Short-term Missions

Short-term Team Documents and Forms

Short-term Teams

Short-term teams have been an integral part of our efforts in Peru since the very beginning

When done in connection with local churches and strategically planned to facilitate the long-term vision of those churches, short-term missions can play an integral role in advancing the Kingdom of God. They cultivate international community, meet specific and urgent needs, and frequently provide opportunities to reach people who might not ordinarily interact with the church. If you would like to be part of such a team, we invite you to read the information on this page and get in touch with Dale Ellison to discuss the opportunities.

Below you will find several important documents, including special instructions and forms for medical teams, also descriptions of typical kinds of teams we host.

Types of visits:

Vision trip — An immersive five-day visit to see part of the country, meet our people, and catch our heart and vision for mission

Ministry trip — A full eight-day trip to worship and work alongside our churches, completing a service project while building friendships and a bigger vision of what God is doing in the world

Side trips — For those interested in seeing more of Peru before or after your vision or ministry trip, we can facilitate site-seeing visits to Cusco, Nazca, the Amazon, or numerous other places of interest

Medical Missions

Medical trips usually consist of five days of attending patients in Bethesda Clinic or in a campaign in a needy neighborhood around our city. Physicians, nurses, and dentists may also combine patient care with lectures and/or conferences in area medical schools and hospitals. In some cases we can also schedule specialist surgeries in local hospital.

A typical week:

  • Friday night arrival in Lima Jorge Chavez Airport (around midnight). Met by a missionary and transfer to hotel.

  • Saturday brief excursion, souvenir shopping in Lima, early lunch, transfer back to airport for one hour flight to Trujillo or Cajamarca in the afternoon. Hotel check in, dinner and orientation in Trujillo or Cajamarca.

  • Sunday worship in one of our churches, lunch at the church, rest, dinner, planning for the week of ministry

  • Monday—Friday depart for clinic 7:30 AM, attend patients from 8:00-1:30, lunch at 2:00 PM

  • Monday afternoon archeological tour of the ancient city of Chan Chan, dinner at church

  • Tuesday early dinner, English conversation with Peruvians at one of the churches

  • Wednesday early dinner, Psalm/hymn sing in alternating Spanish and English with church

  • Thursday afternoon archeological tour of the Huacas of the Sun and the Moon

  • Friday lunch with clinic staff, goodbyes, return to hotel for showers and packing, transfer to airport at 4:00

Team size is usually limited to between 12-15, depending on the nature of the campaign. Cost for the trip is $875/person, not including international airfare, or supplies for campaigns.

Construction Teams

Construction projects are planned and led by a Peruvian engineer and a couple of experienced Peruvian workers, along with brothers from the churches. Projects may include:

  • foundation or structural work for new buildings

  • bricklaying

  • plumbing

  • electrical installation

  • tile work

  • painting

  • preparing and pouring sidewalks, curbs, or planters

  • laying pavers

  • landscaping

In most cases the project is one that a previous team had started a week or two before and may be completed by a subsequent team. The normal schedule is the same as that of a medical team, with the work day taking place at the work site instead of the clinic.

Team size is usually limited to between 12-15, depending on the project. Cost for the trip is $875/person, not including international airfare or standard supply costs of $4,000/team.

VBS/Children’s Ministry

Our churches and various ministries provide many opportunities for a team to work with children: Geneva School, Christ Kids, one of our local churches, or most commonly a mixture of these. In many or even most cases VBS or other children’s programs provide opportunities for ministry to the children’s mothers in conjunction with the women’s ministries in our churches. These usually prove to be great opportunities to connect both children and moms with the church resulting in a long-term discipleship relationship.

Activities usually include:

  • Bible lessons

  • Arts and crafts

  • Games

  • Singing

Team size is usually limited to between 15-18, depending on the project. Schedule is very similar to that of a medical or construction team, though depending on the children’s school schedule, mornings and afternoons might be inverted. Cost for the trip is $875/person, not including international airfare or costs of supplies.

Camp Ministry

Every summer (January-February) our presbytery holds week-long activities for the children in our churches, neighborhoods, and various ministries. Most years our Peruvian staff of counselors, teachers, and cooks are joined by visitors from the USA and elsewhere who desire to spend a week pouring their lives into children. Life-long friendships are formed with both children as well as other staff members.

Camp activities include:

  • Bible lessons

  • Arts and crafts

  • Games

  • Swimming

  • Singing

Team size is usually around twenty-five. Schedule is similar to that listed above for medical teams except that the work days are longer and evening activities in the churches are usually curtailed. The team usually visits the Temple of the Sun and Moon, and will usually schedule an evening or two of soccer. Cost of the trip is $1,075/person not including international airfare.