Ministry Offering Mission Trips to Mexico-Promoting Your Mission Trip

Mission Trip Promotion & Planner Guide

Steps to Plan & Promote Your Mission Trip

Dear Group Coordinator,

You are an answer to prayer and the key to the success of what God desires to do through your group in Mexico. We are deeply grateful for your
willingness to serve God in this special way. Be prepared to be deeply challenged and blessed. God has raised you up as the leader of your
group and therefore, you play the most important role! Remember to have a Christ like attitude and be a good example for all to follow. Be excited
about the trip and let your enthusiasm overflow to others. God has positioned you in a place to be greatly used by Him. It could very well be
possible that what you do over the next months could be the most important work you'll do this year. God, for some reason, has chosen to greatly
touch Americans while they're in Mexico, and also the lives of the Mexicans through your ministry as Americans. It's a win, win, situation. Your
group will be able to hear and see things that they're unable to hear and see in the states. Be prepared to see God greatly work in your group's
lives. Enjoy it, pray for it, and do your part in allowing God to get as many down to Mexico as possible.

Promotion Tools

There are some very important Promotion Tools we have on our website that will play a vital key in promotion your trip be happy to send you a DVD
version if the ones on the Internet aren't able to be downloaded well enough to work for you. Here are some promotion tools:

Promo Internet Videos
Promotional Brochure (Tri-fold version in pdf. file format)
Promotional Brochure (Tri-fold version in Word.doc editable format)
Promotional Fl yer (Flyer in pdf. file format)
Promotional Flyer (Flyer in Word.doc editable version format)
Mission Trip Promotion & Planner Guide

How to Plan & Promote Your Mission Trip

1. Start Spreading the Word As Soon As possible

TALK WITH YOUR PASTOR - Ask his blessing and help in promoting your mission trip. Ask him if he would promote and talk about
the mission trip from the pulpit.

PUT ANNOUNCEMENTS IN YOUR CHURCH BULLETIN - Announce it up front, promote it from the pulpit, call people, talk to people; ask
for stories of people who have already gone on a short-term mission trip, do a skit, do whatever you can to get the word out.

PUT A SIGN UP SHEET IN THE LOBBY OF YOUR CHURCH- Put out a nice, attractive, sign-up sheet in a well known spot and
encourage people to sign up if they’re interested in going. Your first step is to throw wide the net and gather all who have any
interest.

PUT TOGETHER AN INFORMATION TRIP PACKET - Along with the sign-up sheet, if you have the capability, put together a mission
trip packet that answers as many questions as you can think of. This will provide information prior to your information meeting to
better inform those interested.

SET A DATE FOR AN INFORMATION MEETING - About one month after you have started promoting the trip, have an information
meeting to inform those interested and to answer everyone’s questions. Some issues to cover would be; finances, food prep, VBS
prep, trip schedule, meeting schedule for trip planning, and etc.).

ANNOUNCE THE PROCEDURE FOR GROUP REGISTRATION - As part of your meeting, let those at the information meeting know how
to get on board. It works well to set a $25.00 or more non-refundable registration fee for group registration. For some reason, money
firms up decisions.

ESTABLISH THE MISSION TRIP PRICE - Take into consideration travel, insurance, food, and other costs. Take into account the three
following factors in planning your trip that need to be decided that will affect your trip cost:

Food costs - We provide an option (highly recommended) to groups of eating the Sunday evening meal and the noon meals at
the church you will be serving at, prepared and served by the women of the church (Monday-Thursday). This is a wonderful way
to save time, money, and get to know the people and culture of Mexico. It’s a popular hit among all groups. We recommend a
donation of $3.50 per person per meal for this option. This amount also includes enough money so the Mexicans who are
ministering with you can eat with you as well. More on food costs.

Work projects - No need to worry about this, we will provide the building materials for you out of your group fees. We also
have most tools you'll need too. However, If you want to de a major construction project you will need to raise additional funds.

Ministry costs - You will have some costs for Bibles, tracts and Vacation Bible School supplies that you will want to take into
consideration. More on costs

2. Establish Your Group

SET UP YOUR MEETING SCHEDULE FOR GROUP PREPARATION - You will normally need a minimum of about 6-8 meetings to allow
adequate time for V.B.S and ministry prep. Don’t forget your spiritual prep (the most important of all).

SET UP MONEY DUE DATES AND ETC.

