Do we need a passport to build in Mexico? |
Updated on April 23, 2008.
As of January 31, 2008 all US Citizens will be required to present a government-issued ID AND proof of citizenship (Birth Certificate).
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.
Since information changes often, we STRONGLY encourage all participants to secure passports as soon as possible. For continued up-to-date information please visit http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html or http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1200669485238.shtm
|
What type of houses do you build? |
| We build a wood-frame house that is finished with stucco. All projects include electricity, doors, windows, drywall, insulation, and a ceiling fan. |
Why do you build it that way? |
| To make the best use of limited materials and simplify construction, we don’t always use the same techniques as what is considered “Code” in the United States. While building over 3,000 houses, we’ve learned what does and doesn’t work best in our situation. |
Can we really build a house in 3-4 days? |
| Yes. If your group brings
the required recommended group size, and everyone is willing to do
their part, you should have no problem completing the project in 3-4
days. Plus, Paul said “I can do everything through him who gives
me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Any group with faithful servant’s
hearts can accomplish anything when they look to their Father for
strength. |
How many people does it take to make up a team? |
Although we take groups
of all different ages and skill levels, there are guidelines that
we ask each group to follow when compiling a team. Please view the
Team Composition Guide for more information.
Team Composition Guide |
Are we responsible for our own transportation? |
Yes. All teams are responsible
for travel to and from El Paso, and in Mexico as well.
Van Rentals and Mexican Vehicle Insurance
|
Are we responsible for our own accommodations? |
We will coordinate your
accommodations while your team is in Mexico; however, each team is
required to leave an offering for the church. This is typically $5 per person for the week. However, there are several churches that require a little bit more. Please see your Church Accommodations profile on your member login page to know the exact amount.
Teams are responsible for securing their own accommodations while they are
in the United States.
US Accommodations |
What do we need to bring? |
Refer to the following guides on what to expect and bring. You can ask your leader for a copy or you can download it from this website.
Team Guide
Leader Guide
Food Guide |
Why don’t you cross the border on Sunday? |
| We often work long hours
during the week and, at times, Saturdays too. Sunday is our day to
relax, do laundry, and prepare for the week ahead. It’s also
important that we are able to attend church. We need to be spiritually
refreshed, so we can be ready for you. However, during some of our
off-peak seasons (fall, winter), we are more flexible with our building
schedule. Call the Team Coordinator to see what can be arranged for
your group. |
What is the best way to purchase enough water for the week? |
| Five gallon bottles of
purified water can be purchased in Mexico for about $7.00 a bottle.
This cost includes the deposit for the bottle. When you return your
bottles at the end of the week, you will get this deposit money back.
Refills typically cost between $2 and $3. Plan on having one gallon
per person per day plus water for cooking. Most groups purchase a
two day supply, and buy refills as needed. It’s very important
that you have enough water to keep each team member fully hydrated. |
How many windows are in the house, and what size are they? |
| The single sized home has 2 windows, doubles and special projects have 3, and the large church has 5. The windows are 35 1/2" by 35 1/2". The top of the window is at 6' 4 1/2" and the sill starts at 40" from the floor. |
What is the typical family situation? |
| Most families earn between
$30 and $50 a week and live in a small shack made with whatever materials
were available to them. Extended family also often live together,
making the small shacks very crowded. |
How do you choose which families get houses? |
 Casas
por Cristo has a board of pastors in Mexico that collect and submit
applications. This 100+ member board meets monthly to review and approve
applications. Once approved, they are forwarded to the U.S. office
to be scheduled. Application-to-completion time varies with the time
of the year, but is usually around one year. |
What cities do you work in? |
| Currently we only work
in Juarez. However, in the future we are open to God’s leading
us to other border cities. |
Will a member of your staff stay with us in Mexico? |
| Yes. With the occasional
exception, we’ll be with you from crossing to crossing. |
Are we responsible for feeding our CpC rep(s)? |
| YES! Our staff is counting
on you to feed them. Please remember them when you are planning your
menu. |
Is it safe to eat food prepared by the family? |
| Many families are so appreciative
of the teams that come to build that they are likely to repay that
kindness with a traditional Mexican meal. Most meals are prepared
at such a high heat that there is normally just a low risk for problems.
Feel free to ask your CpC rep. the best way to handle the situation.
If you don’t want to eat something, that is fine, just simply
be discreet. Furthermore, do not drink anything that was not made
with purified water. |
Will the family help us build? |
| They are not required by
Casas por Cristo to be part of the building process. We desire for
them to know that the house is an extension of God’s grace.
It is a free gift that can’t be earned. However, most families
are eager and willing to help in any way they can. As they are often
shy, it is up to you to pull them into the project and make them feel
like they are a part of your team. |
Do you install plumbing? |
| No. Families usually have
an existing outhouse they use, and most areas where we build aren’t
equipped with sewage systems. |
Do we tape and mud the drywall? |
| We do not provide tape
and mud, however, you are more than welcome to purchase the supplies
and either finish the drywall, or leave it for the family if time
does not allow. |
Can we play card games? |
| No. Some congregations
associate cards with gambling, so our Pastors' Board has asked us
not to play cards. Therefore, we ask that you do not bring any game
involving any type of cards. We simply want to be respectful of the
churches that are gracious enough to house us. |
Is it acceptable to leave money for the family
or my CpC representative? |
| Yes. When leaving money
for families, we advise not leaving more than a couple hundred dollars.
