South of America’s border is a town where scenery isn’t the only thing drastically different. It’s not uncommon to find large families crammed into abandoned vehicles or small, one room shanties built with scrap wood, discarded metals pieces, broken bricks, and anything else that can be found. When it rains, these homes leak and the floors turn from dirt to mud. The economic poverty of this area makes it nearly impossible for parents to provide the basic shelter that their children need…but you can help change that.
Together we will build houses for families and change the course of their lives. When you’re not swinging a hammer, you’ll spend time visiting people in the neighborhood, inviting them to church, praying for them, and leading a children’s program for their kids! Show compassion through construction and leave a home behind that will remind one family everyday that God loves them very much.
Mission Trips & Dates
Trip U Jul 14 – Jul 21 | $699
Ministry Rating: 2 of 5
Physical Rating: 3 of 5
Must be 13 years old by the mission trips start date
Trip starts and ends in San Diego, California
A Missionary’s Story
My team was walking the street looking for someone to minister to, and we can across an elderly woman. She told us that she was raised Catholic, but she wasn’t dedicated to any religion. We noticed she had an injured foot, we asked her about it and she told us it hapened over 20 years ago and that she was in tremendous pain. We asked her if we could pray with her and she accepted our offer, but said she didn’t really believe in the power of prayer. We prayed over her foot and shared the Gospel with her. She then decided that she wanted to accept Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, and we prayed with her again. Before we left, she tried to walk and she was healed! It was truly a testimony of God’s amazing power
Quick Facts
Background: The Baja California is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean on the west from the Gulf of California (or “Sea of Cortés”) on the eastern coastline. The Peninsula extends 1250 km (775 miles) from Mexicali of Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas of Baja California Sur in the south. There are four main desert areas on the peninsula: the San Felipe Desert, the Central Coast Desert, the Vizcaíno Desert and the Magdalena Plain Desert.
The whole peninsula of Baja California was: the lower part of the Las Californias Province of the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Spain; and then a single territory of Mexico from 1773 until 1931, when it was divided into Northern and Southern territories. In 1952 the “North Territory of Baja California” becomes the 29th State of Mexico as Baja California; and in 1974 the “South Territory of Baja California” becomes the 31st as Baja California Sur.
Climate: Baja’s climate is semi-arid with annual precipitation. It shows characteristics of the Dry-Summer Subtropical Mediterranean climate found to the immediate north, with most of the annual precipitation falling in the winter (between November and March).
Population: Over five million in 2009 and approximately 5,105,769 in 2010.
Religions: The Mexican population is predominantly Catholic. Even though a much smaller percent (46%) attends church on a weekly basis. About 5.2% of the population was classified as Protestant or Evangelic, 2.1% were classified as “Non-Evangelical Biblical”.
Languages: Spanish
Challenges for Prayer: For 300 years the Catholic Church dominated Mexico. During the 1990s the Church regained some of its denied privileges. A minority is regularly reading the Bible and most Mexicans are culturally Catholic but still bound by sin, narrow traditionalism and syncretistic religious practices, and only 10% are regular churchgoers. Pray that the power of the ancient gods and spirit-world may be broken in the Spanish-speaking majority and, more especially, in the Christo-pagan Amerindian groups.
Ministry Partners
Baja Christian Ministries: Cheryl faithfully serves as BCM’s Director of operations and is the backbone of the daily ministry operations since 1992. Cheryl does a lot of everything! She schedules the team outreaches and coordinates the myriad of details necessary for U.S., Mexico, and Canadian groups serving in Mexico and so much more. Her steadiness, persistence, and solid commitment to her God-given role brings a great stabilizing effect to the ministry. She is ready to help make your ministry experience the most efficient and rewarding. She is a great blessing to this ministry! She has three grown children and one grandchild. Her family resides in Chino Hills, California.
Jorge works for Rancho Alamo Bonito where he is in charge of the majority of the responsibilities. He also organizes all of the details for the groups of American missionaries that travel to Baja. The Ranch belongs to his grandfather; it’s a livestock ranch, which produces milk.
Language Training
Basic Sayings (5):
Hello
¡Hola!
My name is ________.
Mi nombre es ________.
OR
Me llamo _________.
How are you?
¿Cómo estás?
What is your name?
¿Cuál es tu nombre?
Nice to meet you.
Mucho gusto.
Basic Questions (5):
How old are you?
¿Cuántos años tienes?
Do you go to school?
¿Tu va a la escuela?
Do you speak any English?
Tu hablas Ingles?
How many kids do you have?
¿Cuántos hijos tiene?
How do you say _______ ?
¿Cómo se dice_________?
Ministry Sayings (5):
God hears our prayers
Dios escucha nuestras oraciones
God can do miracles.
Dios puede hacer milagros.
We must put our trust in God.
Tenemos que poner nuestra confianza en Dios.
Jesus loves you.
Jesús te ama.
God bless you.
Dios de bendiga.
Ministry Questions (5):
What do you think about God?
¿Qué piensa usted acerca de Dios?
