Exciting Changes are Coming!

5 Years of Traveling Around The World!
5 Years of Life-Changing Experiences!
5 Years of PackYourBags!

Over the last 5 years, we have seen over 75 students come through PackYourBags! We know that this has been an impactful experience for each willing student and while it has been an incredible experience, we think it can become even better. We have learned some things over the course of the last years that we will put into place the fall of 2018 to improve the PYB experience for its participants.

2 Tracks - Africa & Asia

The first exciting change that we are pleased to announce is the addition of a second track. This means that along with our traditional team that goes to Africa for 6 weeks, we will also have a team that goes to Asia for 6 weeks.

This last year we split into two teams and spent the first semester traveling separately in order to keep our small-community-feel. We will further this next year by sending teams to multiple locations for our longest trip - to South Africa or the Philippines. We are so excited that students will now be able to CHOOSE which area of the world they think might be a more impactful experience for them.

All of this is being done to expand our reach into different parts of the world and allow our tight-knit community to continue even as we continue to grow.

If you want to learn more about the ministries you can be apart of in each country, please refer to the Trips section on our website.

New Classroom Options

Another exciting change is the new Core PYB Curriculum. The new PackYourBags curriculum has been simplified and allows students to CHOOSE extra credits if they so desire. This will provide increased personalization of each student's experience.

NEW CLASSROOM OPTIONS

We sometimes find students who feel overwhelmed by the credits they need to take, while others would like more credits. This will allow students to choose what they want out of this amazing year. Some students want the mentorship and the experience, others desire to get farther ahead in their college studies.

These improvements will also help us focus more on the mentoring aspect of the program. We've seen the value of mentoring and we believe it will be a standard associated with PackYourBags. We want to get "outside the classroom" and beyond the credits in order to live life together. Our goal is the development of young adults.

To learn more about the credit options, visit the Education & Training section in Who We Are.

So how does this change how YOU will apply for PYB?

Asia or Africa?

First off, pray and ask God which track He would desire you to take part in - Africa or Asia. We want students to have a part in this decision and have the first say in where they are feeling called. So get your application in today!

Each trip will have a slightly different focus while ministering since they are two separate countries with different needs. If you want to find out more about these possibilities, check out the TRIPS section. 

Core PYB Curriculum or the Advanced Curriculum?

Secondly, start thinking about whether you would like to take part in the foundational Core PYB Curriculum or if you would like to take extra classes under the Advanced Curriculum.

This decision will require you to think about what you want from this year. Do you want an undistracted year to focus on growing in your identity and relationship with God? Or do you feel that you can handle the requirements of PackYourBags and additional college courses?

Both of these options are good but it should be decided with consideration of a student's academic goals, finances, personal motivation, and calling. This is your CHOICE and your CHALLENGE, but we want to see you succeed in all you do!

Even though the required credits have been reduced, it does not mean that the daily time requirements for PackYourBags has decreased. We are placing a greater focus on discipleship to make it a standard of the PackYourBags experience. We will have more class sessions on life skills and spiritual, emotional, and physical development. We want to have a holistic ministry and that means working on the whole person. That means we will not only be educating students and helping them grow in their spiritual lives, but also developing young adults to have successful lives wherever God calls them after PackYourBags.

We hope this not only informs you of the changes that are taking place, but stirs up excitement in you! You could be one of the young adults involved in this improved PackYourBags experience!