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Matamoros, Mexico Mission Trip
June 28 to July 4, 2008
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| Ministry Detail |
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Project Overview:
Matamoros, Mexico is our most popular Adventure destination. The Gateway,EAIMs center for outreach in Mexico, is here. Although its only a few miles south of the border of Texas, you dont have to go any farther than Matamoros to find a world of poverty and need.
Your team will work in local neighborhoods and farming communities to help families who are poor materially and spiritually. Your day will be divided between construction, evangelism, prayer, and childrens ministries.
Our goal is to strengthen local churches and ministries. Well work alongside our Mexican brothers and sisters to change Matamoros for Christ.
Ministry Description:
AIM has worked in the poor areas of Matamoros for many years, and we have a good reputation among the local Christian community. Fulltime AIM staff live in the area to coordinate follow-up efforts for those who commit their lives to the Lord through the teams' efforts. Students should come prepared to do a little bit of everything.
Ministry opportunities include vacation Bible school (VBS), door-to-door evangelism, prayer walks, discipleship visits, possible orphanage service, sports evangelism (most likely soccer), evening outreaches, and construction of churches or homes for the poor.
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| Trip Requirements |
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Level 1 participants must:
1. have accepted Jesus as Savior and have a living, personal relationship with Him.
2. be willing, experienced, and comfortable with sharing their testimonies and a Gospel message.
3. be willing to submit to authority.
4. demonstrate a servant's heart.
5. acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
Level 2 participants must also:
6. have prior ministry experience.
7. accept more difficult ministry and living conditions.
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| Food & Lodging |
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Your group will be housed in dorms at The Gateway, AIM's mission training center 12 miles outside Matamoros, Mexico. There are separate bathhouses with showers. Air conditioning is provided in the dorms. Please bring bedding and towels.
Food is prepared on site, and safe drinking water is provided.
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| Dress Code & What to Bring
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Dress Code:
FEMALES
EMinistry Dress (evangelism, church services, school devotions or assemblies)- Wear skirts that reach below the bottom of the knee or longer, or khaki slacks, and shirts with sleeves that cover the shoulders. You can wear short sleeves, but they must cover the shoulders and upper arms. No cap sleeves or sleeveless shirts of any kind. Shirts should not have scoop necks or low v-necks.
EConstruction/Sports Dress/VBS-Jeans, capris or knee length shorts. Work shirt or t-shirt, (no tank tops, cap or sleeveless tops). Shirts should not have scoop necks or low v-necks. Boots, strong shoes or tennis shoes.
MALES
EMinistry Dress (evangelism, church services, school devotions or assemblies) -Nice pants (slacks, khaki slacks), nice shirt with a collar, nice shoes or tennis shoes.
EConstruction/Sports Dress/VBS-Jeans, pants or shorts to the knee. Work shirt (no tank tops or sleeveless), boots, strong shoes or tennis shoes
No flashy clothes or jewelry. Do not bring clothes with American logos and advertisements. Something simple like Old Navy is ok, but remember what you wear is a physical representation of who you are. Both guys and girls do not bring clothing that is tight, too small, or form-fitting in any way. Do not bring pants that are low-cut. If you can bend over and touch your toes without showing any skin in the back, then your shirt and pants are ok. If you can raise your hands all the way above your head and not show your stomach, then your shirt is ok. For either men or women, no open-toed shoes or sandals of any kind in the colonias.
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| Travel Information |
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Airport & Transportation:
You may drive to Mexico or fly into Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas. AIM staff will meet you at the airport and escort you across the border. You can rent vans at the airport, or AIM can provide ground transportation for $55-$70 per person per week. Please contact our Gainesville office if you plan to use our transportation. If you do not pay to use AIMfs transportation you must have your own or rented vehicles and plan to drive your team to the ministry sites throughout the week.
*NOTE: You must tell the rental agency that you are traveling into Mexico. Most agencies require additional Mexico insurance, approximately $21 per vehicle per day.
For those choosing to drive directly to the project site, we will provide directions to The Gateway and tips for crossing the border.
Please plan to arrive between 2-5PM on the day your project begins. Departure is the morning of your last day.
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Visa & Passport:
A valid passport will be required for American citizens beginning Dec 31, 2006. Citizens of other countries should check with their local consulate or embassy.
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Tolls & Exit Tax:
A $2.35 toll is required for cars, vans, and buses to cross the U.S./Mexican border for each direction.
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Shots & Vaccinations:
An updated Tetanus shot is Strongly Recommended for ALL projects. Hepatitis A is recommended.
