GUIDELINES FOR TRIPS TO SAN FELIPE, BC, MEXICO
If you drive, use Google Maps or some other service to map the way to San Felipe, BC, Mexico.
If you fly to San Diego, Tuscon, Yuma, Indio, or El Centro, please make arrangements for ground transportation to San Felipe, BC, MX.
People who come are expected to be mature, to profess faith in Jesus Christ as lord and savior, and to refrain from "partying," and other behavior offensive to our Mexican Christian brothers and partners. We reserve the right to ask people who are doing harm to the ministry to leave. We regret that we have to share that we have had one or two instances where we have had to do so. Thankfully, this has not been
Ground Transportation
You can rent vehicles, but be sure to use a rental agency that allows you to drive the vehicle more than 100 miles into Mexico. Also, buy Mexican Automobile Insurance for the vehicle either at the rental agency (they may require that you do so) or buy it at the border before crossing into Mexico.
You can ride commercial buses. The ABC Bus is the Mexican carrier you want to use. You can ride Greyhound to Calexico, CA, and switch to the ABC bus for the remainder of the drive.
You can make arrangements for us to pick you up, but we will need reimbursement for expenses. We will talk to each group to make arrangements and to discuss costs.
Minors and Mission Trips to San Felipe
Minors will need parental consent, a passport, or a birth certificate.
For information on minors traveling abroad, go to the US Department of State web site: www.travel.state.gov.
You will find the following list when you go to the above referenced web site.
All Minors Age 16 and 17 shall:
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Appear in person at the time of application
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Have a parent or guardian present photo identification if the minor does not have identification of his or her own
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Provide a photocopy of the same ID document that will be presented at the time of application (applicant or parent/guardian). See photocopy requirements under STEP 4 of How to Apply for the First Time (In Person)
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Establish parental consent (You may be requested to provide written parental consent for a child age 16 or 17 if it is not implied on the application)
GUIDELINES FOR OVERSEAS MISSION TRIPS BY AIR
(DOES NOT APPLY TO TRIPS TO SAN FELIPE, BC, MX)
If you are a minor, or if you have relatives or friends who are minors that ask about the trip, we prefer to travel with people who are at least 18 years old for legal reasons. To get minors into most countries, a letter of permission must be signed and notarized by both parents or guardians. Evenso, MPM requires that an adult--a relative or parent if possible--accompany them.
Mission Trips for Church Youth Groups are offered by MPM on a case by case basis. Call to talk to us.
You need a valid passport. You can get information on how to get a passport at a Post Office or on the internet at the U.S. Department of State web site (http://www.travel.state.gov/)
You need to be in good enough health to walk, travel all day, and not need the availability of emergency medical services.
You need to be a follower of Jesus Christ and have a testimony about your conversion to faith in Christ, which in many circles is referred to as being "born again" or being "saved." You also need to be willing to share with another person about your conversion experience in a brief, "elevator speech" (one minute or less) testimony.
You can use this starter idea as you begin prepare: See an outline for writing a conversion testimony and a sample of how to fill it out by downloading the following Adobe Acrobat Reader files:
CLICK HERE for an Outline for Writing a Conversion Testimony
CLICK HERE for a Sample of a Conversion Testimony
You need to pay for the entire trip yourself. Our packages include almost everything except for lunch and dinner and siteseeing. Overseas trips are usually for 8 to 14 days and cost approximately $2,000 or more, depending on airline tickets and cost of rental vehicles and motel rooms.
You can raise money by writing solicitation letters to family and church members that express your desire to go on a mission trip. It would be nice if your church could get behind your mission and pray for you. Sometimes a church will take a special offering for one of their members that they sponsor on a mission trip. Talk to your pastors, elders or deacons about it.
You need to be a flexible person and a person who gets along well with other people in a team environment. This is a time of ministry and work and not a vacation, although most people enjoy it more than a vacation. If you are a health care professional, you will have to adjust to the simple and often sub-standard work conditions for what you are doing. It's more like a field hospital or what a disaster site might be, except you don't have the backup support or the availability of medicines that you do in the United States. It is truly a challenge.
If we have trips that are open to the public, we will post them on this web site. This is a random event. Should we have a public trip, when you decide you want to reserve a place on one of our trips, download, fill out and mail an application (found below) along with a non-refundable deposit for $100 (so be sure you are going before you send us the deposit). We will then start communicating with you and sending you other information that will help you prepare. The mission groups are limited to between 15 and 30 for logistical reasons, so reserve your place as soon as you are sure you are going.
Applicants must be approved by MPM before they are allowed to accompany the group on a mission trip. MPM reserves the right to ask anyone to leave the group and return home should they endanger the group or jeopardize the mission of the trip. A recommendation from your pastor is required.
