Costs Explained

What’s involved in the costs for my trip?

Airfare and Ground Fees

Here’s how to begin paying for your trip.  Let’s break the cost down into manageable chunks:

$350 – Personal Earnings

We suggest that each Royal Servant contribute $350 of your own money toward your mission trip.  The following is a list of ways you can achieve this:

• Baby-sit
• Clean houses
• Clean gutters
• Wash windows
• Shovel snow
• Wash cars
• Rake leaves
• Mow lawns
• Paint
• Have a garage sale
• Talk to your parents and youth pastor for ideas!

$450 – Church

Ask your church to match the above amount (deposit + personal earnings).  Assure them that you will be returning to your home church to apply what you have learned.  (Remember, this amount is only a suggestion.  Your church may not financially be able to contribute this much or it may be able to give more.)

$Remaining Amount – Individual Supporters

We suggest you challenge each financial supporter to give $100.  As many as possible of these supporters should come from outside your church.  Royal Servants also asks that this gift be over and above their regular gifts to the church.  Details about how to raise this amount are explained on the Raising Support page.

Your Spending Money Amount

There is a pre-determined amount of spending money for each trip.  No more or less will be allowed.  That way there are not the “haves” and the “have nots” on the team.  Credit cards or travelers checks are NOT permissible.  The spending dollars are to be sent to Reign Ministries.  A staff member on each trip keeps records of how much money is spent and gives you your money as you request and need it.  Extra money CANNOT be sent to you by your family or friends, in the U.S. or overseas.  If there is an emergency of any kind, you will be able to talk to your Trip Leader.

Royal Servants will deduct $15 to $35 of your spending money (depending on your trip) to use towards culture & heritage experiences.  Royal Servants will match your dollars and use them for entrance fees at museums and other cultural sites.  Any of your unused funds will be placed back in your account when your team begins debriefing.  An additional $40 will be set aside and given back to you on the return flight home.  This is for you to use for meals in case of flight delay or cancelation, or additional bag fees.

Additional Costs

• Passport - Passports costs $85 ($100 if you are 18 or older)
• Spending Money - see above
• Domestic Airfare - Round trip airfare from home to Training Camp is over and above the cost of the summer and is to be paid by you.  However, you may raise separate funds for this.
• Airport Shuttle - This only applies to those who fly into Chicago Midway Airport.  You will need an additional $45 for transportation from O’Hare to Midway at the end of the Mission Trip.
• Visas - Not all trips need visas, and the costs will vary. The 2012 trips that require visas are: China, India, Sierra Leone, and Nepal.  The visa costs are listed on “The Chart,” which is included in your prep packet.
• Pack - You will be given a Pack at Training Camp.  There is a $50 deposit applied to the cost of the trip that will be returned to you when you send the pack back after the summer.  If you already have a RS Pack and plan to use it, we will remove the deposit.  Packs are due at Reign Ministries by October 1, 2012 to be eligible for the refund.
• Health Insurance - Each student who participates on Royal Servants MUST be covered by health insurance during the entire trip.  This is not an option.  Many families will have plans that cover their children while they are in the United States, but not once they get overseas.  If your insurance plan does NOT cover your son or daughter overseas, you will need to purchase travel insurance.  Depending on the type of coverage you desire and the length of their mission trip, this will probably cost under $100.  We have included a very good travel insurance option in your student’s Prep Packet.  You can obtain more by using an internet search, using the keywords “international travel insurance.”
• Baggage Fees - Due to most airlines adding baggage fees to all flights, we have built the airline baggage fees into your students spending dollar amount.

Cost Breakdown

• International Airfare – 40%
• Land Accommodations (bus, tents, lodging, equipment) – %30
• Food – 7%
• Training Camp – 10%
• Administrative Costs (leadership, office, office supplies, phone, postage, insurance, recruiting, trip development) – 13%

Your Responsibility

• App Fee – $40 (non-refundable)
• Personal earnings – $350 (suggested)
• Enlist financial supporters to raise the remainder of support needed
• Spending money (amount varies by team)
• Personal supplies
• Visa (where applicable)
• Domestic Airfare to Training Camp (see Domestic Air Reimbursement for more information on reimbursement)