Check-in: Thursday, July 11th at 11:30am (arrive at Guatemala City Airport for Pick-Up by Pablo)
Check-out: Thursday, July 14th at 10:00am (dropped off at airport for departure by Pablo)
Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala (Transforming Futures Facilities)
Nearest Airport: GUA (La Aurora International Airport (IATA: GUA, ICAO: MGGT)
Cost: $1,000/Person (Bunk-Beds provided at Transforming Futures facilities - bed assignments may vary by make-up of group)
About the Retreat: The Family Mission Trip is aimed at visiting Transforming Futures ministry to learn about and participate in their services. Typically much of the time will be spent involved in various activities with the youth. This ranges from games to educational experiences to handing out food/clothing/medicine/etc. There are other possible unique service projects that we could help with on any given trip, like serving at a food kitchen or pouring a cement floor for a family's small home. Much time will be spent at the facilities, but some time will be spent on bus rides to surrounding communities. Usually there is a little site-seeing, as well as some pretty powerful times of worship, reflection and sharing. We've seen some incredible bonding times between families on these trips that have created memories these families will never forget.
About Guatemala & Transforming Futures: Guatemala has the second highest poverty rate in the Americas. Between 56-64% of Guatemalans live below the national poverty level of 2 dollars per day. This rise to over 75% poverty in rural areas of Guatemala. 50% of Guatemalans live in inadequate housing. There are many orphans in Guatemala with some very sad stories. Orphans are kicked out of orphanages when they turn 18 in Guatemala. These kids don't have any job skills, many have low social eq on top of lots of trauma. They have no place to live, no money, no support of any kind. Most of these now young adults end up in gangs, drugs or prostitution.
Transforming Futures is a non-profit organization in Guatemala that meets children's needs in multiple aspects giving children hope and a future. Transforming Futures is a premier leader in Guatemala when it comes to equipping children in various facets to become self-sustaining adults and healthy contributing members of society. Transforming Futures helps save children's lives by helping to meet their various needs and partner with local communities of Guatemala. You can help Transforming Futures save lives and break the cycle of poverty in Guatemala by partnering with them today.
Cell Phone Policy: We will highly encourage you to turn off your phone for the entire 3 days. You will not be able to manage home AND receive all that God has for you if you are distracted. We have a prohibition against technology in public spaces. Please plan ahead to be ready to turn off your phone. If you must use it at all, please do so in privacy, so as not to distract other guests. We will have a contact for you with a phone in case of emergency.
Refund Policy: Refund policies are necessary as payments are already made out to vendors with non-refund policies of their own.
● Registrations canceled within 48 hours = 100% Refund
● Registrations canceled more than 90 days prior to the retreat = 50% Refund
● Registrations canceled within 90 days of the retreat = No Refund
Online Forms: You will need to fill out the online waiver and special requests form as soon as possible to indicate your dietary needs and housing information. This will be sent to you upon application approval.
This retreat is designed for families who crave more intimacy with God, deeper relationships with like-minded entrepreneurs & their families, and want to grow in the most important areas of their life and faith.
This retreat is meant to experience a new and different culture. That said, not everything will be comfortable all the time. You should expect to be ready to have a servant mentality in helping those in need. You should be ready to have a lot of fun and meaningful interaction with the youth, but you should also be ready to hear some hard stories and try to empathize with the hurting around you. There is a mix of lots of joy and fun along with some lament as we bring a good level of hope and joy to a hurting people. This is also meant to be a time to spend with your family. There are ample times for reflection and sharing for the group. It's important to process through each day what we are experiencing and how it is affecting us.
This retreat is designed for each attendee to connect with God in new and sometimes challenging ways. There are daily activities planned to maximize our time and impact while building comradery and fellowship as a group.
This experience will teach you how to be much more grateful for things we take for granted. It will typically bring you much more joy and fulfillment than you've probably experienced in a long time. We've had business men come on this trip who haven't laughed in a long time finally laugh and smile while having fun with the kids. It will help as an eye-opening experience that will mature you and your family individually and as a family unit. And it will hopefully strengthen your faith as you see how people are helped as we are the hands and feet of Jesus.
We are non-denominational and biblically-based. Even though our attendees might come from various Christian backgrounds, our program will be solely based on scripture.
Retreats are only available to those who we feel will benefit from being a part of our community the most. If you'd like to be considered for selection, please apply.
Apply to join this retreat