While on an EMI trip you will have an opportunity to use your God-given gifts and talents to serve God's people internationally. "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). And on a trip, you will get to feel that first hand. It is a unique chance to be blessed by a Christian community coming together in unity, to partner with an international ministry, and eternally impact the poor.

Yes, see EMI Near You to find an EMI representative that may live in your State.

It's easy, just fill out our Contact Form.

It's easy, just fill out our Contact Form and select Volunteer on the pull down list.

All projects must meet these main criteria:

1. The project must serve the poor

2. The ministry must proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. There must be a realistic method of funding the construction of the project after the design is complete.

There is a rigorous project approval process to ensure a realistic chance that the project will be built.

EMI typically only designs the projects. It is up to the organizations that EMI is assisting to see that the project gets built. Often the ministry uses the report that EMI generates to raise money for project funding. One of EMI's guidelines is that the ministry has the ability to raise funds for construction of the project. In some cases EMI does get involved in facilitating the ministry.

Yes, most EMI projects get built. It is EMI's intention to partner with ministries who will be able to eventually build the projects. Sometimes the construction starts as soon as the EMI team completes the design, other times it may take a few years of fundraising. We estimate from past experience that:

25% of the projects have been built exactly as it was designed

25% have been built mostly as designed

25% have been built with significant design changes

25% have not been built because of various reasons including:

- the ministry we are serving changes leadership or direction

- the ministry falls apart

- the ministry gets kicked out the country

EMI Reps are people who know EMI well and represent EMI around the US and Canada. Their primary purpose is to let people know the impact of EMI and how design professionals can get involved. If you would like to speak to an EMI Rep or Promoter click on EMI Near You. To read more about how to be an EMI Reps check out Be an EMI Rep.

There isn't much "Red-Tape" to be approved for an EMI trip. First, check out the Upcoming Project Trips site and find a trip that interests you. Secondly, contact the project leader assigned to that trip. He or she will be able to answer any questions you may have from there. If the project leader can not include you on their trip, then contact a project leader for a different trip. If you don't feel your expertise can be used on an EMI team then check out the Discipline Descriptions and find your discipline or one similar.

Click on Typical EMI Trip Summary.

You need to bring enough equipment so you can do your preliminary work at the project site. However, discuss the equipment needs with the project leader. They will know what equipment is available and what you need to bring. This is especially important for the surveyors.

Getting sick on an EMI project is not uncommon, however, it is typically just stomach problems that only last a few days. The project leader will carry some basic medications which can be used. The CDC (U.S Center for Disease Control) lists what immunizations should be taken for those that want to be immunized.

EMI encourages volunteers to use the U.S Center for Disease Control site to help determine which vaccines they choose to get. Sometimes to get into Africa you need to have a Yellow Fever shot. You can raise the funds for vaccinations through EMI.

No, you do not have to learn a foreign language, although if you do know the language of the country the team is visiting then it will be a great asset to the team. If there is a language barrier then the ministry EMI is serving will provide a translator. Often times, learning some simple words of the language will go a long way in connecting with the nationals and is suggested.

Sometimes volunteers are able to bring their spouses on an EMI trip. There are many factors to be considered for each trip and the project leader for the trip will best be able to decide. So contact a project leader from a project that interests you and ask them about bringing your spouse. Click on Upcoming Project Trips to see a list of EMI trips and the project leaders contact information.

You are expected to complete your portion of the project design in a timely manner, as discussed with your project leader before the trip. The time required of you will range between 1-100 hours after the project trip depending on your discipline and with which EMI office you travel.

Yes, EMI offers Architects, Engineers, and Surveyors across the US to partner with them in Project Trips to earn Continuing Education Credit Hours during their volunteer experience.
Get more information on Continuing Education with EMI.

Volunteers can pay for the trip costs out of pocket or they can support raise through churches, organizations, family, or friends. Since EMI is a non-profit organization, tickets, and trip expenses are tax deductible. Trips typically cost between $1500 and $3000.

Typically you only need to bring money for souvenirs and a few miscellaneous expenses. The Project Leader can help you determine how much you should bring for a specific trip.

You can usually exchange money in the airport at your destination, just let your Project Leader know before hand if you choose to do that.

Have you considered raising support for an EMI trip? Check out the Raising Support link to see how easy it can be. You may realize that the hardest part is getting over your own fears about support raising. Giving others the opportunity to partner with you can help them trust God in a new way and share in the EMI adventure with you.

