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Trip Details
Service Projects
Our Young Life short-term service teams to Zimbabwe volunteer in several ways that have been identified as helpful and beneficial to the local ministry. Teams work on construction & development projects at the Morning Star property. They assist with landscaping and structural needs. Led by our staff, teams venture out into the neighboring communities to serve and care for orphans, to conduct sports camps, to visit, encourage and interact with the local people, etc. All of these service avenues are supportive of the local ministry in terms of helping them continue to love and care for the community and to share the love of Christ with them. Morning Star has become a well-spring of God’s love and relational investment in His children. The short-term teams that work on and around the property are a compliment to the full-time, long-term staff who are laboring throughout the year to love and invest in both young and old alike.
Group Costs
Approximately $725 per person, plus airfare, for trips of 10-12 days (in-country)
Expect airfare of $2000-$2500 per person from most east coast cities, depending on travel dates
Costs do not include Safari days, if your group chooses to add that element. (See Safari information below) Also not included are Passport and Visa costs. Visas can be obtained upon arrival into Zimbabwe and cost approximately $50 per person in US currency.
Dates
Trips offered mostly between late May-mid August, but opportunities also around Christmas/New Years or other times of year IF that better fits your calendar. Simply inquire!
Group Size and Age Range
(Read carefully please!)
Service Groups must have at least 10 team members and should be no more than 30. Ideal group size is 15-20.
Zimbabwe can pose very challenging living conditions with basic, rustic lodging and toilet facilities. Throw in the possibility of heat, mosquitoes and few bathing opportunities and you realize this is no vacation! Of course the trade-off is a potentially life-changing encounter with Christ on the mission field and returning home having blessed and been blessed by some of the most wonderful people on God’s earth…a pretty good bargain! Because of the challenging work and living conditions, we recommend this trip mostly for college-age or older team participants. Mature high school students are welcome as long as their trip leader is confident they will be able to handle this type of service trip. Bringing unqualified or unprepared team members, regardless of age, is a recipe for trip difficulty and does not benefit you as trip leader, the team itself or the hosting ministry. Use good judgment in selecting your team!
Lodging and Meals
Teams will spend the vast majority of their trip lodging/camping at the YL Zimbabwe ministry base, “Morning Star”. Each year Morning Star is developed a little more, but in general expect very basic living conditions; cots or sleeping pads with sleeping bags, outdoor latrines, simple meals, etc. To a real degree, you will be doing some “roughing it”. Of course this only adds to the adventure!
Depending on flight schedules and safari possibilities, your group might also spend one or more nights in a simple hotel.
Travel
Teams arrive into either Harare or Bulawayo. Both are served by major airlines or their partners, though Harare typically has better fares, better schedules and more dependable airlines. Harare is approximately 5 hours drive from Morning Star, while Bulawayo is less than an hour away. Regardless of where teams arrive, our staff will be there to greet them and transport them to the worksite or the first night’s lodging in private transportation.
Our office is happy and ready to assist you with travel set-up.
Safari Options
There are several different options for safari while your team is in Zimbabwe. Depending on where and what type of safari, these can range from $250-$450 per person with tour and transportation costs. Groups will need to pay for safaris directly with the hosting company, however we can assist you in setting up safari through our staff and contacts within the country. Safari costs* are not tax-deductible through Young Life.
We hope this information has been helpful! If you are interested in scheduling a service trip to Zimbabwe with Young Life Expeditions, please complete our Group Inquiry Form and send to Hunter Lambeth at Hunter@intl.younglife.org. You can also direct any further questions to Hunter at that same address. |