3. Establish Your Mission Trip Prep. Meetings & Schedule

Here

are

some items you might want to consider in your mission trip prep. meetings:

Fund Raising Help and Ideas for team members - An important part of making your mission trip happen is fund raising. Here's two
links on our website that provide help in this area: Sample Fund Raising Letter Fund Raising Ideas

V.B.S PREP – You will be doing a total of five V.B.S.’s during your week in Mexico. Your V.B.S. crafts and snacks will need to be
packaged in groups of ten, and each put in one larger bag. This is a very important detail that if not followed can cause us big
problems during the V.B.S. time as we will be dividing the children at the V.B.S. in groups of ten in order to maintain control. This is
the best way we have found to maintain crown control. Also, if you can bring some sports items for the playtime during V.B.S. it would
be helpful. More on VBS help

MEAL PREP – An option to consider if you don’t have a cook, is to designate a kitchen and meal coordinator to oversee the meals and
kitchen. Divide the group into food teams and allow them to plan the meals (with the oversight of the kitchen and meal coordinator).
Some meals can be pre-cooked in the States and then prepared in Mexico. Make sure you have healthy meals as you will be exerting
extra energy while on your trip. Take into consideration the option of eating the noon meal at the church you will be serving at. This
will cut down on the amount of meals to prepare. Also, many groups like to eat out at least once during the week. More on meal help

SPIRITUAL PREP - Don’t neglect this important area. Without right hearts we have nothing to offer. One of the great benefits of a
mission trip like this is that you have a wonderful platform for discipleship training. You can go to the coordinator's page for helpful
info in this area. The trip can serve a much larger purpose than the week while in Mexico; try to get as much mileage out of your
discipleship training time as possible and think of ways to disciple and use the group or individuals upon returning home.

PAPERWORK PREP

Adults (17 and older) need a Passport for re-entry into the U.S. Minors 16 and younger will need a Passport or an original Birth-
Certificate (Passports are best) and photo ID for re-entry into the U.S. (Children exempt who are too young for photo ID) More
on passports and etc.

4. One

onth

rior to

rip

eparture

Pay mission trip payment due one month prior to trip departure
Payment Form - For paying mission trip fees due one month prior to your trip departure

Send your Per payment fee to:

Missions to Mexico (make check payable to this name please)

PO Box 186

Sutherlin, OR 97479

Double check the Master Checklist to make sure you have covered all your bases.
Order Bibles and Tracts if not already done. Click here for ordering Bibles, click here for ordering tracts from Chick Pub. Click here
for tracks from ATSTracts.org

5. Final Departure Plans

PAPER WORK FOR MISSIONS TO MEXICO - Bring the following paperwork and give it to us in Mexico:

Payment Form - For funds to be brought to Mexico with you for purchasing materials for your work projects

Please remember, that we'll need you bring 1/2 of Mission Trip Fees in the form of U.S. Dollars (Cash) for purchasing your
building materials and etc. for your work projects. More on paying mission trip fees

PAPERWORK FOR YOUR OWN RECORDS

Passports for all. More on Passport Info

Important note: We recommend that all paperwork be kept in a briefcase or etc. in the possession of the leader at all times.

Teens can

easily loose their paperwork.

REVIEW YOUR MISSIONS TO MEXICO MASTER CHECKLIST TO HELP YOU REMEMBER EVERYTHING.

6. Misc. Helps

Chapel Prep

During the week while in Mexico, we will have chapel each morning. We as the site missionaries will do the orientation meeting Sunday

morning,

and the last chapel on Friday morning (we can do more if you like).

You will be responsible to do the chapels Monday -

Thursday. Chapel starts at 7:45 and last 45min. Your group will be in charge of your own

music.

Is it safe to travel in Mexico?

Traveling in Mexico carries no more inherent risk than in the U.S. A custom that is used in Mexico which is helpful, and at the same

time confusing,

is the way they use their left blinkers. If you are on an open stretch

of highway, and following a slow vehicle, they will

often put on their left turn signal. This tells you that no one

is coming and you can pass them. (But be careful here, they might

actually be going to turn left!) A valid driver’s license from the U.S. is valid in

Mexico. Thievery is also common in Mexico, so leave

your valuables locked up, or out of sight.

Click here for more on Travel

FAQ

Group tee-shirts

If you would like, you can design your own tee-shirts for your mission trip. This can be very valuable and acts as a great keepsake and

reminder of

God’s work in each person’s life.

Entering Mexico

When entering, or at a different checkpoints you might be asked some questions. It’s possible they might

ask you what your purpose

is in Mexico. Tell them that you’re coming as a tourist. Mexico has no real law for handling mission groups so it’s best

to come under

their recognized category of tourist. For more on tourist cards and travel in Mexico go to the :

Crossing the

border

and tourist cards

page in the Coordinators Manual.

Sleeping bag & pillow

The bunk beds have wood bottoms and foam cushions, however each person will need their own sleeping

bag and pillow.