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
October 2 - 9Dominican Republic 
October 16 - 23Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
November 13 - 20Dominican Republic 

Dates for 2011: 9-Day OutreachCountry
February 12 - 20Dominican Republic 
March 5 - 13Costa Rica, Dominican Republic 
March 13 - 20Dominican Republic 
March 19 - 27Costa Rica, Guatemala 
March 26 - April 3Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
April 2 - 9Costa Rica 
June 19 - 26Guatemala 
July 24 - 31Costa Rica 
Dates for 2011: 13-Day OutreachCountry
January 21 - February 5Dominican Republic 
February 13 - 21Fiji 
February 26 - March 6Guatemala 
February 28 - March 13Fiji 
May 16 - 28Costa Rica 
May 23 - June 4Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
May 30 - June 11Costa Rica 
June 6 - 18Dominican Republic, Guatemala 
June 13 - 25Costa Rica 
June 20 - July 2Dominican Republic 
June 27 - July 9Costa Rica, Guatemala 
July 4 - 16Dominican Republic 
July 11 - 23Costa Rica, Guatemala 
July 18 - 30Dominican Republic 
July 25 - August 6Guatemala 
July 30 - August 7Dominican Republic 
August 8 - 20Guatemala 
Dates for 2011: Summer InternCountry
May 5 - July 16Dominican Republic 
May 19 - July 30Dominican Republic 

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.