Family Project India

Dates

December 21, 2018 - January 3, 2019

Location

India

Participation Fee

$1,980 per person. Discounts dependent on rooming configurations and age.

Download Info Pack

Overview

***This project is currently closed. If you are sincerely interested in joining this project and can complete the necessary registration, payments, and flight arrangements in a timely manner, please contact the projects department at Maranatha to see if there are any spots still available.***

Join Maranatha in the fascinating country of India! There is a great need for churches and schools throughout the entire country of India, and volunteers on this project will be able to help answer prayers for the Khunti Adventist School in eastern India. They have completely outgrown their facilities and need more classrooms to accommodate the many students that want to attend.

Maranatha offers at least two family projects each year that provide service opportunities for every member of your family, both young and old. This particular family project will take place over the Christmas and New Year school break!

Volunteers will join together in Khunti, a town outside of Ranchi, Jharkhand, to construct new classrooms. In addition to the construction, volunteers will also join together for outreach programs such as children’s ministry programs. If we have medical professionals with us, we would like to provide medical outreach as well. Younger volunteers will have a chance to join the Day Camp during the project to experience different aspects of service and receive insights into daily life in India!

While this project is geared towards families and preference is given to family groups, individuals are also welcome on this project.

Scope

Masonry School construction

Children’s Ministry Programs

Friday, December 21

Arrival in India

Saturday, December 22

Worship with the local congregation

Sunday, December 23

Work Days

Saturday, December 29

Worship with the local congregation. Travel to Delhi

Sunday, December 30

Agra and Taj Mahal

Monday, December 31

Travel to Ranthambore

Tuesday, January 1

Ranthambore Safaris

Wednesday, January 2

Travel to Jaipur. Afternoon tours

Thursday, January 3

Departure from India

ARRIVALVolunteers will arrive in Ranchi, India (IXR) before noon on Friday, December 21, 2018. Please wait for confirmation from Maranatha before purchasing your airfare to ensure there is still space on the project.

DEPARTUREVolunteers will depart from Delhi, India (DEL) in the evening of Thursday, January 3, 2019, after 10pm, or early in the morning of Friday, January 4, 2019, before 5am.

Hotel

VIEW ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

Volunteers will stay at the La Lac Sarovar Portico Hotel in Ranchi, approximately 45 minutes away from the Khunti school. The rooms are very spacious and newly renovated with a with a mix of twin and queen beds. You can expect double occupancy rooms with private bathrooms. All bedding and towels are provided; however, washcloths are not commonly provided in India, so you should plan to bring your own. The hotel has hot water, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi. The groups will have meals at the hotel where skilled Maranatha cooks will oversee all the meals. Together, the group will travel to the school by private transportation.

Volunteers should plan on staying in double occupancy rooms with a roommate. If you would like to room with someone in particular, please let us know. During the project, there are some single occupancy rooms available for an extra cost. If you are interested in a single occupancy room, please let Maranatha know at the time of registration by emailing volunteer@maranatha.org or calling (916) 774-7700.

For more information about the Sarovar Hotel visit http://www.sarovarhotels.com/le-lac-sarovar-ranchi/

Travel Information

Volunteers will purchase their own plane tickets and from India. The itinerary could include domestic legs inside India. The dates posted are the arrival and departure dates from the project, but due to travel time, you may need to leave a day or two before the arrival date. Maranatha representatives will meet volunteers upon arrival. Please wait for confirmation before purchasing your airfare to ensure that there is enough space on the project. More information including arrival and departure airports and time windows is available in an information packet available for download above. Booking outside these windows could result in additional fees and missed portions of the project.

Travel Resources

CI Azumano Travel:
800-454-4099 or by email with Erle or Azumano Team at corporatetravel@ciazumano.com

Butler Travel:
503-879-5005 or by email with Nathanael at nathan@butlertravel.com

Kayak:
www.kayak.com

When contacting the Azumano or Butler travel agencies, make sure you mention Maranatha for discounted booking fees.

Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur

After the project, volunteers will depart on an excursion to see some of the beauty of India. On Saturday night, volunteers will fly together from Ranchi to Delhi, and then the following morning, the group will make their way a few hours south by bus to the city of Agra, home to the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal, a stunning marble mausoleum, is considered one of the world’s architectural masterpieces. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a memorial to his wife, and the tour guide will share information about the life of the emperor and the construction of the beautiful building. In addition to the Taj Mahal, the group will also visit Agra Fort, a large complex that housed and protected many generations of royalty and foreign leaders.

On Monday, the group will travel to Ranthambore National Park, one of the biggest national parks in northern India. While the area was once hunting grounds for the ancient kings, it is now a nature reserve that is a major wildlife tourist attraction. The biggest draw to the park is the possibility of seeing Bengal tigers in their natural habitat. In addition, the park is home to Indian leopards, wild boars, striped hyenas, sloth bears, langurs, macaques, and crocodiles. The group will have a full day safari in the park on Tuesday.

Wednesday morning, the group will travel to Jaipur, where you will see several famous sights, including Amer Fort and the City Palace. Amer Fort is located on the edge of Maota Lake and is constructed of red sandstone and marble. The group will take an elephant ride at the fort to get a unique view of the opulent construction and history of the building. Volunteers will fly from Jaipur to Delhi in the evening on Thursday, January 3 and then continue on their way home from Delhi late in the evening on January 3rd.

The excursion is considered part of the entire project. All hotels, food, ground transportation, activities and entrance fees, and English-speaking guides are covered by the excursion fee paid to Maranatha.

Contact Us Want to speak with someone at Maranatha directly? Please call our office at 916.774.7700 to speak with a volunteer specialist. Alternatively, you can send us an email.

Thank you for your interest in one of our mission projects. You have been added to the interest list, and you will be notified via e-mail as soon as more information is available and registration has been opened. Typically registration is open three to six months in advance of the project dates; although, sometimes it can be delayed as we lock in accommodations and budgets. Thank you for your patience.

Please note that putting your name on the interest list ensures that you will be notified when registration is available, but does not guarantee you a place on the project. You will still need to complete the online registration form to reserve your spot on the trip.

Feel free to contact us at anytime to find out the current status of this project.