Expanding our community
Each year Avila student groups journey to serve the dear neighbor in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and here in Kansas City. These life-changing experiences provide so many opportunities for learning and seeing the world in a whole new way. I implore all students to take advantage of these inexpensive opportunities to encounter the world and one another in a whole new way.
These trips include:
- Four-Day Fall Break Trip to Jerusalem Farm
- Working with those in need in our own KC area, we spend four nights at Jerusalem Farm learning home repair, living in community, experiencing simplicity, and care for the earth. Sometimes it’s good for us to experience the local need but trust me, the experience is global. Cost typically just $25.00 which covers room and board.
- Winter Break Trip to Okolona, Mississippi.
- Travel with a group of Avila students to work with the Excel community service agency that provides for the needs of the local southern community. On this trip you will meet the Sisters of St. Joseph that started this much-needed ministry to help lift people out of poverty. Among other helpful duties, you will tutor grade school children in an after-school program. Experience the culture of genuine southern hospitality. Cost typically around $100.00.
- Spring Break Trips to Emmaus Farm in Kentucky and Bethlehem Farm or Nazareth Farm in West Virginia.
- Travel with fellow Avila students to the Appalachian region and serve with students from other colleges and universities to learn home repair and other skills. With others you will live in community, serve the poor, join in prayer, and discover simple living. Experience a completely different culture and work with the people to allow them to help you to grow while you assist in home repair. Here you will make new life-long friends, create forever memories, and discover that a ‘crick in a holler’ is really a creek in a hollow. Cost typically around $150.00.
The costs of these trips are so low because Avila believes these travel and service experiences to be vital to your development as a student and whole person and thus the trips are subsidized. Further financial assistance may be provided for those who request it.