Usually the team meets up in an international airport before arriving to the destination nation, for example in London's airport.

The EMI Project Leader will take care of travel arrangements on your behalf.

Depending on the country you go to, you may need a visa. The Project Leader will tell you this information. If you don't have a passport then you should start the process now.

Usually, although EMI will not be responsible for you during personal travel. Ask your project leader if this is an option.

Yes, you can typically use your airline miles instead of paying for your international airline ticket. To do so, you will have to make all of your flight arrangements, you will have to meet up with the team where the project leader designates, and you will still need to pay the rest of the volunteer fees.

EMI takes into consideration the US State department warnings but we depend primarily on the people we have on the ground – whether they are our own staff or the ministry we are going to serve. They know best if the specific location where we are going is safe, and they are usually more concerned for our safety than we are. Whereas lots of time the state department just wants to get as many people out initially in case something does go wrong.

EMI partners with all denominations that preach the gospel. All volunteers are welcome as long as they will participate in the group.

Yes, but they must be willing to be part of the team and attend group discussions, daily Bible studies and activities.

When nationals see Christians willing to help them without getting paid, they see the love of Christ in a unique way. This act can have a huge impact on the nationals. In that way, EMI volunteers indirectly share their faith. On most trips, volunteers may get the opportunity to share their testimony at a local Church, and sometimes will be able to do directly share their faith. In addition, EMI trips help volunteers to witness to friends, relatives, and co-workers at home. The fact that people wonder why we would go to a developing nation gives EMI volunteers an opportunity to share about their faith. As St. Francis of Assisi was reported to have said, "Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words."

There are lots of ways to serve. Click on Discipline Description to find out.

No, you do not need to be licensed design professional to volunteer on a trip. Well rounded experience in your field will help prepare you for an EMI trip. Typically, 3 years of experience in your field will help enable you to be an asset for your team. If you have less than 3 years of experience, feel free to contact the team leader of a trip that interests you to see if you can still contribute to an EMI team. Click on Upcoming Project Trips to see a list of EMI trips.

Liability to EMI and our volunteers is greatly minimized because the following is true in the countries we work:

The legal system does not have the same liability standard as the US court system. Also we provide our design for free and are not licensed in those countries so very little legal liability exist.

There is no code enforcement, so contractors are typically the ones providing quality assurances and are more liable than any designer.

Where there are professional registration requirements, the ministries we serve must take our designs to a local architect or engineer before submitting the drawings - at that point the local professionals are responsible for the quality of the design.

Feel free to check out an example EMI project report to see the level of detail needed for each discipline.

Follow the links below to our other EMI websites. You can find out more about each office and what their internships are like.
– America Latina.
– Canada.
– East Africa.
– South Asia.
– United Kingdom.

The best way for you to help would be by volunteering for one of our mission trips, because it will enable you to accurately meet the design needs of the ministry. Occasionally we will ask a past volunteer to help do some design work from home, once he/she is familiar with designing in the developing world. Here is a link to our Upcoming Project Trips. If finances are the issue, I'd encourage you to consider support raising. We hope to have you on a trip with us soon.
If you can't get much time off work, you may want to look for a trip in Central America or Caribbean. Those trips are usually much shorter minimizing your time away from work. If you have very limited time off work, sometimes it is possible for you to leave a day or two earlier than the rest of the EMI team.

If interested in volunteering, fill out our volunteer interest form and receive updates and information about future mission trips by mail and by e-mail. If you can't go on trip now, you may want to watch our email updates to give you ideas about how and where you may want to serve sometime in the future.

Unfortunately, we do not currently have volunteer opportunities for high school students. We have an intern program for college students and recent graduates, and our interns complete all of the work that we have for volunteers with limited work experience. You might want to look at the Right Now website. They list many different mission opportunities for high school students.

Firstly, it is important that you follow your God given gifts and passions, because God will use them uniquely in you. Secondly, these are the typical professional design needs applicable to overseas work: water treatment, wastewater treatment, structural engineering, electrical power and distribution, and architecture.

When considering where you want to work to get the best experience possible to serve overseas, it is important to get hands on experience or work at a small firm where you can see the whole process of a project completed.

To join EMI Staff you need to:

First travel on an EMI trip

Secondly, be able to raise your own support for the staff position

If you are willing to raise your own support and have already volunteered on an EMI project trip then go to Available Positions to find out more.