99plus1 Ministries

Trip information for 99plus1 short-term mission groups

EXPENSES/COSTS

• Ministry service fee: $30/person used to cover travel expenses/utilities/maintenance/and continue outreach program between groups. This money is not used for personal support.
• Outreach costs: The cost of an outreach will no doubt be determined in part by the type of outreach. The ceiling costs for a Vacation Bible School type of outreach is normally about $300. We encourage groups to leave excess materials with the participating Mexican Church or with the ministry to be used for other outreaches. The traditional outreach materials are more expensive in Mexico and most churches have very limited resources.
• Project expenses: As with outreach, work project expenses will vary with the project. We will work with you to balance projects, costs, and time to make it a “do-able” week for your group. For us it is a challenge to come to a balance of keeping the group active for the week and to complete a specific project or phase of a project with the funds the group is able to bring.
• On Site Expenses: Groups will need to buy water. The normal cost is around 80 cents for 5 gallons. It is good water for drinking and cooking. In addition, depending on your menu, you may need to buy milk and fresh vegetables. both can be purchased locally. Gasoline is about $2.58/gallon and diesel is $2.20 so plan accordingly in your trip expenses. There is now gas stations in San Felipe and Mexicali that accept credit/debt cards and are safe to use. They also provide a better exchange rate than paying in dollars. Once a site is determined for your group we will be able to give you an idea of the number of miles you can plan on covering during your week.
• It is helpful to have the money for “Ministry services fees” in advance to facilitate arranging the trip. We prefer to have the groups handle the money for projects when they are on site. Sometimes if the team is going to a remote location it is necessary to have materials paid for and delivered in advance.

HEALTH RISKS AND IMMUNIZATIONS

There are no immunization requirements for the Northern part of Baja California. It is recommended that all immunizations required for the United States (especially Tetanus) be current prior to coming to Mexico case of an on site injury. Northern Baja is not an endemic area for mosquitoes so malaria prophylactic regime is not required.

THINGS TO BRING AND NOT TO FORGET

• Food
• Sun Screen, hat and sun glasses
• Personal water container (sippy cup, wide mouth water bottle, etc.)
• Sleeping items (blanket or sleeping bag, pillow)
• Plastic bags 33 gal and 13 gal
• Toilet paper
• Other paper products as needed. (paper plates, plastic ware, hot and cold cups, etc)
• VBS Supplies
• Devotional material.

ITEMS FOR TEAM MEMBERS TO BRING:

• Bible, pen, writing booklet
• A flexible attitude
• A willingness to accept a different culture
• A submissive heart to local and team leaders

THINGS TO FORGET AND NOT TO BRING:

(Team leaders may add additional items)

• Secular music
• No smoking at ministry locations.
• No consumption of alcoholic beverages.

DRESS CODE

• The dress and appearance rules vary depending on the location, but below are the general guidelines. Group leader may place additional requirements to conform with home church expectations.
• Normally slacks are accepted for men and women for in church VBS’s. T-shirts are OK except for the leaders. Open air activity dress code will be dependent upon the local pastor’s requirements for his church.
• No sleeveless tops (girls or guys). Leave the tank tops at home.
• No tops that expose skin around the middle when the arms are raised above the head. (girls or guys)
• No pants that are worn lower than the waistline. (guys)
• Clothing that is in good repair. (Unless we are tarring a roof)
• At least one skirt or dress for church services. (girls)
• At least one polo, golf or button-up shirt for church services. (guys)
• T-shirts should not reflect a non-Christian message (i.e.: beer advertisements, foul language, etc)
• Shorts may be worn for some occasions, but mid-thigh or longer only please (walking shorts)
• Trendy hairstyles and clothing is viewed as a sign of rebellion by some Mexican Pastors. The more conservative the better.
• Body Piercing and Tattoos
  
  • People that have parts of their bodies pierced may need to remove the jewelry in order to not create a problem with local Christian leaders. Ear piercing for men and multiple ear piercing for ladies may also require the removal of the jewelry during outreaches and church services.
  • It is best to cover tattoos when possible. It is commonly associated with gang and/or drug related cultures here in Mexico. Churches do accept people that had their tattoos before becoming Christians, but it is not accepted after conversion.

EMERGENCY CONTACT PERSON

Please arrange for at least two people to be emergency contact people. These should be people that will normally be available by phone. The idea is that in case of changes in arrival information while the group is in transit. There is a common point of contact for the ministry and for the group leader in the case they cannot communicate directly with each other. The other reason is in case of an emergency situation for one of the team members or within the team communication can be easily established. Depending on the site communication is not always readily available.

The team leader should pre-arrange to check in with a contact person upon arrival, mid-trip, and before departure.