Can I pray with you?
¿Puedo orar con usted?
Do you know who Jesus Christ is?
¿Sabes quién es Jesucristo?
What do you think?
¿Qué piensa usted?
Would you like to trust Jesus and
have Him be your One, True, God?
¿Te gustaría confiar en Jesús y
Pedirle que sea su único y verdadero Dios?
Testimony Introduction:
I like your country and I am happy here. I have come here _______, because God changed my life and I wanted to share my story with you. Will you please listen to what I have to say?
Me gusta tu país y estoy feliz aquí. He venido a_______, porque Dios cambió mi vida y queríacompartir mi historia con usted. Haga el favor deescuchar lo que tengo que decir?
Gospel Introduction:
God created you and he loves you. He has made it possible for you to know him and to have eternal life. Can I tell you how?
Dios te creó y te ama. Él ha hecho lo posible para que usted lo conozca y que tenga vida eterna.¿Puedo saber cómo?
Stories and Videos
In 2010, we partnered with 89.3 KSBJ Radio on this mission trip and they came with us and took this footage! It will give you a good idea of what we’ll be doing!
Mission Trip Details
Schedule:
• July 14 –Depart for Baja
• July 15 –Train for mission mission trip in Baja
• July 16-19 – Minister in Baja
• July 20- Spend the day touring Baja
• July 21– Depart for home and change the world
Packing List
Required Items
• One large duffle bag/hiking backpack **no suitcases** (airline regulation says it must be less than 50 lbs.)
• One carry on (generally a backpack)
• One sleeping bag, pillow, and sheet
• Bible, notebook, and pen
• Nalgene or wide-mouthed water bottle
• Flashlight and batteries
• Battery operated alarm clock
Clothing
• 6-7 shirts
• 1-2 sweatshirts
• 5-6 pairs of jeans or slacks – at least one pair of nice pants for guys
• Pajamas, undergarments, and socks (enough to last two weeks)
• Cheap flip flops (for showers)
Toiletries
• Personal Items: toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, soap, etc.
• Towel (optional: washcloth)
• Insect repellent (with DEET)
• Sunscreen (at least SPF 30)
• Anti-diarrhea medicine (preferably tablets), Kaopectate or pill equivalent
Food
• 1 Plastic jar of Peanut Butter (28oz or larger)
• 1 Plastic squeeze bottle of Jelly (22oz or larger)
* Due to airline regulations, your PB & J must be packed in your checked baggage, but make sure it’s easily accessible because it will be collected upon registration.
Miscellaneous Optional Items
• Spending money (suggested $50 US per week)
• Raincoat or poncho
• Chap stick, vitamins, etc
• Band aids, cold medicine, Aspirin/Tylenol
• Camera and film
• Package of anti-bacterial hand wipes and antibacterial hand sanitizer
• Powdered drink mix (Gatorade), candy, gum, granola bars, etc.
• Discman and batteries or IPOD (absolutely no secular music!)
• Bring a toy, coloring book, crayons, stickers, toothbrush, or Bible to give to a national.
Theft is always a possibility when you travel abroad. Please don’t bring anything that you can’t afford to lose. We recommend that you label items with your full name. Make sure that all your luggage meets standard flight check in codes (No more than 50 lbs.) and that it can be easily carried by yourself!
To view your country’s electrical voltage: go to www.kropla.com/electric2.htm
Additional Weather Information: go to www.myforecast.com for specific weather information.
Mission Trip Leadership
Trip W: Lee and Leisa Butler
Lee Butler graduated from Columbia International University and has been involved in student ministry for 14 years. He has volunteered with World Changers (of the SBC) and brought groups to his local Acquire the Fire event numerous times. He is a man who sets an example in missions, as he has taken his wife and 4 kids on the field with Global Expeditions 6 times! He is also a man who loves to worship God and is committed to raising his family to follow Christ.
Leisa Butler knows what it means to be dedicated and involved with the body of Christ and serving the Church. Being a mother of 4 and a wife to Lee Butler for twenty years, she has a lot of wisdom to offer. She is currently working at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission in Florida and loving every minute of it! The Lord has given her creative ways to help people in need and she couldn’t enjoy anything more. Leisa has been on numerous mission trips with Global Expeditions throughout Latin America, Russia, and the United States and is continuing her journeys this summer. She is pressing on to know the cause of Christ and live every moment with Him through loving Him and the people around her.
Trip W: Ben and Tami Miller
Ben and Tami Miller are loving members of the body of Christ and have been married for 14 years. They have 3 wonderful children; Colson, Cali, and Kayce. Ben graduated from Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and is currently working in architectural drafting & design. He also serves as a youth pastor. Tami is a Registered Dental Hygienist and loves doing it once a week, but all of the other time she’s homeschooling her children! Together Ben and Tami have lead the Dallas trip since 2008 and love the work God does there! They have served as youth pastors for the last 10 years and love ministering to teens in such a crucial time of their lives.
Trip W: Dave and Beth Coggins
