Short-Term Mission Trips

Haiti   •   El Salvador   •   Nicaragua   •   Guatemala

Homes from the Heart is a Christ-centered organization.  We embrace partnerships with churches that want to help, whether that's through financial support or through joining us for short-term mission trips.

Who We Are

We started working in 2001, after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit El Salvador, leaving 500,000 people homeless.  We've been committed to building safe, decent homes in Central America since, expanding into Haiti in 2010, after the earthquake there.  We've also built a school, clinics, a daycare center, and a church, as well as completing restoration projects. See our About Us page to learn more.

To Get Involved

Our projects don't require previous construction experience.  We want to stay true to our motto, so that you can "just show up," and make a difference in the world.  Most churches that join us form a group of their own, but we sometimes have team leaders who create what's called an open trip, a trip where anyone can apply to join them.

If you would like to sign up your group for a trip, or if you have been a team leader with us before and would like to make a new open trip, visit our Sign Up page.

If you are looking for open trips to join, check out our Upcoming Trips to see any current trips we have scheduled.  If there are no open trips, please Contact Us to let us know you're interested!  We can keep you up to date on new opportunities and maybe even create an open trip.

A Typical Week

If there's one thing we've learned about working in the developing world, it's that there is no such thing as a typical day.  Every day brings it's own surprises, so maintaining a flexible mindset is key. That said, our volunteers can expect to have the majority of their week be hands on projects, working alongside the community and people who they're helping.

Work may entail mixing cement, digging holes, shoveling gravel, and other simple labor. Volunteers are also often followed around by the many children in the community who are interested in new visitors.  We encourage community interaction, and some of the most memorable parts of a trip often happen in the unscripted connections and interactions between volunteers and the local communities.

On rest days, teams can visit local churches, as well as enjoy the local attractions such as surfing lessons, zip lining, museums, artisan markets, and tours of natural landmarks.  We also encourage a daily devotional or reflection time, when teams can talk and pray about their experiences and discuss the social justice and spiritual aspects of their trip. Depending on your team's specific focus and goals, we work to tailor each trip to the people involved.