99 PLUS 1’S RESPONSIBILITY

• We will arrange a site in which to conduct the mission trip. We will liaison with the church or ministry where the team will be working to prepare the people on the site, the work projects, and the type of outreach to be conducted.
• We will do our best to accommodate location and type of mission trip desired. The daily schedule will be worked out together with the team leaders for the team’s activities.
• We will provide the teacher for the Bible Lesson from the local church or 99+1 staff. If you have a fluent Spanish speaker we can work with them to help present the lesson.
• We will, upon arrival at the site, teach your team the music we will be using for the week.
• If your outreach is in the area of Children’s ministry we will work together with you in advance of the trip to select crafts that are appropriate for the location and number of children we can expect.
• We will meet the team on the U.S. side and guide the team to the site. We or one of our representative will be with you the entire time so you don’t need to panic.
• We will bring cooler’s to help transport perishable foods to site. We will let each team know what cooking facilities are available and, if desired, we will help you in menu planning.
• We encourage you to attend a Spanish speaking service during your mission trip.

SENDING CHURCHES RESPONSIBILITY

• Travel:

It is the group’s responsibility to arrange for transportation to the site. Most groups fly into San Diego and rent vans for continued travel to the ministry site or if they drive in private vehicles from there home church to the ministry site.

On the web page (www.99plus1.org) under group resources are two rental possibilities as well as a travel agent that has been helpful in arranging air travel. Some rental companies do not allow you to bring vehicles in to Mexico so be sure to ask. Do not forget to get Mexican Travel Insurance! The companies listed on the web, Fuller Ford, Pearson Ford and Baja Rentals, have it available to be purchased as a part of the rental agreement. The price is about the same as you can get elsewhere.

• Paperwork:

It is the sending churches responsibility to ensure all paperwork is completed by each team member. Please keep in mind the problem may not be with proof in Mexico but in proof to return to the United States.

• Proof of Birth

Both Mexico and United States now require a passport or passport card for entry. If the passport is from another country besides the US, ensure that re-entry into the US is permitted with the passport and visa that the person carries. Please don’t assume, have them check with their consulate or the U. S. state department. The Mexican and American government is moving more toward requiring the passport as the proof of citizenship. Currently the Department of State plans on instituting a passport only policy for land ports of entry effective 1 Jan 2007. The authorities in the San Felipe area have been willing to accept a birth certificate to date. A driver’s license is not proof of citizenship or of birth.

• Travel Permission Slips for Minors

The other paperwork that can be vital is that each minor has a notarized letter from their parents or legal guardians. It must be signed by both parents/guardians if they are not accompanying the child. In other words, if both parents/guardians are with the child no letter is needed. If not, a notarized letter from the parent(s) /gaurdian(s) not present with the child is required.

• Release of Liability

Some churches require a release of liability. Your governing board should know what your church policy is for mission trips.

• Special Rider from Insurance Agency

You may want to check with your church insurance company to see if there is a special rider that they require for a mission trip. Some companies include any church sponsored event and others don’t cover events out of the normal scope of church activities.

• Food:

The team is responsible for bringing or purchasing food and drink sufficient for the week. Normally the group also provides the food for the local pastor and his family and for 99 plus 1 staff. You can count on a maximum of 8 additional people. It is normally limited to the afternoon and evening meal. If this will create a burden to you, please let us know and we will work with you.

The team provides the cook. Bonnie and I will help her with items needed to be purchased locally. If your team is coming to San Felipe we can arrange to hire a local cook for a meal or two if desired for authentic Mexican food. Also we can make the arrangements to eat at a local restaurants if the group prefers.

Do not underestimate the need for items like Gatorade, Tang, etc. In other words alternatives to caffeinated beverages. Dehydration can be a real health risk and Coke, coffee and tea can contribute to the risk. We have the 5 gallon water containers that can be refilled. It is the team’s responsibility to buy drinking water.

We will communicate any special requirements for your site and keep you informed of changes. At times flexible is to rigid, we need to remain fluid.

FACILITIES AT THE SAN FELIPE SITE, OTHER MINISTRY SITES WILL VARY.

• Kitchen items available (in San Felipe)

Commercial stove 6 burners w/2 ovens

Barbecue

Toaster 4 slice

commercial refrigerator

commercial freezer

coffee pot – 12 cup and 30 cup pots

Large microwave

4 – 5 gal Thermos (cold drinks)

electric and gas griddles

assorted pots, pans and utensils for group size cooking

• Sleeping Accommodations / Facilities

Three dorm rooms with 3 sets of bunk beds each (6 beds).

Guest Room with 2 single beds and 2 sets of bunk beds (6 beds)

In addition there is a day bed in the common area, some floor space and a limited area for tenting.

• Bathrooms & Showers

2 (guest and 1 dorm room have attached bathrooms w/ shower. The other two dorm rooms use a detached 1/2 bath and 2 showers, each with separate entrances.