Parents
We are excited that your son or daughter is considering taking part in a one week mission trip with Cru. We firmly believe that this is one of the best things a college or high school student can do. These students are given a rare opportunity to develop skills, leadership abilities and character traits that will become part of the foundation of who they will be for a lifetime.
We desire that you be informed about our mission trips and what they involve. We support you, both as a parent and in your role as a guide and guardian of your child. We encourage you to explore the information on this site and contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Cru is an interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1951, with the purpose of helping to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 28:18-20. When Bill and Vonette Bright first launched the ministry, then called Campus Crusade for Christ, the underlying concept was to “win the campus today and change the world tomorrow.” More than 50 years later, the mission remains the same. In 2012, Campus Crusade in the U.S. formally changed its name to Cru. Learn more about Cru.
Traditional, orthodox Christian beliefs are at the core of the Cru movement. We hold to the essential claims of the Christian heritage including the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have no ties to any one particular denomination but work instead in cooperation with many local churches to aid the spiritual development of young men and women. See our Statement of Faith for more information.
Your student’s safety is our priority whether stateside or overseas! While no one can guarantee the complete safety of anyone, anywhere, we do take common sense precautions. Each location has its own policies that help to provide for your son or daughter’s safety.
During every phase of the trip, safety is given the highest priority. Before a location is even selected as a destination, it is evaluated for political stability, recent and previous history, as well as any national issues that may have the potential to escalate. Locations are monitored continually to ensure stability.
The mission trip leaders are trained in basic areas of crisis management, and contingency plans are developed for each location. Our National Staff Care Team constantly monitors all travel advisories issued by the U.S. State Department and SOS International (an international emergency evacuation service). This team is in frequent communication with local contacts in the ministry areas. During their visit they will work with local contacts to ensure the safety and viability of all food, housing, transportation and ministry locations. If at any time during the preparation process a country becomes unsafe, it will be immediately canceled and all affected missionaries will be assigned to another country.
During the trip, every policy upholding the safety of the students will be followed at all times. If conditions were ever to become unsafe during the trip itself, the appropriate emergency protocol for that destination would be followed. Our team in the U.S. will be notified of the emergency and information will be available for the families at the number listed below.
Each participant of an international mission trip will be signed up as a member of SOS International, our emergency evacuation service. With this service comes medical referrals and advice about medical facilities around the world. Their service is available to the projects 24/7.
For only matters that are urgent in nature, please call 1-321-270-6200. This number is monitored 24 hours each day to help provide emergency services for the thousands of students on mission trips and their families.
For general questions, please do not call the 24-hour number. Instead, please call 1-800-690-0911. Email is another way to contact us with matters that are a bit less time-sensitive. Please email us at summer.missions@cru.org.
When calling, please be ready to give the following info:
On a typical mission trip with Cru, at least one team leader, along with a small team, will oversee all administrative operations, and are responsible for scheduling, logistics, teaching, training, and discipling the entire group. Each team leader strives to provide a quality experience for each missionary.
Stateside Trips: The base cost of each trip includes housing, mission trip materials (Bible studies, notebooks, evangelistic materials, etc.), special trip activities and the trips that do meals together also include a portion of your food costs.
International Trips: The base cost of each trip includes international airfare, missionary training and debriefing, in-country transportation, housing and food. Trip prices offset costs such as tracts and literature, administrative, and trip setup costs.
In addition to the cost that is already listed for the mission trip, students are able to raise additional funding to cover their transportation to and from the trip or briefing, supplies they bought to raise funds for the summer, and some other costs that the trip leadership will tell them about when they are accepted.
Each student on a mission trip has the opportunity to grow their faith by trusting God to provide the financial resources needed to attend the mission trip. We will provide great resources to help your student learn how to invite others to partner with them by giving financially and praying for them. Every one of our staff members in the world is responsible for building a team of ministry partners and God has provided for each of these as well as for the 50,000 plus students who have gone with us the past summers.
I told my daughter she wouldn’t be able to raise all that money and, quite frankly, I was uncomfortable with the idea of sending her on a mission trip if it meant spending thousands of dollars for her to go. But I witnessed God provide for her financially– she raised more than the required amount! Not only did God show me His provision before the project, but after she returned, I got to talk with her more openly about our spirituality.
Cru is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, making all donations to the ministry tax-deductible. In order to receive a tax deduction, the IRS requires donors to release to Cru the control of how their donations are spent. This means all contributions raised for mission trips must be payable to Cru in order to receive a tax deduction.
Please note: The application fee is not considered a donation.
Each year Cru helps thousands of students and leaders raise the money for their adventures, and we will help you too! Raising the money is probably easier than you think. Once your student has been accepted to the mission trip with Cru, they will receive assistance in writing support letters, making phone calls and following up with potential sponsors.
We have found that there are two major resources that will help students raise their money. As we go through them, remember – GOD is always our source!
Family and friends: It is very important for your son or daughter to share the story of what God has done in their heart with family and close friends. We will help your student write a support letter to share where they are going, why they are going, and how the family member or friend can be a part of what God wants to do through them. It is important for your student to let them know how much the trip is going to cost so that they know how much help will be needed. This will give them the opportunity to be a part of your son or daughter’s mission trip. Support letters not only give people the opportunity to help financially, but also prayerfully. It is a great way to allow people to see what God is doing, especially to those who may not know you very well. Family and friends, regardless of their religious beliefs, will often be very willing to help—all you have to do is ask. Remember, the money that they give is for God, not for you, so don’t hesitate to ask. It is also tax deductible which is a big plus!
Pastor and youth pastors: Churches desire and are often able to be a part of sending your son or daughter on a mission trip like this. Your son or daughter could set up a meeting with the pastor and/or youth pastor to share what God has placed on their heart. See if they would be willing to help by allowing your student to address the church, take up an offering, or talk with the mission’s board.
We know that simply hearing your son or daughter’s voice can set your mind at ease, so we encourage students to call home when they arrive at their location. Many will be able to also touch base via a phone call or by email during the trip as resources and time allow.
For any additional questions, please email summer.missions@cru.org.
