Since the time of St. Patrick, Ireland has strongly identified with the Christian faith and the Catholic Church. Recent decades, however, have seen a major shift. Ireland now has one of the highest rates of “convinced atheists” per capita of any English-speaking country. Even those who’d check “Christian” on a census form are increasingly unlikely to have any real personal connection with faith or church.
While church attendance has fallen significantly in Ireland since the 1970s, other rates such as drug addiction and suicide have climbed to among the highest in Europe. Amid all the hopelessness, we see light in the small percentage of Christ-following, disciple-making believers who are active in Dublin. Will you come shine your light here, too?
When you serve in Ireland with Group International Mission Trips, you’ll work alongside local people who are making a difference. As you experience a culture that has largely renounced Jesus, you’ll discover why everyone needs him desperately. And in the process, your own faith will grow.
Details coming soon...
Opportunities to serve the people of Ireland are extensive and diverse. The goal is to address and meet practical needs while building relationships and sharing the gospel. As the people of Dublin become more and more disillusioned with “religion,” our mission is simply to bring people closer to Jesus.
Our projects, coordinated by local groups, involve many different types of service. Here are examples of the types of projects you might be involved with:
We lean on local experts in churches and nonprofits to point us to places we can help most. We work primarily with missionaries whose hearts were touched while spending time in Dublin in 2014. In a short period of time, they saw the strong contrast between the beautiful old churches and the sense of despair among the people walking around them. This challenged their notion of Ireland as a Christian nation, and they heard Jesus calling them to become involved.
Dorine is a mental-health professional with an emphasis on children, families, and addiction. She’s drawn to hopeless, hurting, and overlooked people. Ben is a musician, woodworker, and small-group leader with a heart for God’s Word. The couple have four children—Becca, David, Maya, and Ezekiel.
Saturday—Arrive at Dublin Airport (DUB); transport to lodging facility; orientation
Sunday—Attend local church; cultural activity
Monday - Wednesday—Worship, devotions, and God Sightings; ministry projects; night ministry
Thursday—Free day on your own to explore Dublin (we’ll provide a list of free and low-cost things to do in the City Centre, along with money for meals; groups pay for any activities and shopping)
Friday—Worship, devotions, and God Sightings; ministry projects; night ministry
Saturday—Depart for DUB airport; fly home
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Our international trips are family-friendly, so, in most cases, kids can serve along with adults. We require 1 adult (18 years or older) for every 5 youth (17 years or younger). Contact Robin at 970-800-4000 for more location-specific age requirements.
Contact our expert international mission trip advisor, Robin, at 970-800-4000.
Prices do not include airfare from North America. However, in Peru, our price includes the airfare from Lima to Pucallpa and Cusco.
To reserve space on a trip, a non-refundable $100/person deposit is due when you register. Final payment is due 60 days before departure. If you cancel your registration prior to the final payment due date, your deposit is non-refundable but any additional payments you have made up until that time are refundable. Once you have paid your final balance and are within 60 days of your trip, all money is non-refundable. If Group International Mission Trips makes the decision to cancel your trip due to inclement weather or political unrest, we will reschedule you to a different trip or refund your fees.
Most meals are covered as part of your registration, except for free days if you're serving in Alaska or Puerto Rico. Please see the detailed itinerary of your international trip for any exceptions.
Most meals will be provided by our ministry partners, who have been carefully trained to prepare safe and nutritious meals for our teams. You will get a taste of local food on all of our trips, and some locations will include American food as well.
While some mission trips are more physically strenuous than others, most international trips will include at least four 8-hour service days in hot and humid environments. Your group can work at the level of physical exertion with which they’re comfortable.
Your international mission trip covers gratuities for meals in restaurants that are included for the week. Gratuities for porters or housekeeping staff if you stay in a hotel during your trip are at your discretion. Airport porters who help with your bags will expect to be tipped $1-$2, and if you participate in a guided tour or fun activity on your free day, you may want to consider tipping your hired guide.
The safety of your group is a top priority for us, as we’re sure it is for you. In all the areas we serve, we take extra precautions to make sure you or your group is as safe as possible. Guided by our local, experienced ministry staff partners, we avoid situations that are inherently dangerous. We’re also proactive by choosing lodging facilities and transportation that are safe and reliable. Our International Mission Trip Advisor is glad to answer further safety questions.
Probably. If you’re looking for a trip specially designed for your group, we may be able to accommodate that for you. We have several trips a year that we custom design for groups, at a date and location that fits their needs. Pricing and availability vary, but if you’re interested in a custom week, contact Robin at ralm@groupmissiontrips.com, or call 1-970-800-4000 for more information.
Our payment policy is designed to give you the most flexibility when reserving your mission trip experience with Group Mission Trips.
