Why are we going?
Because when we go on a GO Trip, God often reveals himself. Plus, we want to see what happens when we allow God to lead us. Crossroads is developing partnerships in Alabama to bring about transformative change, and we want to throw some fuel on that fire. There is no better way than sending people to work alongside these partners and give them a boost in their efforts to help those who are hurting.
Who can go?
This trip is for anyone—Crossroads people, non-Crossroads people, friends and family from out of town, people from all over the faith spectrum—with a heart for serving. The only requirement is that you are 18 years old, or 13 years old with a parent or guardian. Groups of two or more, like families or small groups, can sign up together.
How much does it cost?
$1,350. This covers your transportation, room and board, work supplies, and activities. Vaccinations, and souvenirs are not covered.
What if I don’t have that much money?
Join the club. Close to 90% of people who have been on a GO Trip with us didn’t have the funds sitting in their bank account or stuffed in a mattress, but nearly everyone raised the funds. Don’t let money stop you. Raising money is actually a very cool part of this experience. We’ll talk a lot more about the financial stuff and help you generate ideas for how to raise funds. We also have an awesome website that helps with this process, and a little faith goes a long way. Have some and see what happens.
Get ideas for support raising
Is there a deposit?
A non-refundable deposit is required as part of your application for this trip and must be paid via credit card or ACH. Cash, checks, and money orders are not accepted.
How do I sign up?
Go to www.crossroads.net/go and fill out an application no later than the posted deadline. To complete your application, you will need to pay your non-refundable deposit. Applications are not complete until the deposit is received. All applicants will be contacted once the application is received to confirm their trip participation.
What happens if more than enough people sign up? How do you decide who gets to go?
Sign-ups will occur on a first come, first served basis. Once the trip has reached its maximum number, sign-ups will automatically close and applications will no longer be accepted for that trip. There will be no lottery.
What work will I be doing?
Depends. You’ll be doing anything from digging a ditch, building a school, or encouraging people in the community.
What if I can’t do the work?
While we hope to have jobs for all skill sets and ages, please know that the trip can be exhausting. We will be on our feet a lot, getting up early, climbing in and out of big buses, and the 10 hours or so traveling is an obstacle we can’t change. If you have concerns about your physical situation, please talk to us. We want everyone to go on a GO trip, but if you ignore your physical limitations up front, you could end up being miserable.
What else will we do?
We’ll visit world-class museums, and key civil rights sites. You’ll also get a chance to explore Downtown Montgomery, and spend some time building community with your GO Group.
Will I have to preach or pray in front of people?
Not unless you want to. This trip is for everyone, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey. You will be challenged and have a ton of opportunity to grow.
What is the travel like?
We’ll be bussing down to Montgomery, Alabama with some of your closest new friends.
Do I have to ride the bus?
Yes. Unless you are part of our Online community who live nowhere near the Cincinnati or Lexington area.
Where are we staying?
On this trip, lodging will be at a local hotel. You’ll have access to the basic, familiar stuff—hot and cold showers, beds, food. We will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together.
What will we do to prepare for the trip?
We will have a few meetings leading up to the trip, where you will learn more about what we’re doing, meet others who are going, and just have a good time. Out-of-town people will have a GO Group Leader assigned to keep them in the loop via email so they don’t have to keep coming to Cincinnati.
Anything else you really want to tell me?
If you want to take a vacation to Alabama, then we encourage you to do so. It’s beautiful. That being said, this is not that trip. Deciding to go with us means you want to be a part of a mission to change the world. In pursuit of that group goal, however, you may not get to do everything you want to do in the way you like to do things. It’s a part of submitting to something bigger than yourself. But if you go, we promise an incredible experience! We can do more together than we can as individuals.
Can I travel on my own?
Nope, everyone will ride the buses, unless you are an Online person far away from Cincinnati needing separate arrangements.
What precautions will be taken for COVID?
We will not require proof of the COVID vaccine to go on this trip which is consistent with Crossroads’ overall approach. However, if you are not yet vaccinated and are considering getting it, we want to encourage you to consider the time between doses and the departure date.
If you do contract COVID during the trip, you will need to quarantine. We do have insurance that will make any extra hotel, lodging, and medical expenses reimbursable to you up to certain limits, but you will need to make arrangements to return home at your own expense.