Communication During the Summer

Social media on the web has revolutionized our lives! There is a lot of conversations going on and it is very exciting! We use a variety of mediums – Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and most importantly, our website - to share updates from Royal Servants trips with you! Here are some ways you can follow us throughout the summer.
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• Subscribe for email updates
  Subscribing to our trip updates ensures that you will get ALL the latest updates throughout the summer. All of our social media posts will be gathered and posted onto the blog found on our website. By subscribing, you will receive an email at 5 PM (central time) containing a collection of updates from that day. You can subscribe to a specific trip or to all trips (during training camp everyone will receive the same information). You can subscribe HERE.
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• Pick your channel
  The best place to find all updates, pictures and videos is our website, BUT you can also follow our various social media outlets to receive updates such as our ...‍
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• Facebook
  Twitter
  Instagram
  YouTube
  Flickr
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• Use Facebook to share
  Facebook tip: Go to Reign Ministries' Facebook page and tag a picture of your student and any other students you know. We will not be tagging students, however by tagging your student, you will then be able to share that bit of news with their friends and family members. The only way images can be organized to identify your student is by you and your friends. We simply do not have the authorization to provide that level of organization.
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• Check for pictures in Flickr
  We will be posting ALL of our pictures on Flickr (far more than on Facebook or our website). On Flickr, pictures will be organized by trip. (Check for these links on our specific Trip pages - royalservants.org!)
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• DISCLAIMER
  We love being able to update you as parents, supporters, family, and friends; however, our time and resources are limited. This is especially true once our teams are overseas. Our trip leaders and staff do their best to post updates when possible. As mentioned previously, many of our teams will not have regular access to Internet and we may only see a few updates from them throughout their time overseas.In fact, some Trip’s Updates will be text only. At times for some of our more remote trips, pictures and video are impossible to post. Overseas, the Internet can be VERY underdeveloped. For example, we may get only a few brief posts from Uganda and China due to Internet accessibility, and we will not likely see any pictures or video.

If you have any social media or communications-related questions, please contact Margaret Andrus.

In the event of an emergency please refer to our main website for the Training Camp emergency contact information.

We keep a pretty tight schedule at Training Camp. There is a lot of preparation needed to be ready to travel overseas and while it may seem like we have the time and resources for regular updates, the honest truth is we just don’t. If you see your student in a social media post, we’re happy to give you the glimpse… if not, know that they are doing just fine and their days are filled with teachings, worship, team time, etc.

• Hilltop Express (ONLY at Training Camp)
  Send your son or daughter an encouraging email/note via Hilltop Express. We will print and deliver it during the next mail delivery. Your student will not be able to respond, but will still enjoy getting a printed message from you! We are able to deliver Hilltop Expresses to students most days during their time at Training Camp (June 14—June 30). The Nehemiah team will not be able to receive Hilltop Express messages after June 27th because of their early departure from Training Camp. The last day you will be able to send an email for any other team and have it printed is June 30 by 3pm CST. You can send a Hilltop Express HERE.
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• Send Mail & Packages (ONLY at Training Camp)
  ‍Mail is much more important than many parents or relatives realize. Care packages are a great way to show your son or daughter you are thinking of them while they are at Training Camp. Contents of care packages can include favorite candy, chips, snacks, etc.
  
  Try not to send large items. Students have limited room in their packs, in addition to a weight allowance. Care packages are a great low-cost way for relatives or friends to bless and encourage your son or daughter. Make sure you send any letters or packages in time! (Training Camp tear down begins June 30th, and anything that arrives that day or afterward will be returned by the post office.)When mailing items to Training Camp, please mail to:
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• Royal Servants
  “Participant Name – Trip”
  W4797 State Rd 33
  Pardeeville, WI 53954

• Mail
  We cannot guarantee that letters, and particularly packages, will get to their intended destination. Letters usually arrive, but packages often never arrive at all. So we are asking that you do not send packages overseas, only letters or cards.
  
  Click HERE for the itinerary of your participants’ trip. (COMING SOON)
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• Email
  ‍Though it is generally available, we cannot guarantee that email will be possible. Many third-world countries experience frequent issues with their communications systems and China often filters incoming and outgoing mail.
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• Phone
  Some teams may have access to telephones, while others may not. And, even if available, phone calls may not be the best method of communication. If they are available you will need to purchase a phone calling card. You can Google “international phone card” for available providers. (Phone cards will not work in Nepal or Sierra Leone). Note: Phone cards work well while traveling in the US in place of cell phones to call from airports.
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