CHILE - NORTHERN CHILE/ATACAMA DESERT - 1-2 Week Custom Trips Available Year Around - All Ages - gro
Jan - Dec 2024 | Merge
CHILE - NORTHERN CHILE/ATACAMA DESERT - 1-2 Week Custom Trips Available Year Around - All Ages - gro
Trip #26734
![20190815_115954.jpg](/images/trip_media/cache/14833-607X607.jpg)
Trip #26734
CHILE - NORTHERN CHILE/ATACAMA DESERT - 1-2 Week Custom Trips Available Year Around - All Ages - gro
Trip #26734
![20190815_115954.jpg](/images/trip_media/cache/14833-607X607.jpg)
![Map Chile](/images/trip_media/26734/map-26734-640x300.png?1726501790)
![20190815_123848.jpg](/images/trip_media/cache/14832-450X450.jpg?m=1671707058)
What the Mission Trip Will Be Like
The Global Church is inviting you to participate in what God is doing in Northern Chile. Our partner is the Evangelical Covenant Church of Chile, which has churches in Calama and Antofagasta. Teams could be involved in youth and young adult ministry, outreach, community ministry, workshops, music, and numerous other opportunities. The churches in Antofagasta are fast-growing, incredibly alive, and made up primarily of young adults. The church in Calama is building a community center and is partnership with the city government in providing services to the community. They also have outreaches to the gypsy community and small desert villages. Any age group is invited, any time of year, for any length of time. The trip will be led, staffed and implemented by Chilean Nationals.
These churches are located in the Atacama desert region, which is the driest place on earth and is also the site of the largest copper mines in the world. Antofagasta is a coastal city or 400,000 people. Calama is central to the copper mines and has a population of about 150,000, made up primarily of miners.
The following are the primary ministry opportunities in the Atacama region of Chile:
– Youth Ministry
– Young Adult Ministry
– Community Services and Development
– Worship and Music
– Outreach
– Church Planting
– Family Ministry
Besides these options, there are more. The goal would be to find out the skills and interests of your team and match them with the ongoing ministries of church partners in the area.
Trips are Mutually Designed with local partners utilizing your skills for ministry, learning from the Global Church, and building relationships with believers in the region. Any age group is invited, any time of year, for any length of time.
All trips are led, staffed and implemented by Chilean Nationals and Latin American church leaders. Merge is an organization directed by a leadership team made up of non-American Global Church leaders from around the world. Once your team sends in a deposit, the Merge Coach of Chile, Alejandra Ibarra, will contact your team leaders and work with your team, and the local church leaders, to develop an itinerary, ministry focus, and develop learning activities for your team. Local nationals will be hired as interpreters, guides, ministry coaches, cooks, and construction supervisors (if needed).
Housing – homestays is the best option for the team. Hotels are an option.
Food – Usually teams are fed two-American/Canadian-style uncooked meals each day, and one cooked Chilean meal made by local cooks, although more Chilean meals are possible. Purified water is also supplied for teams.
Flights – teams would fly to Santiago, Chile, and then fly either to Calama or Antofagasta.
Ground Transportation – Merge will hire local bus companies to drive your team around Chile.
Learning – Learning activites with local church leaders and Merge staff will be designed into the itinerary.
Cultural Activities – The Atacama desert is famous for its unusual landscape and even its animals. There are mountains with snow, flamingos, llama herds, and locations like "Valley of the Moon." There are also small cute towns to visit that are like oasis in the desert. The copper mines also allow touristic visits. Since Antofagasta is on the coast, there are interesting coastal areas to visit, and even a sculpture called the "hand of the desert."
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Relation of Opportunity to National Church and/or Long-term Goals
Merge is an organization directed and led by Global Church leaders, not North Americans. This gives Merge a Global lens in preparing and implementing short-term trips.
All Merge trips are directed, organized, staffed and led by the national church. All Merge custom trips are mutually designed by the national partner in communication with the short-term trip leader. Teams learn FROM the local church leaders and pastors. The local church/ministries are inviting teams from the United States and Canada to participate in what God is already doing in their communities. Teams PARTICIPATE in ongoing ministries within the community of the local church and organization. The goal is to do ministry WITH local partners, not FOR them.
Merge trips to Chile are created by Chilean nationals in partnership with the local churches in order to create an opportunity for the team and local congregation/community members to do ministry together, learn from each other, build relationships with each other, and further the ministry of the local churches.
Additional Trip Information
Mission Trip Offered By Merge
The GLOBAL CHURCH INVITING North Americans TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT GOD IS DOING AROUND THE WORLD. Merge is directed by a team of Global Church leaders from five continents. All Merge trips are organized, led, and staffed by the Global Church. This gives Merge a UNIQUE non-North American perspective on short-term trips.
THE GLOBAL CHURCH INVITING – the initiative and leadership are from the Global Church, not the North American church to GO and lead
TO PARTICIPATE IN – the participation is active involvement and learning through what the Global Church is already doing. The focus is on involvement WITH, not doing FOR – active learning involves participation as well as reflection
WHAT GOD IS DOING AROUND THE WORLD – Missio Dei – God is actively involved around the world – North Americans can discover what God is already doing through followers of Christ around the world
OUTCOME – for participants from North America and the Global Church to be strengthened in their relationship with Jesus Christ, increase in passion for inter-cultural relationships, to implement God-inspired behaviors, and initiate new ministries and social change in their church and communities
Primary Values include:
LEARNING – God is doing amazing things through the global church. There is so much to learn about ministry and how God is working around the world. Come and learn!
RELATIONSHIPS – The kingdom of God is built on relationships, which are the key to a successful mission and ministry. Come and connect with followers of Jesus from around the world.
BRING IT HOME WITH YOU – When you return home, we want your vision and passion for your church, your community, and your own life in Christ to expand