The goal of BULA is to recruit, organize and equip people for short-term mission adventures that will mutually challenge each participant and support the ongoing ministries of Christian missionaries serving abroad.

BULA means “life” in Fijian, and is said as a greeting, a way of saying – “good life to you”. It is a fitting name for this ministry, because the hope is that through the adventure of short term missions, each participant, and those we minister to, will come to a deeper relationship with Jesus, and truly experience life to the fullest (John 10:10b)

Let me give you a few reasons.

• Short-term missions…
• Take us out of our comfort zone and force us to see a part of the world we might otherwise ignore
• Open our eyes to the needs of others who are suffering
• Allow us to see others as Jesus sees them
• Stretch our faith
• Allow us to participate in ministering to the “least of these”
• Bond us together in a unique way with other believers who are serving with us
• Bless not only the lives of those we serve, but our own lives as well
• Remove us from the “rat-race” we call life, long enough to take a hard look at our priorities

Our goal with BULA is to give participants a chance…

• to serve Jesus in a unique way
• to participate in a life-changing adventure
• to build bridges with other cultures
• to share the good news of the Gospel around the world
• to meet the physical needs of those living in poverty
• to grow and be stretched in their faith
• to experience the reality that the family of God knows no borders – it is not limited to the USA!

Where – Quito, Ecuador in South America

Cost – $1550 per person – includes all air and ground transportation, all meals and lodging for 14 days, training supplies, and a team shirt.

Areas of Ministry – We will be spending 2 weeks at Houses of Happiness just outside of Quito, Ecuador. Houses of Happiness is a orphanage that actually has 20 homes located on their property with “moms” in each home to take care of the kids.  They currently have 180 kids there.  The idea is to create more of a family atmosphere for the children. They have built their own school on the property, and a church. Currently they are working on self-sustaining agriculture. While there, we will install a water line on site, and spend time with the children doing crafts and games. To see more about this amazing ministry, you can visit www.housesofhappiness.org

Team – 16 adults and youth with a desire to serve God.

Miscellaneous information -

• 9 hour flight (from LAX)
• 2 hour time change (ahead of us)
• Need a passport (Must have receipt of application or photocopy by April
• Minors (under 18) need a notarized letter of parent consent
• Quito’s weather is eternally spring- temps in the mid to upper 70’s. Expect some showers, and bring a light sweater or sweatshirt for evenings. The orphanage is at 8,000 ft, but since it is near the equator, you won’t notice it as much. It is on the side of a mountain (Andes Mt range) so you do need to be in good physical shape for the trip.
• We will be staying in the guest house w/ laundry facilities
• Languages spoken – mostly Spanish with some English

Requirements -

• Application with a $500 deposit (non-refundable once team is selected) due by April 5
  
• Attend scheduled team meetings (pending location of applicant)
• Complete assigned reading and journals
• Have a growing relationship with God & be open to His leading

Tentative Meeting Schedule -

• May 1     – meeting/training *$550 due
• June 26 – meeting/training *$500 due
• July 11 – meeting/training (for those in town)

Team meetings in general will be 3 hours long, (Saturday afternoon), and will include worship, sharing from our journals how God is working in our lives, cultural training, & a team building activity.

Where – Suva, Fiji in the South Pacific (just above New Zealand on the map)

Cost – $2100 per person

Includes all air and ground transportation, all meals and lodging for 15 days, training supplies, and a team shirt.

Areas of Ministry – We will be spending 2 weeks at Homes of Hope in a rain forest just outside of Suva. Homes of Hope is an amazing ministry that works with 27 young moms (mostly aged 15-19 years old) and their children. Many of them have been rescued out of the sex trade industry. To see more about this amazing ministry, you can visit hopefiji.org. While there, we will assist them in teaching at the school on site, working in the nursery, helping in the kitchen, working in the gardens (vegetable and flower), helping with beadwork, teaching sewing, and doing some construction work.

Team – 15 adults and youth with a desire to serve God.

Miscellaneous information -

• 10 ½ hour flight (LAX to Nadi, Fiji)
• 19 hour time change (ahead of us)
• Need a passport (Must have receipt of application or photocopy by Feb 7. Passport must be good through Dec 2010)
• Fiji’s weather is tropical – temperatures are in the mid to upper 80’s.
• Languages spoken, Fijian, Hindi, and English
• Currency – Fijian dollar (1 Fiji dollar = 50 cents US currently)

Requirements -

• Application with a $500 deposit (non-refundable once team is selected) due by February 7
  
• Attend scheduled team meetings (pending location of applicant)
• Complete assigned reading and journals
• Have a growing relationship with God & be open to His leading

Tentative Meeting Schedule -

• March 7 – meeting/training *$600 due
• April 11 – meeting/training *$500 due
• May 2 – meeting/training *$500 due
• May 16 – meeting/training

Team meetings in general will be an hour and a half, (Sunday afternoon), and will include worship, sharing from our journals how God is working in our lives, cultural training, & a team building activity. One date might be changed to a Sat to work with Self Help Enterprises building houses.