You’ve got questions? We have answers.
What age range can come on a BTT trip?
18 – 118. Arrangements can be made if you’re over 118. Just call our office.
Can our kids come?
We believe there are a ka-billion awesome agencies that provide ministry opportunities for youth. We would be happy to recommend a few. But no, your kids can’t come. This trip is for adults.
Where will we sleep?
It all depends on the site you go to. Some are more cushy than others. Some have beds and mattresses. Some have floors.
What will we eat?
You’ll eat what we cook or you’ll go hungry! (just kidding. I always wanted to say that.) – We will provide meals for your team. We want to know about any food limitations. (lactose? glutens? allergies? vegetarians? keeping kosher?) We may ask you to help with meal prep and clean up, depending on the size of your team.
Will we have access to showers?
Oh yes. Again, different sites have different facilities and options available. But we want you clean as much as you want to be clean.
What kind of work will we do?
We do disaster and personal recovery and rebuilding, so it will be something construction or destruction related. It will depend on whatever your team reports it can do and what is needed at the host site. Some teams have put on new roofs, some have hung drywall, some have painted, There is a wide range of needs and we will do our best to match your skills with needs. Sometimes, though, the highest need is painting or putting in door knobs. Please be flexible, even if you can build a house from the ground up, you might be asked to just paint. Likewise, if you don’t feel comfortable on a roof, we won’t ask (more than twice) for you to lay shingles.
Is Be The Tool affiliated with any denomination, sect, political party or federation?
While different employees and board members of BTT have some different religious and political tendencies, BTT as an organization is not officially affiliated with any of them. (Although if we could figure out how to join the United Federation of Planets- Star Trek reference- we might try.)
Do we have to bring our tools?
It depends on who we are partnering with. Generally, you don’t have to. Most sites we go to have tools and supplies. That being said, some people like to bring their own tools so they know what they are working with. If you do bring tools, please make sure you keep track of them. If you leave them behind, we will be happy to add them to our collection.
What am I paying for? (Where does the money go?)
The money you pay for a trip goes towards pre-trip planning, logistics, lodging, food, materials needed for the projects, t-shirts and some admin costs (like paying the leadership team we assign to your trip.)
Hey! I didn’t see transportation in that list.
Hey, that’s not a question. But we’ll answer it anyway- for MOST trips, we want you to meet us in the host city. You are responsible for getting there and transporting your team to and from the work sites. We can make other arrangements if needed, but it costs more. (For example, we LOVE a good road trip, so if you want us to come meet you in your launch city and travel down so as to provide leadership from there, we can take turns driving and etc. If you need us to rent vehicles for you to use while you’re in the host city, we can do that. – again, it just costs more.)
Is there a registration deadline?
Well, no, but the later you register, the harder it might be for us to pull off your requests. If you register a team of 20 people a week before you want to go, we might not be able to find leadership (or job assignments) that soon. The sooner you register, the smoother it will go.
What if our team (or parts of our team) want to stay in a hotel instead of sleeping on the floor or in a dorm style room?
We can set that up for you. It just costs more.
What if someone on our team has special needs?
It is up to the team leader to determine if this is the right fit. Give us a call and let’s talk about it.
What if I want to leave early or come late?
You’re missing out, but we can work with you. The price will probably be the same (because we have to hire staff and etc.) but let’s talk about it.
What if I want to come early or leave late?
You mean before your trip starts or after your trip ends? We don’t recommend it, but can see if we can recommend a hotel for you to stay in.
Do I have to be a part of a team? Can I come as an individual?
No and sure, respectively. There is a critical mass of people required, so if not enough people sign up for a trip, we have to cancel or postpone, but generally, yes, you can and should come.
What if we have a team of a ka-jillion people? Are there any limits to how many people we can bring?
Bring them. The more the merrier. We can accommodate large teams.
I have other questions I want to ask.
Call our office at 651-248-8495, fill out our contact form or email them to rod@bethetool.org.
“During first Katrina clean-up trip we stayed at a camp in Biloxi that had also suffered a lot of destruction. The camp dining hall served us meals and after supper people would share stories from their day’s work. There was a rough plywood sign sitting up against the wall that said in red letters “IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU”. It was a powerful message in the midst of such disaster. God has used those words so many times in my life since then and even as I write this, the tears come as I remember the people, the experiences, the grace displayed by those who suffered such loss.” — Fred Brantner • Seattle, WA