EPIC Hope provides English study abroad opportunities for both Japanese students of English and international families. These opportunities differ based on age range and family setting.
For Japanese Students (Junior High and Under)
For Japanese students of English who are junior high age and under, trips will be led by EPIC Hope chaplains and bilingual staff traveling from Japan together with the students. They will be hosted by LCMC churches in Guam, Hawaii, and California. Parents of participating children will be able to meet with EPIC Hope and ask questions about each trip's itinerary and cost as part of the recruitment process. Students must have a letter of reference from an English school with which EPIC Hope has a chaplain relationship and must have studied at that school for at least one year.
For International Christian Families in Japan
For international Christian families living in Japan, we provide help accessing Christian camps and Vacation Bible Schools to affirm a Christian identity for the children of such families. For high school-age children and older, we help arrange short-term homestays of less than 15 days in Guam or Hawaii. Children must come from families that have at least a one-year relationship with an EPIC Hope chaplain. The chaplain must know the family well enough to understand the unique challenges each family faces.