The small rural community of Beattyville, Kentucky, experienced a devastating flood in 2021, as rain flooded local rivers and the small town was submerged in the rising water. Floodwaters rushed through homes, churches and businesses, destroying or damaging everything in their wake. Join a Summer 2024 mission trip to Kentucky to aid in the recovery process, bringing helping hands to places often forgotten or ignored by national news. Fill out an interest form today to get started!
Also check out Appalachian missions trips to Pike County, Kentucky!
Work projects are organized to support the needs and vision of the community and are designed to connect team members with local people and families. There is a large population of elderly and disabled shut-ins in this community and many are the focus of our projects.
Your team may be involved in home repair, yard cleanup, landscaping, and community restoration work projects that reach out to those in need in various practical ways. Team members will have the opportunity to share their lives through service, prayer, and time spent with the families and children they come to work with.
Due to the unique nature of this community, the opportunity for relational ministry may take place directly at project worksites as volunteers come alongside and encourage those they come to serve.
In Beattyville, Experience Mission may hold an organized Kids Club, depending on the specific needs of the week you serve. Teams will be notified several months prior to their trip if Kids Club is an opportunity during their trip. If Kids Club is included as an opportunity for your team, participation will be optional. If your team chooses to participate in Kids Club, Experience Mission will provide the curriculum for your team's use. This Kids Club curriculum will be emailed to Team Leaders in the months prior to your trip.
Teams participating in Kids Club will be responsible to bring the craft supplies needed for their specific crafts and should budget appropriately. While we do our best to make sure craft materials are cost-effective, teams may feel free to augment any materials to make them more suitable to their budget. Experience Mission will supply scissors, staplers, and paper hole punches. There are plenty of opportunities to connect with local children through games like soccer or Frisbee. Tuck in a hacky sack, football, or jump rope as they are sure to come in handy!
*Experience Mission works closely with local leaders to identify work projects and ministry opportunities that address authentic needs within the community. We ask that you come with a servant's heart and willingness to adapt to the unique qualities represented in each location. Opportunities can vary significantly from one week to the next. Your team may work at one location or serve at multiple locations each day. Due to the changing needs of our community partners, we cannot confirm your specific daily activities until your team arrives.
Curious about EM's Covid Guidelines? Check out EM's current guidelines for 2022 Trips
Each morning, there is time set aside for devotions and quiet time. This is a valuable time and we strongly encourage all team members to spend it with God, journaling their thoughts and experiences as the days unfold.
EM staff will materials for a self-guided time of debriefing and a short devotional in the evening (what we call "Evening Gathering") and it is a great time to incorporate musical worship.
Day 1
3-6pm Groups Arrive
5pm - Leader's Meeting
6pm - Dinner
7pm - Orientation Meeting
8:30pm - Team Time (a time for your group alone)
11:30pm - Lights Out
Day 2-5
7:15am - Breakfast
7:45am - Devotions and Quiet Time
8:15am - Group Prayer
8:30am - Teams leave for Sites
12pm - Lunch
3:30pm - Finish work for the day
4pm - Break and Clean-up
5pm - Leaders meeting
6pm - Dinner
7pm - Evening Gathering / Team time
Day 6
7am - Breakfast
7:30am - Cleanup / Packing
9am - Pictures and Good-Byes
Teams in Beattyville will stay at a local church.
You will be sleeping on the floor. Team members should plan to bring a sleeping pad or air mattress and light bedding or a sleeping bag and a pillow.
Teams will make use of rustic-style tent showers provided by Experience Mission. There will be bathrooms for your team at any place you stay and at most work sites. On the occasion that there are no facilities where you are working, teams will need to take breaks midday to use a public restroom.
There is running water in Beattyville. Teams will have access to it where they are staying and at most work sites. Teams should plan to bring refillable water bottles to stay hydrated at work sites.
There is electricity in Beattyville that will be available where teams stay as well as at most work sites.
Beattyville is a safe area in general. The facilities where teams stay will be locked throughout the night and Experience Mission Staff members will do a sweep to make sure the facilities are secure before retiring for the evening. There is minor petty theft in the area. For this reason, we recommend teams leaving all valuables (smartphones, computers, jewelry, etc.) at home. If a team does bring some valuables, the best way to keep them safe is to store them in a locked vehicle during the day.
