Yucatan of Mexico Adult Mission Trip

An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. Trinity has been sending groups of youth and adults to this area since 1990. In those 20 years, the youth and adults of the St. Croix Valley have forged deep relationships that continue to this day. You now have the opportunity to travel the same streets as missionaries from years past. You can meet their friends and inspect their handiwork.

This trip has been designed with you in mind. We have adjusted the schedule and the workload to allow more time for exploring and relaxing. We spend the week serving our friends, learning about the culture and cuisine of the Mayan civilization, and enjoying recreational opportunities in the surrounding area.

Mission Project possibilities
•    Installing roofs on homes for impoverished families trying to build safe and secure shelter for their family, or assist in building a clinic or school
•    Assembling and distributing family-care packages for families struggling to meet their daily needs. Basic supplies: beans, cooking oil, salt, sugar, rice, Bible, clothing, personal care items, school supplies, quilts or blankets, candy or toys for the kids
•    Assembling and distributing school bags at a local school (pencil, pen, notebook, crayons, snack)
•    Bible Camp day for the children of Chuburna Puerto
•    Collecting and distributing medical supplies to a local clinic

A typical itinerary

Trip cost: Approximately $1800. Spring 2010 trip: Dates to be determined.
Thursday:
Travel and settle into the camp. Nightly devotions.
Friday & Saturday:
Typical work days: Walk or ride the bus to work. We have lunch on the worksite. Following the work day we return to camp for some time to relax or swim before dinner. Nightly devotions.
Sunday:
 We have omelets to order for breakfast, followed by a beach side worship service. We may host a Bible camp day (2 to 3 hours) for the local children. In the afternoon we travel by motorcoach into the city of Merida to explore the historic and cultural sites, shop, relax in the main square, and have dinner. Nightly devotions.
Monday & Tuesday:
Typical work days: Walk or ride the bus to work. We have lunch on the worksite. Following the work day we return to camp for some time to relax or swim before dinner. Nightly devotions.
Wednesday:
Depart camp in the morning to travel back to Isla Mujeres. We will stop along the way to explore the Mayan ruin site of Ek Balam. After a short ferry boat ride we will check into our hotel, have dinner, and nightly devotions.
Thursday:
Relax and Enjoy!
Friday:
Travel Home

Sample Accommodations
•    Some private rooms with bathrooms available
•    Concrete floor dormitories with bathrooms
•    Hammocks or inflatable beds
•    Ability to handle most dietary restrictions or preferences
•    Unlimited supply of bottled, purified water and ice
•    Most meals prepared onsite in our own kitchen by our staff
•    Small town environment (very safe)
•    We have a long-term relationship with this community and have many local contacts and friends of the mission program
•    Medical facilities located 50 minutes away in Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, a city of one million people
•    Our main contact with the Presbyterian Church is a prominent citizen of Merida (a leader in the state judicial system and his spouse is an M.D.).
•    John and Janet Luoma (Trinity Lutheran Church members and residents of Stillwater, MN) own a home in Merida and have many other contacts in and around Merida

Leadership:
•    Tom Thiets (Director of Missions at Trinity Lutheran Church) has 25 years experience in leading mission trips.
•    Marlene Harty and Lisa Thiets both are experienced mission leaders on border and Yucatan mission trips.
•    John Luoma served in the Peace Corp in Latin America and has been on multiple mission trips to Mexico. He is currently a home and business owner in Merida.
•    Denis Larsen (Lisa’s cousin) has 12 years of experience in leading mission trips to Mexico and has been living in the Yucatan for the past two years. Denis is also the owner of a Bed & Breakfast in the city of Valldolid. More information is available at his website: www.casahamaca.com