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Middle school mission trip

We encourage students to take the next step and apply for our MSM mission trip. We are taking a domestic trip to Kentucky, and believe this is our opportunity to take the Great Commission seriously by bringing the Gospel to the world. If you have any questions about our 2026 trip, feel free to reach out to Stephanie Terblanche at MSM@calvarywestlake.org or 818.575.2291

Team Trainings*

  • Sunday, April 19- First Team Meeting with parents & students 12:30 – 2:30pm (lunch provided) at Calvary
  • Saturday, May 30– Second Team Meeting with students to the Poverty Encounter, 8:30 am– 2:00pm. Bring money for lunch off campus.
  • Sunday, June 28– Final Team Meeting with parents & students 12:30 – 2:30pm (lunch provided) at Calvary

*Team training is mandatory and considered part of the mission trip. You may have one excused absence for team training, and it cannot be the May 30 meeting. The absence must be submitted in advance. You will be removed from the team if you miss more than that one excused meeting. We are sharing these training dates now so you can arrange time off and avoid conflicts with other commitments, such as sporting events and extracurricular activities.

Please note: You don’t need a passport for this trip, but if selected, you will need a notarized parent permission form, a medical letter, a copy of your birth certificate, and a school or state ID.

Applications are closed for the 2026 trip.

Click here to apply for the Appalachia Trip

Click here to download our trip information packet

Kentucky, USA

JULY 6-10, 2026

We are partnering with Thirst Missions in Appalachia, which takes place in Southeast Kentucky, in some of the most beautiful yet poor counties in the United States. There, we work in a variety of ministries and with churches and pastors in the local community. Our Ministry opportunities may include sports ministry, food ministry, light construction, and VBS. Whatever the ministries chosen, there are people throughout Appalachia who desperately need encouragement and to be shown the love of Jesus Christ. We will fly into Lexington, KY, or Knoxville, TN, and drive in rented vans to our ministry location. The trip will be led by our associate director, Bella Buonvicino, and Stephanie Terblanche. This trip is open to current 6th-8th graders. Cost: 1,700

Day 1: Pray That They Will Know Jesus

Scripture to Read

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3

Things to Remember

  1. Your greatest hope for your child is not simply that they are successful, safe, happy, or well behaved. It is that they know Jesus.
  2. You can teach them about God, bring them to church, and model faith for them, but only God can transform their heart.


Prayers to Pray

  1. Jesus, help them know You. Open their eyes to see who You are and draw them into a genuine relationship with You.
  2. Jesus, help them love You. May their faith become more than knowledge, tradition, or something inherited from our family.
  3. Jesus, help them follow You. Give them a lifelong desire to trust You, obey You, and walk with You.