As for the CpC staff, we each raise our own support, and we do encourage
you to consider supporting your CpC representative either through
a one-time donation or through recurring support. You will have an
opportunity at the end of your building week to make a donation to
your CpC rep. |
Should I bring anything to Mexico that I can’t
live without? |
| There is always a risk
that anything can be stolen. Therefore don’t bring anything
you aren’t prepared to live without and keep a close eye on
what you do bring. Don't leave anything in your vehicle overnight. |
What am I not allowed to bring back into the United
States with me? |
| Fireworks, narcotics or
illicit drugs, merchandise made from endangered species, Cuban cigars,
live birds, switchblade knives, fruit, vegetables, meat, and any item
that would tarnish the reputation of Casas por Cristo, your group,
or Jesus Christ. |
Who pays for the houses that you build? |
 The
volunteer teams that come from across the United States and Canada
not only build the homes, they also pay for the materials through
their project fees. Other funding for our ministry comes in the form
of donations to our general fund from grants, churches, and individuals.
Finally, in order to keep the cost of the mission projects for our
teams low, each member of our staff raises the funds needed to pay
his or her salary. Support for our staff means more homes can be built.
You can support an individual staff member or contribute to the All-Staff
Support Fund which is divided equally amongst all the staff. |
How many homes have you built? |
Since the ministry’s founding in 1993, more than 3,000 projects
have been completed in the Juarez area. A handful of these projects have been for church classrooms, orphanages,
or other special needs, but the vast majority of the projects are homes for poor families. In 2007, we completed
405 houses.
 Click
here to see our Building Progress
Report. |
Where do the volunteer building teams come from? |
Volunteer teams come from
across the United States and Canada. These
teams come in a variety of different forms including youth groups,
campus ministries, adult groups, and mixed-aged family teams.
Click
here to see where our teams' hometowns. |
How can I find out more about
El Paso? |
If you would like more
information about the El Paso area, click on the link below to connect
to the El Paso Convention & Visitor’s Bureau website. From
there, you can request a free visitor’s guide, which is published
quarterly, and features information about El Paso hotels, motels,
restaurants, and activities, as well as a calendar of events and spotlights
on different aspects of our area that make us unique.
El
Paso Visitor’s Bureau website |
When are my final trip fees due? |
| All trip fees are due 30 days before your trip date.
Currently, we are not able to accept final payments through our website. All payments should be
mailed to Casas por Cristo. Additionally, any late payments will incur a $100 late fee. |
What additional evangelistic opportunities are
available besides building a home? |
 If
in addition to building a home, you would like to enhance the evangelistic
impact you make on our community, you can find several opportunities
through our Evangelism
Guide and our Additional
Resources.
For additional help or information, please feel free to contact
Scott DeWitt, Director of Spiritual Growth at x. 17 or sdewitt@casasporcristo.org.
You can also contact SAEM (Spanish American Evangelism Ministries)
whom we have partnered with in order to offer unique evangelism
packets that your group can purchase and hand out to the people
living around your worksite. A link to SAEM’s website is included
below.
SAEM
|
Can you explain how my deposit money works? |
| All teams registering
to build homes in January 2008 or later are required to provide
a $300 deposit for EVERY house they plan to build.
If you have signed up to build one project, and have to cancel,
you will forfeit your deposit. If you sign up for multiple houses
and cancel any of those projects, you will forfeit the deposit on
that particular house. It will not be transferred to any remaining
projects. However, if you cancel a project, you may still use that
deposit money for another trip within the same calendar year.
Your deposit money is applied toward your final trip fees.
If after you register, you would like to add another house, you will have to pay an additional $300 deposit.
You may do so by submitting a payment on our website on the “donations” page. Click on "Additional House Deposit." Before you submit an additional
deposit, please ensure that date still has spaces available by talking with our Team Coordinators at 800.819.8014 x10. All final payments must be received 30 days prior to the trip date. We are unable to accept final payments through our website. |
I've heard alot on the news recently regarding Juarez. Is it safe? |
| The problems occurring in Juarez are regarding the targeting of Mexican Nationals, and NOT US citizens. We have seen an increase in the presence of military and police personnel in Juarez. They have been brought in as a precautionary measure and a calming force. There have been instances of violence between the Mexican Drug Cartel and Juarez police. As much as we regret that this has occurred, it has had absolutely no bearing on our work. The additional troops and police personnel have provided an extra measure of protection and strangely enough has brought about more peace in the communities.
Over the past 15 years, we have not had one incidence of physical violence or threat of kidnapping. We will be honest and tell you that we have encountered incidences of theft. However, in almost all of these cases, it has been in a situation of neglect (not keeping an eye on belongings, leaving them inside a vehicle overnight, etc.). We believe that the Lord has placed a hedge of protection around our ministry and the work we are involved in. Furthermore, we believe in being careful and mindful while we are serving in Mexico. It is our position that a team member should never wander off by themselves. Also, we work in the Christian community in Mexico. The work of CpC is well respected and recognized. The people we come in contact with are appreciative and protective of the work that we do.
If we ever feel that the climate has become too volatile or unsafe, we would respond accordingly and temporarily halt operations.
We know that Satan hates the work we are doing in Mexico, and will do anything to thwart it. One way is to place doubt in the minds of those that are coming to serve. We know that God is protective, and with His guidance, and through commonsense, we will continue on with the mission at hand.
|
Can we drive our bus into Mexico? |
Please be aware that busses/RV's will no longer be allowed to cross into Mexico. We suggest that all teams use 15 passenger vans, and bring as few vehicles as possible.
|
| |
