Where are we headed?
Nepal: a tiny country that is home to eight of the ten tallest mountains in the world including the famed Mt. Everest. Bordered by India and China, Nepal is a cultural mosaic, and a land of beauty.
Why are we going?
Because when we GO, God shows up…and we want to continue to see what happens when we allow God to lead us. We will be working with partners on the ground who bring restoration to rescued survivors of human exploitation and sex trafficking. They are the freedom fighters that engage in the journey of providing housing, education, counciling, job readiness, social enterprise and community. We will meet new people and learn about Nepal’s culture.
Who can go?
This trip is for anyone—Crossroads people, non-Crossroads people, friends and family from out of town, people from all over the faith spectrum—with a heart for serving. The only requirement is that you are 18 years old, or 16 years old with a parent or guardian. And groups of two or more, like families or small groups, can sign up together.
How much does it cost?
The cost is $4,100. This covers your flight, hotel, meals, on-the-ground transportation, work supplies, travel insurance, and activities. Stuff not covered are things like souvenirs, snacks at the airport, a visa (around $40), passport fees (if you need a new one this can run around $100), covid tests, and vaccinations or medicine (if you decide to get them they can be between $100-300).
What if I don’t have that much money?
Join the club. Close to 90% of people who have been on a GO Trip did not have the funds sitting in their bank account or stuffed in a mattress when they decided to go. And nearly everyone raised the funds. Don’t let money stop you. Raising money is actually a very cool part of this experience. We’ll talk a lot more about the finance stuff—and help you generate ideas for how to raise funds. We have an awesome web system that helps with this process, and a little faith goes a long way. Have some and see what happens.
Get ideas for support raising
Is there a deposit?
A non-refundable deposit of $300 is required as part of your application for this trip and must be paid via credit card or ACH. Cash, checks and money orders are not accepted.
How do I sign up?
Go to www.crossroads.net/go and fill out an application no later than the posted deadline. We’ll ask you all kinds of questions like if you’re part of a group, who you’d like as your roommate, if you snore, and so on. To complete your application you will need to pay your non-refundable deposit. Applications are not complete until the deposit is received. *All applicants will be contacted once the application is received to confirm their trip participation.
What happens if more than enough people sign up? How do you decide who gets to go?
Sign-ups will occur on a first come, first served basis. Once the trip has reached its maximum number, sign-ups will automatically close and applications will no longer be accepted for that trip. There will be no lottery.
What work will I be doing?
You will be interacting with children at an aftercare home. We’ll play games, do facepaint, and do group bible lessons. Ages range from 4-20. Don’t worry if you’re not good with kids, there will be plenty of ways you can engage.
What if I can’t do the work?
While we hope to have jobs for all skill sets and ages, please know that the trip can be exhausting. We will be on our feet a lot, getting up early, climbing in and out of big buses, and the 18 or so hours in a plane is an obstacle we can’t change. If you have concerns about your physical situation, please talk to us. We want everyone to go on a GO Trip, but if you ignore your physical limitations up front, you could end up being miserable.
What else will we do?
Don’t worry, we won’t travel halfway around the world without enjoying the culture. There will be opportunities for sightseeing and shopping.
Will I have to preach or pray in front of people?
Not unless you want to. This trip is for everyone, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey. You will be challenged and have a ton of opportunity to grow.
What is the travel like?
It takes over 24 hours to get there and we fly on a commercial airline. It’s a great time to catch up on sleep, talk to your traveling companions, read, watch movies on your 21st century in-seat entertainment system, listen to every song on your iPod twice, or just do nothing...which you probably haven’t done in a long time.
Can I use miles, fly in business class, or make my own travel plans?
Nope. We are taking this trip as one group with one mission. That means we work together, eat together, and travel in the back of the plane together. Because of the complexities of getting groups of people to the other side of the world, all of our travel plans are centrally booked (thank God for travel agents). You may however, earn thousands of miles for your flights. So that’s kinda cool.
Where are we staying?
Generally, we stay in western style hotels or a nice bed and breakfast.
What about roommates?
Everybody on the trip gets a roommate. Married co-ed couples may room together, otherwise you and your significant other get split up for the trip (no shacking up on Crossroads time). If you have questions, feel free to come talk to us.
Is it safe in Nepal?
Kathmandu, Nepal is a very touristy city. Many people from all over the world come to hike the Himalayas. Having said that, traveling abroad is different than in the U.S. Certain risks and hazards exist. Traveling and staying in groups is the best protection. We will always travel in groups, and we will always have people who speak the language (English is common). You’ll probably need to get some standard shots (that’s up to you and your doctor), and we’ll have plenty of purified water available.
What will we do to prepare for the trip?
We will have a series of meetings leading up to the trip, where you will learn more about Nepal and what we’re doing there, meet others who are going, and just have a good time. Out-of-town people will have a GO Group Leader assigned to keep them in the loop via email so they don’t have to keep coming to the ‘Nati. Zoom will be available for those who do not live in the Cincinnati area.
What precautions will be taken for COVID?
If you do contract COVID during the trip, you will need to quarantine. We do have insurance that will make any extra hotel, lodging, and medical expenses reimbursable to you up to certain limits.
Anything else you really want to tell me?
If you want to take a vacation to India, then we encourage you to do so. It’s beautiful. That being said, this is not that trip. Deciding to go with us means you want to be a part of a mission to change the world. In pursuit of that group goal, however, you may not get to do everything you want to do in the way you like to do things. It’s a part of submitting to something bigger than yourself. But if you go, we promise an incredible experience! We can do more together than we can as individuals.