Join us in: Mexico!
Trip Information
DATE:
06/17 - 06/24/2023 - completed!
06/24 - 07/02/2023 - completed!
08/06 - 08/13/2023 - completed!
ESTIMATED COST:
$475 per person per trip from San Diego
FUNDRAISING GOAL:
$88k (these funds are used to pay for the houses we build)
OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES
We plan to build up to 14 homes for Mexican families in need.
- Build A Home – We will primarily be focused on blessing needy families by building single family homes, complete with a cement floor (the slab will be ready by the time your team gets there), real windows (in lieu of pieces of cloths placed over a hole in the wall), a door that locks (instead of a piece of cloth or cardboard for a door) and a composition roof that will not leak when it rains! We will also provide the families with a bathroom and shower area.
- Play with Children — Activities with local children typically include playing games, giving away candy and balloons, doing puppet shows, crafts and showing the love Jesus through our actions at the job site.
- Attend Local Church — We typical attend a lively Mexican church service Wednesday night and/or an English church service Thursday.
- Outreach – Depending on the Team Leader, teams may also assist with several other outreach ministries such as the Dorothy’s house woman’s shelter, local orphanage, and “The Dump ministry” aimed at drug rehabilitation etc.
- Fellowship – While the activities involved in building a home allow for times of fellowship, we also take an afternoon to visit the beach, enjoy local food/culture and shop prior to departing.
- Purpose – When we build a house for a family we are demonstrating the love of Jesus – who saw our need and provided for us! This act also helps to break the poverty cycle, improve health and education opportunities for children, give families more hope for the future and builds relationships. Our aim is not only to build a house for families in need but also to provide a home where families can have more stability, where day to day challenges can be minimize and where the love Jesus is celebrated for future generations. Thank you, Volunteers, for partnering with us to provide help and hope to hurting people!
TYPICAL SCHEDULE
Below is a basic schedule for the week, which we approach with flexibility because our ultimate focus is on relationships! Your Team Leader will lead a time of debriefing and a short devotional in the evening and it is always a great addition to have musical worship. Please let us know if you have anyone who sings or plays guitar on your trip so that we can help to coordinate the musical aspect of worship when able! If teams aren’t able to help in the area of music, it may not be a part of the trip. Thanks for understanding.
Sunday
10 A.M. – Meet at San Diego airport and get vans
12 P.M. – Stop for lunch then head to the border
2 P.M. – Stop in Ensenada for a restroom and snack break
5 P.M. – Dinner at Papa Ruben’s
7 P.M. – Pull into mission base, get room assignments and settle in
Monday
7:30 A.M. – Breakfast
8:15 A.M. – Breakfast duties, devotions and group meeting
9:45 A.M. – Leave for job site
5 P.M. – Return from job site
5:30 P.M. – Dinner, evening duties, debrief and optional outreach opportunities
Tuesday
7:30 A.M. – Breakfast
8:15 A.M. – Breakfast duties, devotions and group meeting
9:45 A.M. – Leave for job site
5 P.M. – Return from job site
5:30 P.M. – Dinner, evening duties, debrief and optional outreach opportunities
Wednesday
7:30 A.M. – Breakfast
8:15 A.M. – Breakfast duties, devotions and group meeting
9:45 A.M. – Leave for job site
3:45 P.M.. – Return from job site and get ready for church
4:15 P.M. – Dinner
5:30 P.M. – Leave for Open Door Church
Thursday
7:30 A.M. – Breakfast
8:15 A.M. – Breakfast duties, devotions and group meeting
9:45 A.M. – Leave for job site
12-4 P.M. – Complete house and have dedication Ceremony
5 P.M. – Return from job site
5:30 P.M. – Dinner, evening duties, debrief and optional outreach opportunities
Friday
7:30 A.M – Breakfast
8:15 A.M. – Breakfast duties, devotions and group meeting
9:45 A.M. – Leave for beach
4 P.M. – Visit orphanage
5:30 P.M. – Special dinner feast, debrief, free time and pack up
Saturday
7:30 A.M. – Head home
LODGING & FOOD
Where We Stay & What We Eat
Lodging consists of dormitory style buildings. Each dorm sleeps 12 with 6 sets of bunk beds. They come with a pretty comfy mattress but don't forget your pillow and sleeping bag. The food is prepared by the mission base staff. It’s a variety of traditional Mexican food as well as some American dishes. The food is delicious and safe to eat. There is clean purified drinking water in a couple different locations on the base.
