Are there "volunteer trips", like mission trips that christians do but not religious?

Question

I'm an atheist and I would like to do a kind of volunteer trip somewhere. Someone that I work with just got back from a mission trip and she got to help at an orphanage and help build a house and stuff like that in Africa. I think that would be so much fun! But I want to help them, not teach them about God lol. So...is there someplace that hosts something like that? Anyone know?

Answer 1

There are a lot of programs like you want, of course the biggest and best is the "Peace Corps". However they require a long term investment time wise, probably not what you are looking for. Most programs are church based, these are the best as they don't cost you anything since the church pays for all the costs. Still there are several groups that have short term programs that you are looking for. Almost all of them require you to pay a small amount of the cost, this is because no one is donating them large sums of money and they need to cover costs. Try these programs:

http://www.globalvolunteers.org/?OVRAW=peace%20corps&OVKEY=peace%20corps&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=1605563522&OVKWID=50639186522

http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/choosing_your_program/volunteer_abroad/default.asp?siteID=otus_peace_corps&OVRAW=peace%20corps&OVKEY=peace%20corps&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=3308307522&OVKWID=49058454022

http://www.volunteervisions.org/?gad=CMnR8rEDEgi0IBcyKCIGphi73bv4AyCxuaQl

And of course the Peace Corps themselves:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

Answer 2

My church went down to New Orleans to help rebuild houses and give out stuff at the shelters but you can find stuff like this on google