HOMESFORMEXICO INFORMATION PACKET

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1 HOMESFORMEXICO INFORMATION PACKET

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS BIENVENIDOS AMIGOS PG 5 WHY GO? PG 7 THE EXPERIENCE PG 9 FOOD + LODGING PG 11 TRANSPORTATION + WHAT TO BRING PG 13 COST PG 15 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS PG 17 TYPICAL SCHEDULE PG 19 FAQ PG 21 MORE INFORMATION PG 23

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5 BIENVENIDOS AMIGOS Thank you for your interest in our mission outreach to Mexico! We are excited to be partnering with Hands of Mercy, an amazing ministry based in Redlands, CA. They have been building homes in Mexico since In that time, they have not only built over 900 homes for families in need, but have also provided American churches with opportunities to truly be God s hands and feet to the people in Mexico. We hope that you will use this guide to become familiar with the weekend mission trip experience and consider how the Lord is leading you to get involved in his Kingdom work here on earth. We also urge you to remember to pray for Mexico and the ministry of Hands of Mercy. Our hope is that these trips will give you an opportunity to answer the Lord s call and not only give of yourself for others, but also surrender yourself to the Lord and see where he wants to lead you and change you. Remember, mission work requires a flexible, servant s attitude. Are you ready for an experience that will forever change you? 5

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7 WHY GO TO MEXICO? Simply, to glorify God. Heading to the Ensenada area will be an opportunity to be his hands and feet by tangibly demonstrating the love of Christ through building loft houses and latrines for the truly poor, playing with children, and showing God s love to the people we meet along our weekend journey. Jesus said:...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me! Matthew 25:40 7

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9 THE EXPERIENCE PRE-BUILD One week before the trip across the border, you and your team will partially assemble the loft house walls, floors, roof panels, and other parts of the house in the Inland Hills Church parking lot. The day will include sawing, hammering, cutting, and some more hammering! Once the house is pre-built, all of the pieces are carefully loaded onto a flatbed trailer, strapped in, and ready for the trip to Mexico. MEXICO TRIP As with any international trip, flexibility is the key to a successful mission. It is also important to remember that it is now necessary to have a current U.S. passport to travel to and from Mexico. This is what the average weekend mission trip to Mexico will look like: Early on Friday morning, the caravan of volunteers will leave IHC and head to the Mexican border along with a truck hauling the partially assembled loft houses. The team will travel together at all times, heading to a village in the Ensenada area for the build on Saturday. The team will stay overnight at Nuevo Rancho Casitas, where the Hands of Mercy camp facility is located. This requires travel down a bumpy dirt road, so we recommened trucks and/or SUV s. Saturday morning will begin bright and early with breakfast at the ranch where the mission team will be able to meet the receiving family and village pastor. This time will include a brief orientation of the day s events and a devotion and prayer time. Hands of Mercy will provide a sack lunch. By mid/late afternoon, the work will be completed and the team will dedicate the house to the family. The brief ceremony may include a song, testimonies, passages read by the family s pastor, a presentation of the house keys, and a Spanish Audio Bible to the family. That evening, after dinner at the ranch, groups may choose to have a time of worship and sharing or just gather around the campfire to enjoy the beauty of the ranch. After breakfast on Sunday morning, the teams will clean out their loft houses and head back to the States. Travel time home will vary considerably due to traffic, time of day, holiday periods, and various other delays at the border. The team should arrive back to IHC, mid to late Sunday afternoon. 9

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11 FOOD + LODGING FOOD When the team is at Rancho Casitas, all meals are included. A couple of meals are not included in the overall trip cost. Many people look forward to eating some of the local food especially tacos! On the way down, our team will meet up with some of the missionaries from Hands of Mercy for lunch in the Ensenada area. At Rancho Casitas, the food is very good and will be served in a summer camp style mess hall, in an enclosed facility. LODGING You will stay in a very modest loft house with no heat, air conditioning, or electricity. These are the very same houses that you will build for the family. They have raised bunk beds with mattress pads, but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow. There are showers with hot water but we do ask that you conserve water. Please refer to the What to bring section when packing. You should plan as though you are going camping. Remember to dress for the weather forecast in Ensenada, Mexico. Summer trips will be hot and winter trips will be quite cold at night. 11

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13 TRANSPORTATION + WHAT TO BRING TRANSPORTATION Teams will caravan in volunteer vehicles (trucks and SUV s are highly recommended). Hand held radios are also advised for each vehicle. For security purposes, we will stay together at all times, travel during daylight hours, and only stop at designated stops for fuel and food. You may leave your car at IHC or have someone drop you off and pick you up. Those volunteering to drive must purchase car insurance valid in Mexico. You may go through your current provider or visit for more information on purchasing insurance. WHAT TO BRING Passport or Password--Needed by our first team building meeting. Sleeping Bag (In winter, bring extra blankets) Pillow Flashlight/Lanterns with fresh batteries Toiletries Bath Towel Hand Sanitizer Reusable Water Bottle (Hands of Mercy will provide safe water on build day) Work Clothes (that you can get paint on) Work Boots or Tennis Shoes Work Gloves Warm Jacket (winter) Sunscreen + Hats Tylenol/Advil Hammer and Tool Belt Something to Share (snacks, music, etc.) Bible, Journal, and Pen Cash for additional meals, snacks, gas, and toll roads (small bills) Snacks (especially for families bringing younger children) A Servant s Heart! 13

