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appalachia mission trips

Marion, North Carolina
Mission Trips

AGE GROUP:
Age 14 & Up
TRIP SEASON:
Summer
COST:
$495/person (6-Day Trip)

Community Overview

VIEW PHOTOS

Join Experience Mission on a week-long mission trip to the Appalachian community of Marion, North Carolina! Learn and grow together as you serve in meaningful ways as a picture of God's love for the people in this community.

In Marion, NC, your team will participate in:

  • Daily Kids Club - Engage with local children through activities, games, and programming designed to bring joy and support to young community members

Your team may also have opportunities to:

  • Support a local children's home - Assist with facility maintenance, programming, or special projects that benefit residential care facilities
  • Complete home improvement projects for elderly residents - Help with repairs, maintenance, or accessibility modifications to ensure safe and comfortable living conditions
  • Serve at a homeless shelter - Provide meal preparation, facility support, or direct service to individuals experiencing homelessness

Please note: While Kids Club is a confirmed daily activity, additional service opportunities will be determined based on community needs and availability during your mission dates.

Details & Logistics

Typical Schedule

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 will provide a physical or printable devotional journal.

Our staff will lead a time of debriefing and a short devotional in the evening (what we call "Team Gathering") and it is always a great addition to have musical worship. Our programming does not include musical worship as we can't guarantee that our staff will have this ability. Please let us know if you have anyone who sings or plays guitar on your trip so that we can help to coordinate the musical aspect of worship when able. If teams aren't able to help in the area of music, it may not be a part of the trip.

AVERAGE DAILY SCHEDULE

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 - Team Gathering (as a whole group)
8:30pm - Team time

Day 6
7am - Breakfast
7:30am - Cleanup/ Packing
9am - Pictures and Good-Byes

Please Note: Due to heat present during the day, the order of the elements listed above may fluctuate.

Health & Safety

EM's Health & Safety Plan:

Staff Certification
All Summer Staff are certified in First Aid and CPR.

Medical Kits
Medical kits that include first-aid supplies for general accidents and ailments are provided for each site. In domestic locations like West Virginia, we ask that teams supply their own medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and Imodium as they deem necessary.

Emergency Response Plan
Based on the severity of each emergency, EM has a plan for appropriate response.

If a team member becomes seriously ill, they will be taken to a local doctor to receive appropriate medical attention and medications. If they are a minor, their Team Leader along with our staff will accompany them to the clinic. If needed, their parents will be contacted. Their recovery will be carefully monitored by our staff.

If there is an accident that requires a doctor, but is not life-threatening and does not have the potential to cause permanent damage, Experience Mission staff will locate the Team Leader, contact parents or guardians (providing the injured is a minor), and provide safe but quick transportation to a local clinic.

In the event that an accident occurs which is life-threatening or has the potential for permanent damage, and local 911 services will be contacted immediately. The family will be contacted to assist in guidance for an appropriate response.

All medical care is the sole responsibility of the team member. Experience Mission requires every team member to be covered by domestic medical insurance and recommends that team members traveling abroad carry additional international travel insurance to cover any medical needs their domestic medical insurance may not cover.

North Carolina Trip FAQs

Basic Trip Information

What is included in the cost of the trip?
Lodging, food, staffing, materials for projects and project planning are included in the cost of the trip. Transportation is not included. Meals will begin with dinner on Sunday evening and then will end Friday morning at breakfast. See "Upcoming Trip Dates" section below for available dates and per-person cost for each trip.

What age group can you accommodate for North Carolina mission trips?
We can accommodate high school students and older. Middle schoolers are allowed on a case-by-case basis but this trip is geared towards older students & adults.

Will there be other groups serving with our group?
Most likely, yes. EM's Marion, North Carolina mission trips are open to multiple groups until the capacity is met. In general, we will keep your group together during the work or outreach projects.

Lodging, Food & Packing

Where will we stay?
Teams will be housed in local church buildings or school facilities. You'll be sleeping on the floor, but most participants will be provided with a cot or air mattress, so you'll only need to bring bedding. We may request that a few participants bring sleeping mats/mattresses depending on the number of volunteers coming on a particular week, but we will communicate this directly if it is necessary.

