Experience Mission Avis 164

This trip blessed me with unforgettable experiences and meaningful connections. It grew my faith beyond what I knew I needed and bolstered my confidence in Christ. The immersion team was kind, grounded, and became true friends by the time we said goodbye.

Our group of 35 (high school students + teachers) were originally scheduled to attend a mission trip with another organization based in Jamaica. It fell through in November due to the Hurricane and we had one month to find another trip and came across EM. One of the only trips available for our size was to Cuba. Without having a previous relationship with EM and with the little knowledge and travel US citizens have with Cuba, we were certainly hesitant. However, we did a lot of research, had lots of conversations with the team in Cuba and got advice from outside sources that convinced us that this was a safe and worthwhile trip. And they were correct. We had an incredible experience with both the local EM team (Autumn) and with the mission organization based in Cuba (CCM). I have been on several mission trips and can confidently say that this was one of the most seamless experiences I have had, from start to finish. If you are considering using EM, don't hesitate, it was wonderful and I was impressed with the organization and professionalism. And I strongly encourage you to consider Cuba as your mission trip location. They desperately need help and support with resources and HOPE. While you certainly need to be smart and aware of the political and situational climate when you travel to any location, do not automatically rule out Cuba because of what you hear in the media or because of the communist/socialist government. Once down there, we gained so much perspective and it broadened our view on the reality of what is going on, which is much less threatening. You find that the Cuban people are so grateful for our support of their people (not their government). They do not get the help other countries get because of the limitations on travel or people being scared to travel there, but we had not safety concerns and the work was incredibly meaningful and welcomed. We spent time with the community, helped with physical work that they do not have the labor to handle, brought resources (like basic first aid items) and got to encourage and let the Cuban people know that they are seen and loved. I can't wait to take another team next year. You will be blessed to go to Cuba and work with EM! My life is forever changed.

Ps. - there was also a mosquito epidemic that started in August that many of our team members were nervous about. Mosquitos were not very present when we were down there, as the weather had calmed cooled off, but several of us did get minor bites during field work. As of now, no one out of our group of 35 has gotten sick from food, water or mosquito illnesses. I will update my post if that changes as sometimes things can show up a couple weeks later with Dengua or Chickagunya. But as of now, it seems as though our team was not affected by anything.

Experience Mission provides meaningful and well organized volunteer opportunities

I served in NY and Portland, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience with the EM Support staff, Community Partners, Team Leaders, and the Visiting groups. I've been given the wonderful opportunity to get to know a community unlike my own, expanding my lens on cultural groups, Christian denominations, leadership roles, and social abilities. I am glad to have developed lasting relationships, thus building my network.

Experience Mission is truly a blessing! The staff members all led with grace and kindness, always ready to serve with a warm heart. Their resources were practical, thoughtful, and incredibly helpful for our team. What stands out the most is their partnership with the community — loving, genuine, and deeply impactful. It’s truly inspiring to see the way they live out their faith through their actions and care. I enjoyed my time serving in Kentucky and Tennessee, and I will deeply cherish the relationships that I made throughout the summer. I'm so thankful to have come across this opportunity!

I was an intern serving in Eastern TN. I appreciate EM for how they responded to issues that arose in the team and the grace they showed. I love that you could tell that they truly valued people over projects. I felt slightly unprepared as far as what to expect being a leader. I do learn better when I am in the thick of it, so I can't complain much about that. I loved the other interns I worked with, and I do feel like EM put in a lot of thought into personality matches for my team specifically. Even when we disagreed on professional stuff, we still truly were friends and enjoyed each other's company. I do recommend EM, but you should be prepared and confident in your leadership abilities because you're not just representing EM you're ultimately representing Christ.

I thought we had a great experience! Hope and Zach (our experience mission staff) were great to work with and we got a lot out of the trip. For our team and where are students are, I felt this was a good “intro to missions” sort of trip for them which is what I was looking for. My favorite thing about Experience Missions was the way they present their role within the larger work of sharing the Gospel and how serving people’s needs fits into that picture for each individual that partners with them. Loving people well, being the hands and feet of Jesus, and meeting people where they are. I felt the devo and worship time was good, but it could have been a little more streamlined between my self as the youth pastor and the experience missions team that was there. They had good stuff to say and I also had some Bible study stuff I wanted to do with our students, and between the two of us I think it was a little too long sometimes. I certainly could’ve been more prepared, but I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect in that time so it made planning difficult. I still think we had good time with the students and really enjoyed the wisdom Zach and Hope shared. I would certainly recommend experience missions to other youth pastors or churches looking for a solid organization to partner with.

They had a great mission philosophy and heart posture. The rest figured itself out.

Over all it was a good experience. I was one of the interns in Marion North Carolina and we had the opportunity to help a lot of people still recovering from hurricane Helene. I really appreciate how Experience Missions focused on the relationships that are formed in the communities. I would also like to say if you are planning to do an internship with Experience Missions. It is a lot of responsibility and you will need to know how to lead.

Excellent logistics. Excellent on-site staff. Great host church in Marion, NC.

Leaders were awesome, flexible, and great to work with.

Working for EM has been such a blessing this past two years. From their values to their mission, everything aligns with what they promote. Being a part of EM is more than just work, it's becoming a part of their family, becoming something bigger than yourself. It is seeing yourself grow day by day, surrounded by people who support you and want to see you succeed. It is learning to see the privileges you were afforded in life and realizing the importance of using them to lift others up. It is about serving with humility, and knowing that even the smallest acts of kindness can leave a lasting impact.

EM was awesome i love this organization

We were able to do some great physical work while we were there, but we also were able to really connect with some of the locals as well. The schedule EM has for teams just works really well, and our group enjoyed every aspect of the trip. We already can't wait to serve with EM again in 2027!

We appreciated the number of Experience Mission staff on site - 3 persons and felt it worked well with the 4 adults to 16 youth from our church. Staff got us off to a great start each morning and were responsive when needed.

We did notice less proactive engagement this year compared to 2024, when staff stayed more involved throughout the day—a highlight our youth and adults really valued. We share this as feedback, as that level of consistent interaction can make a big difference in the overall experience.

The Experience Mission staff were all engaging, friendly, positive and helpful. They set a very up-beat tone for the week.

A Truly Impactful Trip!
Our experience with Border Perspective was excellent. They were organized, well-prepared, and led us through a powerful week of learning, serving, and drawing closer to God—helping us reflect more of His heart.

Experience Missions was also great to work with. Their team handled last-minute changes with professionalism and clear communication, making the logistics smooth and stress-free.

Our students came back deeply impacted. They gained a new perspective on the border and left with a renewed love and compassion for the foreigner. This trip challenged them in meaningful ways and will stay with them for a long time.

Our trip leaders (Coren, Perry, Hannah, Macie, and Latisha) were amazing. They helped to make our week at HOJ an excellent experience, despite the logistical challenges and limited resources. Those young adults have HUGE hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to guide them in all things. Loved our interactions with the whole team.

The whole experience was wonderful. Our youth were able to help others in need and show them Christ's love!

EM provides comprehensive pre trip training and is responsive to questions and inquiries. Field staff is supportive and accommodating in order to facilitate a good and meaningful experience for all involved.