application process.

Can I serve for just one month instead?

Yes. The 1-month Namibia program runs May 17 to June 17, 2027, for ages 18 to 30 at $5,750. This 3-month program is for ages 20 to 30 and runs through August 5, 2027.

Is a 3-month trip the same as a gap semester?

This program runs May 17 to August 5, so it fits a summer break or the months between spring and fall semesters. For a longer break, EM's Gap Year programs run 6 or 9 months; see Christian gap year programs.

Do I need a visa or a passport?

Your passport must stay valid for 6 months beyond your return date and have at least 3 completely blank pages. Namibia requires U.S. citizens to hold a visa before entering the country. EM obtains the correct visas for all team members, so you do not apply on your own, and the cost is included in the trip fee. If you are not a U.S. citizen, ask EM staff about your entry requirements before you apply. The U.S. Embassy in Namibia posts current entry rules on its entry requirements page.

Which vaccines and medicines will I need?

Namibia does not require vaccines for travelers flying straight from the United States, but it does ask for proof of yellow fever vaccination from anyone arriving from a country with yellow fever risk, so EM plans routes accordingly. CDC recommends hepatitis A and B vaccines for travelers who are not already vaccinated, and encourages everyone to stay current on routine vaccines. For malaria, CDC advises prevention medicine only in northern and eastern Namibia, a list that does not include Rehoboth or Swakopmund. Schedule a visit with your doctor or a travel clinic at least a month before you leave, and review the CDC page for Namibia.

How do I raise the money for the trip?

Most team members raise some or all of the $7,550 trip fee! Once you join, EM connects you with a Fundraising Coach and a personal fundraising profile, and the IMMERSION Fundraising Guide offers the best ideas to get you started.

What happens to my payments if the Namibia trip is canceled?

If EM cancels the 3-month Namibia trip, you can switch to a 1-month trip in Uganda or Indonesia with the same start date, or take a credit toward a future IMMERSION term within 24 months. The Cost & Refund Policy section and the IMMERSION refund policy explain deposits and credits, and EM notifies applicants directly. If you withdraw on your own, your message must be in writing (via email).

Submit Immersion Interest Form