Will we be able to shower?
The shower situation for 2026 trips will be confirmed closer to your trip. We will do our best to provide you with the most optimal situation to shower, but keep in mind you may need to be prepared to take quick showers as they may be limited. More info will be available as the trips get closer.

What will meals look like?
Meals will be provided by Experience Mission staff for the duration of your trip. Meals begin with dinner on Sunday evening, concluding with breakfast on Friday. There will be a cold grab-and-go breakfast set out each morning that includes cereal, bagels, yogurt, fruit & more. You will pack your lunches at breakfast (cold cuts, PB&J, fruit, chips). Dinners will be a hot dinner when you arrive back from your projects.

Can you accommodate food restrictions?
Our mission trip food policy outlines what we can accommodate for dietary restrictions and more. Note: Each team leader should input specific details of your team's food restrictions in their online MyMission account.

What should I pack for this trip?
A packing list will be available 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!

Transportation

Is transportation provided?
No, you are responsible for all of your transportation to and from the location and throughout your week to and from work sites.

What airports are closest?
Charlotte, NC (CLT), Asheville, NC (AVL), and Knoxville, TN (TYS)

When should we plan to arrive on the first day?
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.

Spiritual Components

What can I expect for my group as far as spiritual growth?
Morning Quiet Time: Each morning, there is time set aside for devotions and quiet time. While we make the space for this time, it is up to the leaders to implement it with their groups. 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. All team members will be provided a physical or printable devotional journal.

Team Gathering: Our staff will lead a time of debriefing and a short devotional in the morning or evening. It is a simple time of debriefing and listening to a short devotional reflection from EM, with follow-up discussion as time warrants.

Worship: Our programming does not include musical worship as we can't guarantee that our field staff will have this ability. We love this element and hope that your team will bring this skill and share it with all of the groups!

Have more questions about Experience Mission trips? Check out our general FAQs, or call our support team at 888-475-6414.

Upcoming Trip Dates: Marion, North Carolina

We’d love to connect with you!

Dont hit a snag in your mission trip planning! Fill out an interest form or call (888) 475-6414 (Mon-Thu, 9am-5pm ET) to ask questions and learn more about upcoming EM mission trips.

Fill Out An Interest Form Call (888) 475-6414

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Hear from recent EM mission
trip team leaders!

Hear from recent EM mission trip team leaders!

Summer College Internship
“It was a great experience, especially for the youth. For all of them it was their first time going on a mission trip. The team enjoyed connecting with the community at large through the outreach portion of the program. It was a wonderful experience for all of them.”

Carline D. served in Savannah, Georgia
Summer Ministry Internship
“It was GREAT! It was a truly remarkable experience. We had the opportunity to connect very well with the community.”

Nikki K. served in Pikeville, Kentucky
Paid Missions Internship
I couldn't have asked for a better trip for my students. The pre-trip training guides were great. It helped change the group's dynamic from okay to amazing.”

Christopher G. served in Rincon, Puerto Rico
Christian Missions Internship
“It was a positive experience that stretched our kids out of their more comfortable places and exposed them to a new culture, a new area of the world, and a wider expression of the Church.”

Jeremy M. served among the Navajo Nation in Arizona
Paid Ministry Internship
“We had an outstanding week! We were able to connect with the community at every opportunity we had. It was amazing how much interaction we were able to experience. The work projects were just right for our team. Since we aren't very familiar with construction work, our "people over projects" work was fantastic!”

Jennifer S. served in Rincon, Puerto Rico
Mission Trip Recommendations Quiz

What’s the best trip for your group? Answer 5 multiple choice questions and get instant mission trip recommendations!

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What’s the best trip for your group?

Answer 5 multiple choice questions, and get instant mission trip recommendations!

Get My Trip Recommendations

Mission Trip Recommendations Quiz

Make your Mission Trip a reality!

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Fill out a Group Interest Form

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2

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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.

Fill Out an Interest Form

Need to know more?

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.

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Don't let fundraising slow you down!

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