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Come see where God is at work! While foster care is needed everywhere, come and partner with Kids Belong and zoom into a community where people are making a difference. Be inspired as you provide much-needed support and respite for foster families who are in the daily grind of loving on kids who are worthy of so much more love than the world gives them.
Connect directly with EM Support Staff to learn more about 2025 foster care mission trips to Michigan — submit an interest form today!
Teams will help support foster families who do not have enough energy to go around. Practically speaking, this may be helping with projects to provide more housing for foster kids, or it may be showing a simple act of kindness by helping with yard work or household chores that are often set aside due to the unique circumstances and needs of children in their care.
Opportunities to have an impact on people's lives on a spiritual and emotional level by offering care, compassion, and meeting real may include: meal preparation and distribution, helping sort clothes at a "foster closet" ministry, activities with foster teens, providing "respite date nights" for foster parents, and participating in community dinners.
Volunteer groups will also likely have opportunities to lead a "Kids Club" VBS-type kids ministry 1-4 times during your week of service. Kids Club outlines and materials lists are provided by EM as your team prepares and leads the program for kids in the community, which includes skits, games, stories, crafts and more.
Teams will hear from local foster families about some of the complexities of the day in/day out of foster care. They will also be able to hear about the vision and dreams of EM's local partner ministry Kids Belong and how they can best support foster families in your own community.
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 "Evening 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.
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 Work Sites/Ministry Areas
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 Muskegon, Michigan, will stay in a secured local church in the area.
You will be sleeping on the floor and should plan to bring an air mattress or a mat. Team members should plan to bring light bedding or a sleeping bag and a pillow.
There will be showers and bathrooms available at the housing location. Larger teams may need to go to the local YMCA for showers.
Tap water is clean and available to drink in Muskegon!
Experience Mission field 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. Curious about EM's ability to accommodate specific food restrictions? View EM's Food Policy
Your team's transportation to, from, and while in Michigan 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 recommended as teams may be split into smaller groups for projects and ministry opportunities. It is recommended teams flying in plan to arrive at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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 Michigan?
We can accommodate Jr. High/middle school students in this location as well as high school students, college students, and adults.
How much do Michigan mission trips cost?
See "Upcoming Trip Dates" section below for available dates and per-person cost for each trip. This includes all lodging, food, staffing, and trip-related expenses. Transportation is not included. Note that all construction projects are generally provided at no cost to local ministries and families. Your fees help cover this blessing.
What seasons do you offer Michigan 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.
What will volunteers do on a mission trip to Michigan?
Ministry in Muskegon, MI is a mix of relational outreach and work projects, all connected to local efforts to support foster kids and families. Teams can expect to work on home improvement projects, yard work, meal prep, clothes sorting, kids and teen ministry, and more.
Will we work with children on mission trips to Michigan?
Yes! EM Kids Club, a VBS-style ministry put on by volunteer groups who come to serve, will likely be part of all EM mission trips to Michigan.
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?
Teams will stay at a local church. Plan to bring along air mattresses and sleeping bags for added comfort! Large teams may shower at the local YMCA.
How does transportation work during Michigan mission trips?
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 work and ministry 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 offer mission trips to any other midwest communities?
Yes! We also currently offer group volunteer trips to Chicago, Illinois.
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 (Mon-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.