***CLICK HERE TO READ RTLC'S MEXICO SAFETY STATEMENT***

Bridging Borders Mexico Mission Opportunities provide the opportunity for Senior High Youth to travel to Juarez, Mexico and build a house for a family in need.

Rainbow Trail will team up with Casas por Cristo, an organization that builds houses for families in Juarez, Mexico. Participants will be physically challenged as they help construct a house, work with kids at an orphanage, and develop strong relationships with families in the surrounding community.

***BRIDGING BORDERS PROMO VIDEO***



***FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS***

What will we be doing on this trip?
Throughout the week you and your group will share in a lifestyle of servant-hood as a Christian community. You will worship together, work together, play together, and pray together. Participants will build a 11 X 22 ft. house from foundation to roof, in three days. Participants will be physically challenged by the work and by the sun. Each day’s schedule includes time for a siesta and time out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. In addition to building, each day will include some sort of community event; ranging from an orphanage visit to a neighborhood meal.

Will the water be safe?
Rainbow Trail will buy bottled water for all water use – including drinking, cooking, dish washing, cleaning cooking surfaces, and teeth brushing. We are extremely committed to a healthy environment free from intestinal discomfort.

What are the Passport needs?
All you need is an original copy of your birth certificate and government issued photo ID. Those with passports can use them instead.

What about male and female chaperones?
Rainbow Trail will send both a male and a female counselor, one of whom will be a Director with more training and qualifications. Both genders will be supervised and taken care of regardless of the gender of the adult from your church.

Where there be Bible study?
There is time each evening for devotions. Typically, the RTLC Director chooses to split the entire group into three groups. These will be cooking, cleaning, and devotion groups. The devotions are then planned in a small group and are 80-90% youth led. Most likely there will be an adult in each group, but their job is to mainly motivate and keep the group on task - not to do the planning, cooking or cleaning themselves.

Where will the group be staying in Mexico?
Each group will build a house in Juarez, Mexico. Juarez is directly across the border from El Paso, Texas. In Juarez there are subsections where many people live in make-shift houses made of cardboard, pallets, and cinder block. Each group will stay in a church in Juarez. The churches have locked gates, kitchens with stoves and sinks, and primitive bathrooms. Groups will sleep on the floor in either the sanctuary space or in another building. During the four days in Mexico showers may not be available.

What is the process for emergencies?
Each RTLC counselor has been trained in First Aid and CPR. If a more serious accident happens RTLC has an ‘agreement to treat’ with an emergency hospital facility in El Paso, Texas. If a participant needs trained medical attention they will be transported via RTLC vehicle over the border (about 15 minutes) and met by an ambulance. In addition, RTLC has available phone contact with our main-site nurse who has access to a copy of each campers’ medical form. Questions regarding dispensing of medication and routine medical care can be answered through this communication.

What does a typical building day look like?
5:00 am - Wake Up & Eat Breakfast
6:00 - Build
12:00 pm - Lunch
3:00 - Siesta
4:00 - Afternoon Activities
6:00 - Dinner
8:30 - Worship & Devotions
9:30 - Bed

What does the trip itinerary look like?
Sunday
12:30 pm - Registration at Rainbow Trail
1:00 - Leave for Albuquerque
Spend the night at St. Luke’s Lutheran, Albuquerque
Monday
6:00 am - Travel to El Paso, TX, and Juarez, Mexico
2:00 pm - Cross the US / Mexican border
Settle In
Start the Foundation
Tuesday
Build
Wednesday
Build
Evening - Worship with Local Church
Barbeque That We Provide for Local Congregation
Thursday
Build in the Morning
Afternoon - Visit the Mercado (Market)
Visit the Orphanage (Time Permitting)
Friday
5 am - Leave for Rainbow Trail
7 pm - Arrive at Rainbow Trail
Saturday
Breakfast at Rainbow Trail
Worship
Clean-Up / Pack-Up
10:30 am - Depart for Home

