Students serving with the poor

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General Information

SI does long-term, on-going community development in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Fiji. Our outreaches are short-term mission trips throughout the year to one of these countries where participants and the poor come together cross-culturally to encounter God, share the Good News, disciple and serve others in a specific area of occupation that correlates with their career or academic interests. Depending on the length of the outreach, participants spend from 9 days to a semester working alongside our staff in an occupational setting called a ministry site. Each ministry site is within close proximity of our facilities and has a different occupational focus: agribusiness, appropriate technology, art, construction, dentistry, education, health care, media, physical therapy, social work, special education, and sports. As a result of these outreaches and our long-standing presence within the communities where we work, we see participants and the poor transformed into the likeness of Christ and discover their true calling.

The following is a list of our occupational ministry sites with correlating career or academic interests:

AGRIBUSINESS: Agriculture, Agricultural Science, Animal Science, Crop Science, Soil Science, Agribusiness, International Agricultural Development
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY: Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Environmental Science
ART: Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, and Sculpture
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND NUTRITION: Medicine, Nursing, Nutrition, Public Health
CONSTRUCTION: General Contracting, Construction, Architecture
DENTISTRY: Dentistry
DEVELOPMENTAL THERAPY: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Kinesiology,Special Education, Nutrition, Early Childhood Development
EDUCATION: Education, Special Education, English, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Science
HEALTH CARE: Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Pharmacology
MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS: Media/Communications, Photojournalism, Journalism, Videography, Web Design, Graphic Arts, Creative Writing
MICROFINANCES: Business, Finances, International Relations, Cross-Cultural Leadership
PHYSICAL THERAPY: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Kinesiology, Special Education, Nutrition, Early Childhood Development
SOCIAL SERVICES: Social Work, Psychology, Public Health, Counseling, Education
SOCIAL WORK: Social Work, Psychology, Public Health, Counseling, Education
SPECIAL EDUCATION: Education, Special Education, English, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Science
SPORTS: Physical Education, Recreation

Outreach Length

9-Day Outreach
Students International runs 9-day outreaches throughout the year for individuals, high school, college, church, and adult groups.

13-Day Outreach
Students International runs 13-day outreaches throughout the year for individuals, high school, college, church, and adult groups.

Language School
Students International facilitates language school participation in addition to our outreaches throughout the year in Guatemala for individuals, high school, college, church and adult groups.

Semester Outreach
Students International partners with the following institutions to run accredited academic mission study abroad programs to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic:

Bethel University in Minnesota / Spring Semester / Guatemala

Bethel College in Indiana / Fall Semester / Dominican Republic

These programs are designed to provide students an opportunity to improve their ability to communicate in Spanish, to participate in the local culture, to develop an understanding of the connections between community ministry & community development, and to integrate experiential learning with formal academic study.

Outreach Costs

The outreach fee covers room, board, ground transportation while in country, pre-field materials, weekend field trip, supervision, cultural orientation activities, outreach preparation, all ministry site expenses and general administration. 

9-Day Outreach
$895 plus airfare*

13-Day Outreach
$995 plus airfare*

Language School
$350/week

Couples and Men's Outreaches
Contact our office at (559) 627-8923 or students@stint.com for more information.

Semester Program
Contact Alicia Juarez at juaali@bethel.edu (Bethel University) or Brent Reimer at reimerb@bethelcollege.edu (Bethel College) for more information.

Summer Intern
Contact our office at (559) 627-8923 or students@stint.com for more information.

*Airfare is approximately $550-$700 per person.

The team leader's outreach fees are waived if there are 12 or more full-paying members on the team. If there are less than 12 full-paying members on the team the leader's outreach fee is $350. Co-leaders' outreach fees are the same as full-paying team members.
 
Outreach fees for children 0 - 2 years are waived, children 3 - 13 years are $350.  Unless prior approval has been given children 13 and under must be accompanied by a parent and supervised at all times. A parent may opt to bring a nanny to supervisor his/her children. The fee for a member acting as nanny is $350.

Outreach Dates

Dates for 2010: 9-Day OutreachCountry
January 4 - 10Guatemala 
January 23 - 31Dominican Republic 
February 20 - 27Guatemala 
February 27 - March 5Dominican Republic 
February 28 - March 6Guatemala 
March 6 - 14Costa Rica, Dominican Republic 
March 13 - 21Guatemala 
March 14 - 21Dominican Republic 
March 20 - 28Costa Rica, Guatemala 
March 27 - April 3Dominican Republic 
April 3 - 11Costa Rica 
September 25 - October 3Guatemala 
October 2 - 9Dominican Republic 
October 16 - 23Dominican Republic 
Dates for 2010: 13-Day OutreachCountry
January 9 - 21Dominican Republic 
April 5 - 17Fiji 
May 3 - 15Dominican Republic 
May 10 - 22Fiji 
May 17 - 29Costa Rica, Dominican Republic 
May 23 - June 5Fiji 
May 24 - June 5Guatemala 
May 31 - June 12Costa Rica, Dominican Republic 
June 6 - 19Fiji 
June 7 - 19Guatemala 
June 14 - 26Costa Rica, Dominican Republic 
June 20 - July 3Fiji, Guatemala 
June 28 - July 10Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
July 4 - 17Fiji 
July 12 - 24Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
July 18 - 31Fiji 
July 26 - August 7Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
August 9 - 21Guatemala 
Dates for 2010: Summer InternCountry
April 29 - July 10Dominican Republic 
May 12 - August 7Costa Rica 
May 20 - July 10Guatemala 
May 27 - August 7Dominican Republic 
June 1 - July 31Fiji 
June 23 - August 7Costa Rica 
July 5 - August 21Guatemala 

Other Requirements

  • A student must be at least 14 years of age at the time of the outreach for any of the 9-day or 13-day outreaches to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
  • A student must be at least 15 years of age at the time of the outreach for any of the 9-day or 13-day outreaches to Guatemala.
  • A student must be at least 16 years of age at the time of the outreach for any of the 9-day or 13-day outreaches to Fiji.
  • A student must be at sophomore level or above, have completed two semesters of college level Spanish and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to participate in the Semester Program.
  • All students and team leaders must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.