Here are the nuts and bolts about how we include you in doing what we do best.
What’s the Process for Signing Up?
There are two ways to join us.
1. Tell us where you want to go and we’ll make it happen.
If your group has an itch to serve some place affected by disaster or oppressed by poverty, let us know where and we’ll help you scratch that itch. We create a trip tailored for your team (8 people make a team).
-OR-
2. Join a trip that’s already scheduled.
A couple times each year, BTT plans a trip someplace in the United States to serve victims of disaster. You can jump into one of these trips as long as there are openings available (best for individuals and small groups.)
To see if/where we are already scheduled, check our upcoming trips
Either way, you should…
- Decide where and when you’re interested in going.
- Have your team leader—or you, if you’re not affiliated with any church/group/team—click on the link to the form. It is pretty basic and non-threatening.
Then, this happens….
- We’ll work with you to get the price where you’d like it and the details lined up. Then we’ll ask for some money down for each participant. (We’ll go over that in our correspondence.)
- We will set up a registration page for your team to go to in order to register and give us some particulars about your team. (Again, we’ll walk you through it.)
- A couple weeks before your trip, we will start looking for a check for the balance of your cost. This helps us buy materials we need for your projects. Worst case scenario, you bring the balance with you and pay our staff when you arrive.
What happens after we/I sign up?
One of our leaders will be assigned to lead your trip. That person will make contact with your team leader and will send you some training materials each person should go through before they come. We’ll help you with recruiting and fundraising ideas. We can help plan your travel and/or offer logistic support for your trip if you want us to. (Talk to us about how much that would cost. Some teams want to meet us in the city we are serving in, and some people want to meet us in your parking lot and do the traveling with you. We enjoy doing it either way. Being on the road with you costs a little more.)
Who does what?
What We do:
- Provide materials for your pre-trip planning
- Answer questions as you get ready to go
- Set up logistics for your staying, eating, working, etc. in the community.
- Provide leadership for your team while serving in the community
- Take care of meals
- Make sure your work assignments match your skills
- Help you debrief when you get back
What You Do
- Recruit your teams and hold pre-trip team meetings
- Get your teams to the host location
- Provide transportation to and from the worksites
- Be open and flexible about seeing and doing what you are called to do
- Bring your heart ready to serve
What is Included with the Cost
PRE-TRIP
- Pre-trip training “Skype” meeting
- Pre-trip training manual
- Unlimited pre-trip consulting
- BTT sets up travel logistics (optional- adds to your cost)
- BTT leadership during travel (optional- adds to your cost)
WHILE YOU’RE THERE
- Program leadership at work location
- Construction oversight
- Meals
- Supplying a Cook (optional- adds to your cost)
- Dinner out at least once
- Posting pictures/stories for your support team back home
- Group Shirts
- Lodging on site
- Lodging in a hotel (optional- adds to your cost)
- Construction materials (somtimes- depending on the site)
AFTER THE TRIP
- Post trip debriefing
“Mission trips with Riverbend have really opened my eyes at putting natural disasters… realizing the scope and large areas that are affected and adding a personal aspect to the tragedy and in allowing me to lend any skill, compassion to help people try and recover.” — Louie Laney • Pipestone, MN