Who is going on this trip?
Rainbow Trail trains Summer Directors to lead Bridging Borders weeks. These Directors are 21+ and have participated in comprehensive training, including 15 passenger van safety, cultural expectations, safe food preparation, water consumption risks, and group building. In addition to the summer Director, a Rainbow Trail counselor will join you in order to balance gender ratios. Most groups will also choose to bring along a youth director, pastor, or caring adult. Our camping philosophy is designed in such a way that the church’s adult leader is relieved of all administrative and disciplinary duties so that they are free to fully minister to their kids. By using this relationship based approach to ministry, participants discover the relevance of Christian teachings as a rewarding basis for life. The Adult Leader is the “Shepherd” of the group, assisting the Summer Director and counselor.

Who can go on Bridging Borders - Mexico trip?
This program is designed for senior high campers entering 9th through 12th grades in the fall and a congregational leader interested in accompanying them. Each mission trip should have a majority of youth participants. Registration is limited to 12 people. Participants should be willing to work hard and to learn new skills.

Can a participant be located in case of an emergency back home?
The Rainbow Trail Summer Director on the trip will check-in with camp via cell phone a few times during the week. In case of an emergency, a family member may call Rainbow Trail’s camp office at 719.942.4220 to leave an emergency message for a participant. If the emergency dictates a participant coming home early, airplane travel can be arranged from El Paso, Texas.

Will we be able to meet the family for whom we are building the house?
Definitely. Casas por Cristo, our Bridging Borders partner, is noted for its emphasis on family involvement. Each group will have opportunities to interact with the community by visiting an orphanage, going to community sponsored activities, and planned time with the family for whom you are building.

We’re scheduling a family vacation at the end of the trip. Can we pick up our camper early?
We prefer that each camper stay the complete week. Although the bulk of the week happens in Juarez, Mexico, the group’s processing time happens while back at Rainbow Trail Friday night and Saturday. Friday night, after a fiesta ala Rainbow Trail, groups spend an hour to three hours talking about their service trip, reflecting on cultural differences, and thanking each other for specific talents shared with the group. Closure with the group is important and can help each member talk about their experience once returning home.

Why is the cost of the trip high?
Each church pays for all of the building supplies needed for the 11 X 22 ft. house. The cost of the trip is largely dictated by the cost of partnering with Casas por Cristo. The cost of building materials has risen dramatically in the past year. We have tried to keep the cost as low as possible for these trips. Many churches choose to raise one-third to one-half of the cost in their congregation and ask the group members to pay the balance. What a wonderful way to make this a congregational effort!

Will there be any time for site-seeing?
On Thursday your group will travel to The Market (El Mercado). Here campers are invited to wander the indoor market, use their bargaining skills, and see a little more of the local culture. During this time, each small group of campers will be accompanied by an adult from the group.

Will the campers need to bring anything special with them?
In short, no. We don’t expect youth or families to buy special items for this trip. The trip is built around simplicity. The only unique items might include a pair of work gloves, a mat for more comfortable sleeping on the floor (please no cots), and a hammer. Both Rainbow Trail and the Casas por Cristo organization will furnish the remainder of the tools needed. In addition to the few personal items, we ask that your church bring a few house warming gifts for the family. Such things as towels, linens, brooms, children’s toys, and curtains make wonderful gifts.

How many can come and how much does it all cost?
To reserve a Bridging Borders trip you agree to a minimum group fee of $5,940. Each participant pays $495 and the maximum group size is 12. If you have a group larger than 12, you may choose to book a double charter and bring 24 participants.

Fee includes transportation, meals, building materials, and RTLC staff.

***BRIDGING BORDERS - MEXICO TRIP AVAILABILITY & REGISTRATION***

For group charter availability contact Anne Bliss by e-mail at anne@rainbowtrail.org
or by phone at (719) 942.4220.

Download the Brochure for Complete Information
Bridging Borders Brochure (Adobe PDF)

Download the Bridging Borders Book of Everything You Need To Know
Everything You Need To Know (Adobe PDF)

Download RTLC'S Mexico Safety Statement
Mexico Safety Statement (Adobe PDF)

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