Mexicali 2005

Spring Break, March 25-April 2

What is Mexicali?
Mexicali is a Mexican town that borders California. We work through an organization called Mexico Outreach to turn this trip into an unforgettable mission experience! This trip is a “spring break” trip, meaning that it corresponds with many of our surrounding schools’ spring breaks. If you’re considering traveling for spring break, why not make it a significant experience like Mexicali! Webster Gardens has gone to Mexicali twice before: in 2000 and 2002.

What we’re doing in Mexicali:
Our team will come to Mexico as a Children's Ministry Team. We’ll be responsible for putting on a week-long Children's Ministry program at our assigned church. We may also help hold outreach services in the evenings. There is plenty of room for us to be creative in the way that we present and share. And of course, there is always time for soccer games, crafts, singing, and playing with kids. Our church will be bringing along 2 interpreters for our site, and this is a great trip for students to work on their Spanish skills!

Where we stay*:
Cuernavaca, located on the outskirts of the city of Mexicali, (in an old cow pasture) with a thousand other student missionaries. (see “Conditions”). We worship together each morning and evening and set out each morning for our respective churches that we work with.

*We fly in and out of San Diego airport, rent vans and drive across the border to Mexicali. On the way down and back, we stay at Faith Lutheran Church in Vista, CA (North County suburb of San Diego).


TYPICAL DAILY SCHEDULE:
· 6:30 a.m. Wake Up
· 7:00 a.m. Breakfast
· 7:00 a.m. Leaders Meetings
· 8:00 a.m. Morning Chapel
· 9:30 a.m. Go to Ministry Sites
· 12:00 p.m. Lunch at your site, continue after lunch.
· 7:00 p.m. Dinner
· 8:30 p.m. Evening Chapel
· 10:00 p.m. Tent Time
· 11:00 p.m. Lights Out

MEXICO OUTREACH’S MISSION STATEMENT:
"Crossing borders in partnership to communicate Christ's love." Mexico Outreach is a nonprofit missions organization that has been in operation for more than 30 years. We help facilitate the partnership in ministry between your youth group and the Mexican church and community. As an organization, we have a passion for seeing lives changed through missions.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE:
We invite any student in 9th through 12th grades, and college students under 21. This ministry requires maturity, genuineness, sacrifice, and a servant's heart.

HOW IT WORKS:
A good deal of the trip happens before we even leave. After our team registers, we receive a manual containing: topics to cover, documents to collect, how to manage our group, and other topics that will prepare us for our week of ministry, including our VBS curriculum for the week. Participants MUST be available for monthly Mexicali meetings, usually on Sundays after the late service.
When we get to Mexico, we will be given a place to put our tents and three meals a day. Every morning and evening we attend chapel--the best way to start and end a day of service is with community worship. These settings allow groups to bond and form relationships with each other and reinforce things learned during the day.
CONDITIONS:
The team will spend a week in a rugged camp environment in rural Cuernavaca in Mexicali. Housing consists of a "tent city" in the camp, which is built by participants. There are several outhouses throughout the camp for our use. Mexico Outreach provides all meals and security. Breakfast and dinner are served in camp. Lunch is provided we take it to our ministry site. Public showers are located in town.

HOW MUCH:
Registration $195
Flight $250 (approx)
Van expenses $145
BK not catching pneumonia on the trip this time Priceless
Total $590 (including $50 deposit)-approx
(We are working on new concentrated fundraisers for 2004-2005, students can expect to raise most if not all of these funds. More info will be available at the informational meeting)

Money you should bring:
Varies from person to person, here are some guidelines*:
1) You’ll be responsible for a total of 7 meals on the trip, so $40 should cover that.
2) There is a small outdoor market nearby where blankets go for around $10, and they sell other necklaces, jewelry and wallets for $2-$10.
3) There are opportunities to buy candy bars and soda in town if you want a snack at the grocery store, prices are about the same or a little lower in Mexico. $10 should cover any snacking you want to do.
4) We ask that you save an offering of $10 for the church we’ll be working with for the week.

*The official (Webster Gardens) suggestion for the average Mexicali participant is $100. You can get along for well under that, and if you buy a blanket for every cousin, expect to need more. You could earn that by mowing 5 lawns in the spring.


ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
This trip takes begins over Easter weekend, so we’ll be spending Easter in Mexico. Why is this important? Easter can be the best time to reach people with the message of Jesus. Culturally, most of Mexico is “Christian”, so even nonbelievers come out to church on Easter, and can be open to have their children in our program and come to participate in worship. What a privilege to allow God to work in our lives this way on such an important day!

Special needs: We need 3 adult leaders to make this trip happen. Leaders will need to drive a van into Mexicali and to the sites. We also need to bring along an interpreter. If you speak fluent Spanish or know someone who does, our interpreter or interpreters would go for free.