SUPPLY LIST
Temperatures at this time of year can range from 60 F at night to over 80 F during the day. Plus, it rarely rains – they only get 45 inches of rain per year. As a result, without much rain, the area is very dusty and can get quite windy. If you wear contacts, you might want to consider bringing your glasses. We also recommend bringing bandannas to cover your face if there is a sand storm. Please note, the area we are staying has no heating (e.g. it is chilly at night and in the morning) so be sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt!
- Bible
- Bedding: sleeping bag, pillow, fitted sheet, alarm clock and ear plugs (if a light sleeper) etc.
- Bath: bath towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, personal items, flip flops for shower etc.
- Clothes: work clothes, one nice (not dressy) outfit for church, jacket and/or sweater (cold at night), work gloves, bandanna or hat, swimsuit (modest please; no bikinis) etc.
- Shoes: tennis or work shoes are preferred (e.g. no bare feet at any time) etc.
- Other: baby wipes, beach towel, camera, flashlight, hand sanitizer, sunscreen and water bottle etc.
DRESS CODE
- No undergarments showing at any time
- Dresses/skirts for outreach should be mid-calf to ankle
- No tank tops, low-cut, scoop neck or tight fitting shirts (e.g. no showing bellies) for the girls; sleeveless is ok
- Men cannot take off their shirts, except on the beach day
- Swimsuits can include tankinis but no bikinis
HEALTH & SAFETY
Helping Hands International recommends you follow those health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician. COVID-19 testing varies by Country and may be necessary before this trip departure and before returning to the USA. Please click here for vaccination requirements and/or recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We also suggest you check with your personal health clinic or physician regarding what vaccines or medicines you may require while participating on this service project. Please note, if you do take prescription medicines, please check with your local pharmacist to ensure the medicines are not considered a controlled substance in the location you are traveling. Finally, please be sure to read HHI's COVID-19 policy, and Consent to Leave the Country (for minors) form, requirements below.
PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
THE STORY BEHIND THE PROJECT
“Vicente Guerrero is a small town located in the upper third of Baja Mexico. It is home to around 16,000 people that make up the larger population of over 3.3 Million people in Baja Mexico alone.
The average wage for people in Baja Mexico is between USD $4 – $6 per day. The average household has four family members living primarily in one room homes made from a mix of cardboard, pallets, and salvaged building materials.
The area enjoys a temperate climate very similar to San Diego. It is located less than 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean coastline. Temperatures at this time of year can range from 60 F at night to over 80 F during the day. It rarely rains – they only get 45 inches of rain per year.
As you might imagine, without much rain the area is very dusty, and can get quite windy. (If you wear contacts, you might want to consider bringing your glasses; we also recommend bringing bandannas to cover your face if there is a sand storm.)
The area we are staying has no heating (e.g. it is chilly at night and in the morning) so be sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt! Helping Hands International has been serving in this area since 2005, thanks to partnerships with Youth With A Mission (YWAM).”
– Tim Plankenhorn, HHI Program Director & Team Leader
Join us in: Mexico! 2022
Trip Information
DATE:
6/19/2022-6/25/2022
6/26/2022-7/02/2022
7/24/2022-7/30/2022
8/07/2022-8/13/2022
15 houses built and 208 Volunteers sent
THE STORY BEHIND THE PROJECT
See above.
Healthy & Safety
COVID-19
(As of 2023)
Helping Hands International requires each Volunteer planning to travel on a non-US project, or out of State project, to obtain a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to departure, IF you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or may have been recently exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Test results will need to be shared with individual HHI Team Leaders. However, you do NOT need to send results to our main office.
Helping Hands International also recommends you follow the country specific health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician. You can find this information on your trip specific HHI web page For Example www.helpinghandsinternational.com/mexico etc).
COVID–19
While COVID-19 requirements vary by location, and sometimes day by day, we will do our best to monitor and keep you abreast of testing requirements for each trip. Please also be aware that some countries may require you to provide a negative COVID test before leaving the USA and entering their country, as well as prior to departing their country to head back to the United States.
FAQ
Q: What if someone tests positive for COVID-19 in a foreign country and cannot fly home?
A: Although this scenario is unlikely, it is a possibility we need to be prepared for. If an HHI Volunteer tests positive for COVID-19 in a foreign country, that person (if a minor, with an adult) will need to stay in the country and quarantine for the amount of days required by local authorities (e.g. in some cases this is between 10-14 days.) Helping Hands International will arrange lodging for HHI Volunteer(s) who need to be quarantined, but the expense will be the responsibility of the traveler(s), not the nonprofit.
Helping Hands International also recommends you follow the country specific health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician. You can find this information on your trip specific HHI web page for example www.helpinghandsinternational.com/mexico.
