India: A Monument to a Greater Love
Faith in Action
Delhi & Agra, India
Vacation Bible School & Taj Mahal Discovery
1 Week of Service • Cultural Immersion • Servant Leadership
Did You Know?
The Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a monument to his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth — one of history's most famous testaments to human love, requiring more than 20,000 workers and 20 years to complete. Yet Scripture points to a love greater still: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10). Agra, home to this monument, is also home to real and pressing need: in 2018 alone, an estimated 2.4 million Indians died of conditions that were entirely treatable.
A Monument to a Greater Love
It took twenty years and twenty thousand hands to build a monument to one man's love for one woman. The love your team will practice this week won't be carved in marble or visited by millions — it will look like a Bible story told to a circle of children, a craft made with sticky fingers, a song sung off-key but with everything they've got, day after day. But it's no less real. Your team will partner with a local church to lead Vacation Bible School for children in Agra, sharing songs, crafts, games, and Bible stories that point to a love that doesn't fade. Every child held and every game played is a quiet, unglamorous echo of a love that doesn't need a monument to be genuine. Students who serve in India come home changed — not because they built something that will last four centuries, but because they discovered what it means to love children who will never build you a monument in return.
The Worldwide Faith in Action Difference
Cross-Cultural Ministry • Daily Devotions • Local Church Partnership • Vacation Bible School • Mughal & North Indian Culture • 1 Week of Hands-On Service
The Worldwide Navigators Difference
Sojourn – Gain a better understanding of the community you’re visiting. Learn about different religions or spiritual practices. How do these impact the communities? How does religion or spirituality influence local traditions?
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Savor – Will you choose sweet or savory? Take the time to visit local markets and discover unique local ingredients. Learn how to prepare traditional meals & local favorites.
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Tip of the Tongue – Each morning, take the time to learn a few basic greetings and phrases in the local language. Learn how to write greetings & your name in the local script.
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A Wrinkle in Time – History influences our present. Discover the history of the country you visit. Hear the stories of your guides & their family history. Where do they come from?
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Journal Journeys – Take some time to reflect on the day’s events and document your journey. Spend a moment journaling about the day had & day ahead. These are memories for a lifetime!
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Culture – From local dances, festivals, or simple gestures to communicate – all of these make up a country’s culture. Learn and practice cultural norms & how to show respect in the culture you visit.
1 of 1Itinerary
Welcome to India! Fly into Delhi and transfer to your hotel to rest after the journey. Welcome dinner and opening devotional: what does it mean to serve as the hands and feet of Christ in a new culture?
Begin in Old Delhi with a visit to the tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun and Qutab Minar, the tallest brick minaret in the world, before marveling at the Lotus Temple. In New Delhi, explore Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, and stop for photos at India Gate. Evening devotional on cultivating a servant’s heart.
Meet our local church partner for a full orientation — VBS lesson plans, team roles, and an introduction to the children we’ll serve this week in Agra. Our first day of Vacation Bible School follows — Bible stories, worship songs, crafts, and games. Evening debrief and devotional.
Rise before dawn to watch the sun come up over the Taj Mahal, considered the finest example of Mughal architecture in the world. VBS continues for the remainder of the day. Evening devotional on love that doesn’t need an audience.
Spend the morning at Agra’s Red Fort, a historical fortress significant to India for centuries, before an afternoon of Vacation Bible School.
A day off from workshops to explore the crafts of India. Watch a live demonstration of inlay marble art at Agra’s Marble Factory, see traditional carpet-making by hand, and visit an embroidery workshop practicing the art once used to decorate royal palaces.
VBS continues. In the late afternoon, take a cooking class to learn how to prepare authentic Indian curry — marinating, using a tandoor and clay oven, and sharing the meal together as a team.
Our final day of VBS wraps with a closing celebration — songs, games, certificates, and a farewell gathering with the children and their families. Time to say goodbye and reflect on the relationships built this week.
A free morning to shop local markets, or join a team meal at Sheroe’s Hangout, a café run entirely by women who are acid attack survivors, empowering them to learn new skills and earn an income. In the afternoon, visit Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary and Wildlife SOS’s Bear Rescue Facility.
Final group devotional and debrief. Enjoy breakfast before packing up and heading to Delhi International Airport for your international flight home.
Extend Your Trip
- Optional Extension: Days 11–12 — Ranthambore National Park
For schools wanting to go further, extend the trip 2 additional days to Ranthambore National Park, one of India’s premier tiger reserves. Join guided safari drives through dry deciduous forest and ancient ruins in search of the Bengal tiger, along with leopards, sloth bears, and marsh crocodiles.
Choose Your Impact
Every Faith in Action trip pairs a full week of hands-on service with a tour component that immerses students in local history, culture, and faith. This Delhi & Agra itinerary can be shortened, extended, or modified to fit your school’s calendar and budget.
- Value — 8–10 Day Group Trips
Airfare • Ground Transportation • 2.5–3 Star Accommodations • Daily Devotions & Debriefs • 3 Meals Per Day • VBS Curriculum & Supplies • Daytime Tour Director • 5 Days of Service (VBS)
- Classic — 10–11 Day Group Trips
Airfare • Ground Transportation • 2.5–3 Star Accommodations • Daily Devotions & Debriefs • 3 Meals Per Day • VBS Curriculum & Supplies • Daytime Guided Tour Director • 5 Days of Service (VBS) + Cultural Excursions
- Epic — 12+ Day Group Trips
Airfare • Ground Transportation • 3.5–4 Star Accommodations • Daily Devotions & Debriefs • 3 Meals Per Day • VBS Curriculum & Supplies • 24/7 Guided Tour Director • 5 Days of Service (VBS) + Extended Cultural Immersion • Final Night Celebration Dinner & Commissioning Service
Interested in adding or modifying activities? All Faith in Action itineraries can be customized — extend the service week, add a second community partner, or swap in additional cultural excursions.
Classic
4 Day Tour
- Airfare
- Transportation
- 2.5 - 3-Star Accommodations
- Daily Activities & Excursions
- 2 Meals Per Day
- Tours & Entrance Fees
- Daytime & Self-Guided Tour Director
Signature
4 Day Tour
- Airfare
- Transportation
- 3.5 - 4-Star Accommodations
- Daily Activities & Excursions
- 2 Meals Per Day
- Tours & Entrance Fees
- 24/7 Guided Tour Director
In collaboration with our partners