2024 Immersion - South Africa and Namibia

2024 Immersion

Dates: Thursday, June 13 - Saturday, June 22, 2024

Locations: Namibia and South Africa

Join the Center for Mission and Identity as we explore questions of racial justice, peace and reconciliation, decolonization, and liberation theology in the southern African context. Our program itinerary will include engagements in both Namibia and South Africa as we learn about the history and current realities of these regions and consider them in light of our own context in the United States and at LMU.

Program costs are fully sponsored by the Center for Mission and Identity (including all meals and single accommodations, programming, and comprehensive facilitation and assistance). All participants are expected to attend four preparatory gatherings during the spring 2024 semester, as well as the full program itinerary from orientation to close.

Questions about the 2024 immersion or the program in general? See our FAQs below or contact Kat Brown, Director of Mission and Identity Programs, at Katherine.Brown@lmu.edu.

FAQs

Our itinerary will be developed in collaboration with our in-country partner, the Center for Global Education and Experience. The program will likely include site visits; conversations with local community leaders, activists, and experts; opportunities to encounter local wildlife, geography, arts, and culture; and guided reflection facilitated by trip leaders.

This immersion program does not include volunteer service or other activities that are sometimes grouped under the category of "mission trips." Our program's emphasis is on education, accompaniment, solidarity, and global citizenship. Participants will be invited to listen, learn, and reflect on what their responses will be to what they have experienced.
Once accepted, immersion participants are expected to attend the following:
- Three weekday, daytime preparatory meetings of 90 minutes during the spring 2024 semester (two time options will be offered for each meeting);
- One evening dinner with the full immersion group in May 2024, prior to departure;
- The full program itinerary, from arrival on Thursday, June 13 to close on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Late arrivals or early departures cannot be accommodated.
Precise dates and times for pre-trip meetings will be identified by group availability once the roster is finalized.

Participants must also hold a current passport valid for the dates of travel and sign a liability waiver. If you anticipate any of these elements posing an obstacle to your participation, please contact Kat Brown at katherine.brown@lmu.edu to discuss possibilities.
No! The program includes full interpretation and translation as needed, and speaking a language other than English is not necessary for full participation.
A primary goal of the immersion is to encounter communities and ways of life that are outside our day to day contexts. Participants are encouraged to enter into the experience with an attitude of simplicity, openness, and willingness to venture "outside their comfort zone."

In keeping with this principle, travel, food, and lodging will be simple, though safe and comfortable. All participants will be housed in single accommodations with private bathrooms. Travel will be by chartered van and bus. Meals may be shared in a variety of contexts, including restaurants, vendors, and host-prepared meals. Participants with dietary or religious restrictions should contact the trip facilitator before departure to ensure appropriate accommodation.

A suggested packing list, pre-departure checklist, and itinerary will be shared with participants prior to departure, and facilitators are available to address specific questions or needs.
Ask away! Contact Kat Brown, Director of Mission and Identity Programs, at katherine.brown@lmu.edu.