Q. Who will drive?

A. We usually rent two vans and need two or three volunteers to drive their cars. When registering for a trip, please indicate if you are willing to drive. You will make us very happy!

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Q. What should I wear?

A. Wear layers, especially in the winter. This includes a sweatshirt in the morning and something cooler for the afternoon. Closed-toed shoes are highly recommended.

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Q. Where are we going?

A. We will visit the small town of Rojo Gomez. It is located east of Tijuana, about 40 minutes past the Otay Mesa border.

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Q. where do we stay?

A. Usually we stay at a place called Rancho La Paloma which is about 30 minutes from where we are serving. The place is gated and has plenty of beds, bathrooms, room to roam, and a dining hall where we eat, play games, and worship. For more information, visit http://www.rancholapaloma.org/.

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Q. What do I need to bring?

A. On 3-day trips, we recommend you bring a tool belt and hammer. If you have clothing donations, notify a leader ahead of time and bring them in a duffel bag (You will get it back at the end of the day).

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Q. Where will we eat?

A. On one day trips or the first day of overnight trips, we eat breakfast at McDonald’s/Carl’s Jr. on the U.S. side of the border. On all trips, while in Mexico, we will either have lunch at a taco stand or we will provide sandwiches to eat on site. Dinner on overnight trips typically is provided where we stay at Rancho La Paloma, though occasionally we stop at our favorite taco stand in Tecate. We do provide water, though we suggest bringing some of your own to have on hand.

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Q. What will we do?

A. Every trip is different. Please visit the trips section for more specific information.

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Q: Do we need a passport?

A: The following information has just been brought to our attention:

• CURRENTLY: 
  U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (available in spring 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or (b) a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
• LATER:
  On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI.  The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document.

For official government information, click here.

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Q. Can I bring my young children?

A. Any children 6 and up can actually serve. They can paint, play with the locals and find other ways to help out. Children younger than that are going to need to be watched constantly. If you come as a family with two adults, one parent can watch the young children while the other does ministry. Another factor is that most of the trips depart very early in the morning. If your children are very flexible and can handle the early mornings and long days then we encourage you to bring them. Another option is to wait for our weekend family trip in the summer. We plan to have a slower paced trip with options for child care, etc. every summer.