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15 COST OF TRIP $200 per person or $550 max for a family of 3 or more (immediate family only). This includes food and lodging at Rancho Casitas, plus the cost of materials to build and transport the house. The cost is non-refundable and tax-deductible. ADDITIONAL COSTS // Breakfast on Friday, lunch on Friday, lunch on Sunday, and money to help cover the cost of gas and toll roads for the driver of your vehicle. DRIVER // Please have $15 in one dollar bills to pay at tollbooths in Mexico. 15

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17 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS Parents, your first priority at all times is the health, safety, and welfare of your children. Given the nature of working in rural parts of Mexico, as well as certain site conditions, is can sometimes be difficult to stick to a strict schedule, including meal times, so pack some snacks, especially for younger children. Once outside of Ensenada, cell service is usually not available. When in the village, please do not touch, play with, or feed the dogs. Some carry diseases that could affect you or your pets at home. House builds in the village are a big deal. They can bring crowds of people who are there out of curiosity, to help celebrate, to sell goods of many kinds, and to beg. Please do not give money to anyone who is begging. We are working to meet people s needs in a sustainable manner and begging encourages the wrong behavior, especially in children. In this region, please conserve water at all times. It is precious! Avoid drinking tap water. Hands of Mercy provides bottled water on the ranch and at the build. Bring reusable water bottles and brush your teeth with bottled water. Weapons are strictly prohibited in Mexico; however, contruction knives are okay. Please be sensitive to the different cultural practices in Mexico in regards to dress, tattoos, and piercings. Dressing modestly for men and women is essential. Avoid sleeveless shirts, exposed midriff, short-shorts, tank tops, exposed tattoos, and pierced body parts. Strive to represent Christ well, encourage others, and look for opportunities to serve. Be flexible and maintain a servant s heart. This is not a vacation. You will be uncomfortable. You are on God s schedule, so just relax. You will hear us say, It s just the way I like it. Come find out why! For we are God s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 17

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19 TYPICAL SCHEDULE FRIDAY 6:00AM 6:30AM 8:30AM 11:30AM 2:00PM 6:00PM Meet at IHC Depart for the border Last stop in the U.S. Eat breakfast and refuel vehicles Stop for a taco lunch near our destination Arrive at Rancho Casitas, assign cabins, and enjoy the ranch Eat dinner at the ranch and meet the missionaries SATURDAY 5:30AM 7:00AM 8:00AM 9:00AM 3:00PM 6:30PM 8:00PM Volunteers assist with breakfast prep Breakfast (volunteers assist with cleanup) and meet recipient family Depart for build site Build begins Conclude build/dedicate house Dinner at Rancho Casitas (volunteers assist with cleanup) Campfire SUNDAY 6:30AM 8:00AM 9:00AM 9:30AM 10:00AM Volunteers assist with breakfast prep Breakfast at Rancho Casitas Clean loft houses and pack Meet at campfire for final thoughts and prayer Depart for border 19

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21 FAQ How long has Hands of Mercy been building homes in Mexico? Over 10 years since How many loft houses has Hands of Mercy helped build? Over 900 homes! Wait until you see these bird houses, as the villagers call them. They are beacons of hope painted throughout the landscape of poverty in the villages surrounding Ensenada. How are families selected to recieve a loft house? The missionaries with Hands of Mercy, who work full-time in the area, partner with local churches and pastors to help identify families within the local congregations who are in need. This long-term relationship helps open doors to share the Gospel and Christ s love and purpose for his people. While the loft house ministry meets the physical needs for the people in under-resourced areas of Mexico, the local pastors meet their spiritual needs. The Apostle Paul said: I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow... The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God s fellow workers... 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 Is this really a mission trip that can include my family? Even my children? ABSOLUTELY! Children 6 and up are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is a rare opportunity to expose children to God s missionary heart. This isn t a project where they watch mom and dad serve, but where they will swing hammers and paint houses alongside you, feeling incredible pride and joy in serving. In being a missionary for a weekend, this might have a lifelong effect on their future and how they experience God. What an incredible opportunity to teach your kids to appreciate the many blessings of your life in America. It will truly be an experience that will change your entire family. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 What about traveling to Mexico? Is it really safe? The safest place to be is in the center of God s will. Isn t God s will to love and serve the poor? Yes, Mexico has received plenty of bad press in regards to the violence there. The majority of the violence is caused by the drug cartel trying to seize or gain territory. The fulltime Hands of Mercy missionaries in Mexico have never seen any violence in the Ensenada area, where they primarily serve. They have taken tremendous precautions and efforts to plan diligently for every group that crosses the border. 21

22 FAQ (CONT.) Often times, the call of mission work requires faith. That faith means doing what others may perceive as risky. Ministry is about advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus never promises any of us safety in the scriptures. In fact, he calls us to give up everything. Are we going to live out what we say we believe? Has God called us to a life of comfort? Does he want us to put purselves in situations where we must have complete faith and trust in him, knowing that if we are in trouble, he will come through? God wants his people, his church, to step out in faith and serve those in need. 1 John 3:16 says, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. There is a large contingent of people in the area where Hands of Mercy builds and serves, who know exactly what they are all about and would go to great lengths to not let anything bad happen to anyone serving with them. The bottom line is that every person and every family must pray about this ministry opportunity and make their own decision based on how God is leading them. 22

23 MORE INFORMATION Donations made in support of IHC mission trips or a participant are tax-deductible. In accordance with church policy, the church will maintain complete discretion and control over the contributions. Amounts received in excess of the trip expenses will be directed to a mission project and donations are considered non-refundable. JASON URBANSKI OUTREACH DIRECTOR Jason@inlandhillschurch.com , ext 216 INLANDHILLSCHURCH.COM HANDS OF MERCY HANDSOFMERCY.COM 23