Experience Mission Summer Staff will be preparing and serving your meals. Breakfast and dinner will be served buffet-style, and your team will pack their own lunches each morning.
Your team's transportation to, from, and while in Kentucky is NOT covered. You will need vehicles throughout the entire week to transport your team to various locations for work and ministry. Using a school bus as your main mode of transportation while in this community is not an option. Our work in Beattyville can only accommodate standard 15 passenger vans or smaller.
Check out EM's current Covid Guidance
Experience Mission has specific policies regarding team registration and withdrawal. Please refer to the document below for specifics.
INDIVIDUALS
All volunteers on a week-long EM mission trip must be part of a team of at least six (6) people, with at least one team member age 21 or older to serve as the Team Leader. Not part of a group? All young adults ages 18-30 are eligible to apply for EM's IMMERSION program.
What age group can you accommodate in Beattyville, Kentucky?
We can accommodate Jr. High/middle school students in this location as well as high school students, college students, and adults.
What seasons do you offer Beattyville, Kentucky mission trips?
Mission trips to Kentucky are available during the summer. Check out this list of all available spring break trips if you are looking for trips outside the summer months.
Will we work with children on mission trips to Kentucky?
Kids Club participation depends on the specific week. If your team will have the opportunity to lead a kids club, we will contact you several months prior to the trip.
What paperwork is required for this mission trip?
Each team member will need to fill out a team member registration form and liability waiver, and all adults are required to pass a background check. Your mission trip support representative will contact you if any other paperwork is required.
Where will my team stay in Beatyville?
Teams will stay at a local church. We partner with McGuire Memorial Presbyterian Church for housing.
How does transportation work during Kentucky mission trips?
All transportation is entirely up to groups to arrange. We recommend 15 passenger vans or smaller. We don't recommend relying on buses as a mode of transportation for this trip. Keep in mind that groups are often split into teams of 8-12 for construction projects. It works well if you are able to plan transportation accordingly.
When should I arrive?
Check-in is between 3 and 5 PM on the first day of your selected trip. Our staff will be awaiting your arrival. You can expect dinner and an orientation meeting to get you ready for the week that evening as well.
What should I pack for this trip?
A packing list will be available to you once you register for the trip. Generally, be prepared to bring along work clothes. All tools will be provided to you, but donations of additional tools are welcome!
Does EM have any Covid requirements for teams?
We ask that teams bring 1-2 masks/person and 2-4 rapid tests in the event that someone on your team becomes sick during the trip. Outside of that, we simply recommend that teams follow current CDC recommendations regarding travel, testing, and what to do if you're exposed or get sick. View EM's Current Covid Guidance
Does EM offer mission trips to any other Appalachia communities?
Yes! In a typical year, we also offer Appalachia volunteer trips to McDowell County, West Virginia, Webster Springs, West Virginia and Pike County, Kentucky.
Have more questions about Experience Mission trips? Check out our general FAQs, or call our support team at 888-475-6414.
Dont hit a snag in your mission trip planning! Fill out an interest form or call (888) 475-6414 (Tue-Thu, 9am-5pm ET) to ask questions and learn more about upcoming EM mission trips.
1
Fill out a Group Interest Form
Only takes a minute! Simply choose the community and trip dates you’re most interested in—no commitment necessary.
2
We’ll personally follow up with you this week
Answering your questions and walking you through the process of finding the best trip, registering your group, and preparing to serve together.
3
You and your team serve on a cross-cultural mission trip!
Organized and led by EM field staff or local partners, your trip will bring encouragement and light to people in difficult circumstances, as you learn what it means to care for all people, whoever and wherever you are.
Read our Mission Trip FAQ and Registration Policy. If you have additional questions or don't see the dates you're looking for, fill out an interest form for the trip closest to what you're hoping for and let us know the needs of your group.
Download the free EM Fundraising Guide for all our best tips and ideas for making fundraising for your next trip fun and easy.
Download our free Fundraising Guide for all our best tips and ideas for making fundraising for your next trip fun and easy.
You must have a group size of at least 6 members to join this trip. Please view the Small Team trips or call our Servicing Department for more options at 888-475-6414.
For most trips, you must have a group size of at least 6 members. Please view the Small Teams tab on each Community page or call our Servicing Department for more options at 888-475-6414.