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Suggested Travel Agency:
- Donna Booth, CTC Domestic and International Travel
Consultant
MTS Travel
9440 Philips Hwy, Ste 3
Jacksonville, Fl. 32256
Phone (800) 888-8292 ext 208
Email donnab@mtstravel.com
- Karol Fleming, CTC Domestic and International Travel
Consultant
MTS Travel
9440 Philips Hwy, Ste 3
Jacksonville, Fl. 32256
Phone (800) 888-8292 ext 208
Email karolf@mtstravel.com
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Suggested Travel Insurance:
We highly recommend all program participants have health insurance coverage for international trips. It is important to know that most regular health insurance plans do not cover you overseas. Health coverage is not a requirement for domestic trips, but still recommended.
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| Trip Participants |
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| Groups: |
Arapahoe Road Baptist, CO (Josh Robertson)
Evangelical Free, IL (Rick Chalupnik)
Pleasant Ridge, IA (Bill Orlano)
Faith Evangelical Free, ME (Danny Quirion)
Ridgeway Alliance, NY (Jonathan Bagwell)
Tabernaculo de Adoracion, FL (Benjamin and Vanessa Padilla)
First Bpaitst, IA (Jay Thornton)
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| Location Information
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Location Description:
Matamoros is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across from Brownsville, Texas. It is the largest city in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The presence of maquiladoras (assembly plants run by the U.S. or other countries) accounts for a rapidly growing population as workers migrate from the interior to the border region looking for better jobs. Most will settle on a small plot of land, building a makeshift house for their family in a colonia, or neighborhood. Many will not find work or will be grossly underpaid.
(www.coastalrlty.com/market/, 8/1/02)
Weather:
During the summer, the temperature often reaches 100 degrees or more. For those going on a winter or spring break trip, the weather is milder with daytime highs around 75 degrees. Bring a light jacket for the evening.
Area Attractions:
Matamoros has a long and rich cultural tradition, and wonderful downtown markets. The refurbished Teatro de la Reforma hosts an annual cultural festival in October that is regarded as one of Mexico's finest.
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| People, Culture and Religion
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The people of Mexico reflect the country's rich history. The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century soon led to widespread intermarriage between Spaniards and native Indians. During the 19th century, the racial composition of the country began to change from one that featured distinct Spanish and indigenous populations, to one made up largely of mixed Spanish and Amerindian descent (mestizo). By the end of the 19th century, mestizos, who were discriminated against during three centuries of Spanish colonization, had become the largest population group in Mexico. Mestizos now account for about 60% of the population, Amerindians 29%, and Europeans the remainder.
The people of Mexico speak Spanish, and various regional Mayan, Nahuatl, and other indigenous languages.
In Mexico, 89% of the population is nominally Roman Catholic, with 6% Protestant and 5% other religions.
(www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/mxcia.htm, www.coastalrlty.com/market/, 8/1/02)
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| Government and Economy
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Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. Today, the United Mexican States is a republic comprised of 31 states and one federal district. An elected president is the head of state, working with a legislature and Supreme Court.
Mexico has a free market economy increasingly dominated by the private sector. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. A strong export sector helped to cushion the economy's decline and led to recovery from 1996-2000.
Ongoing economic and social concerns include low wages and underemployment for a large segment of the population.
(www.lansingsc.org/sc-info.cfm?citycode=4, www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/mxcia.htm, 8/1/02)
Matamoros and Brownsville, TX, are related economically, historically, and culturally. Economic cooperation dates back to the American Civil War when the two cities served as an import area for vital supplies and as an export area for the South's cotton. Cooperation continued through 310 years, and in 1996, they officially became "Sister Cities."
This vital economic link became even stronger when the maquiladoras (assembly plants) emerged in the 1960s. Today, over 100 foreign corporations have manufacturing operations in the city, most with support operations on the American side.
Tourism is an important part of the regional economy. Each year Matamoros hosts thousands of visitors from within the country and abroad, who come here knowing they will be welcomed.
(www.coastalrlty.com/market/, 8/1/02)
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| Statistics
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Population:
450,000 - Matamoros
(www.coastalrlty.com/market/, 8/1/02)
101,879,171 - Mexico
(www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/mxcia.htm, 8/1/02)
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Poverty Rate:
27% in Mexico live below the poverty line (1998 est.).
(www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/mxcia.htm, 8/1/02)
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Literacy Rate:
89.6% ages 15 and over can read and write.
(www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/mxcia.htm, 8/1/02)
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Average Annual Income:
$5,000 U.S. |
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