Real Break Project Mexico
March 16-23, 2013
$1,000.00
*This packet contains REQUIRED forms from the Project Mexico.
Please read through this document in its entirety.
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Mission
Want to put love into action and change the life of a family? Consider joining The Real Break Project Mexico team! Guided by one of Project Mexico’s seasoned staff, The Real Break team will construct a home from start to finish; mixing and pouring concrete to set the foundation; construct the frames for the walls and roof, wrap the house in chicken wire and throw on the stucco. The Team takes an empty lot and in at the end of 5 days, participates in a house blessing where the family receives the keys! You will reap the immediate benefits of starting and finishing a project, as well as knowing the people whose lives you have just transformed. It’s a bond that lasts a lifetime!
College students should be prepared for hard work and to see first hand a country with widespread poverty. For one week, you will be sharing in the basic life that is Mexico and learn about the economics and culture realities of our neighboring country. You will also be touched by how Orthodoxy is spreading through Mexico and Central America as more and more Latinos are converting.
In addition to this service, the team will have the opportunity to love and play with the young boys at St. Innocent Orphanage.
The goals of this trip are to see Christ in those we serve; to give unconditionally to members of the team, to the Orphans and to the family who will be living in the home you build, and to enter into the daily prayer life with the boys of this Holy Orthodox Orphanage.
Building a home can only happen if there are at least 15 members on the team. Spread the word about this life changing Spring Break!
Information about Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage
Since 1988, Project Mexico has been involving young people in the alleviation of suffering by building homes for Mexico's poor. In 1996 their outreach expanded through the opening of St. Innocent Orthodox Orphanage in Tijuana which provides a home for teenage boys who live on the streets or who have been put out of other orphanages and would otherwise be left to fend for themselves. In operation only six years, it was named one of the top three institutions in the state for 2001. St. Innocent Orphanage is the only facility dedicated to teenage boys in Tijuana and one of only four in the entire country of Mexico.
Lives have been changed. Families have been catapulted forward in their struggle to have good shelter and a true home. The impact of this step cannot be measured as they can now focus their energies on their family's moral, spiritual, and educational needs. Some families would split up otherwise, unable to adequately provide for their children. Disease and death no longer loom at every spell of bad weather and rain. And spiritually, it is pure joy to watch the tears of thanks flow during the house blessings. The families know that the Lord has visited them, literally, where they live.
The volunteers who build the homes are profoundly affected. We regularly receive letters from participants, parents, and clergy describing the awakening that has occurred. Many become active and eager participants in their home parish. Others have made college decisions and career choices based upon the experience. All seem to be more in touch with the simple yet difficult commandments of our Lord to love our neighbor and to care for the least of these.
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: www.projectmexico.org
Trip Registration
There are limited spaces for each destination. To secure your spot, register online at www.ocf.net with a $150 deposit. Final payment will be due by January 30, 2013. However, if you opt to set-up a credit card hold, final payment is not due until 2 weeks after the end of your trip. To set up the hold please call
661-412-2267 by January 30, 2013 to securely process this information.
Trip Cost - $1,000.00
The cost includes ground transportation, lodging, meals, and materials; however, it does not include the domestic flight to and from San Diego, CA (SAN). You are strongly encouraged to book your domestic flight as soon as you receive confirmation that your Real Break trip is Active - There are enough participants for the trip to happen.
If you fundraise over the trip cost, you are eligible to receive a reimbursement of the cost of your domestic flight up to the overage amount fundraised. Please refer to the 2013 Real Break Information Packet at www.ocf.net for more details.
SUPPORT THE MISSION – YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Most groups we serve rely on donations to continue their ministry, as does OCF. Support your mission and OCF by fundraising more than your trip cost! Excess funds will be given to support the work of Project Mexico and the St. Innocent Orphanage with a small portion used to cover OCF’s operation costs.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Please refer to the Real Break Information Packet at www.ocf.net for detailed information regarding refunds and cancellations.
Travel Arrangements
Each participant will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements, updating this information online on their registration, and e-mailing this information to realbreak@ocf.net. Please book your flight to San Diego, CA (SAN) on March 16, 2013 arriving before 3:00 PM and depart San Diego, CA (SAN) on March 23, 2013 after 2:00 PM.
After picking-up your luggage, you will meet your group just outside of the doors of the baggage claim in terminal 2 and wait for your team to arrive. San Diego International Airport has 2 terminals that are adjacent and walking distance to one another. The drive to the orphanage is approximately 45 minutes from the airport.
We recommend that you register with the state department before you leave at https://step.state.gov/step/
Entry and Exit Requirements
A valid US passport is required to enter and depart Mexico. Many people, including some U.S.-based airline employees, mistakenly believe that this requirement is not enforced, but US citizens returning to the United States from Mexico are not allowed to board their flights or drive across the border without valid US passports. Certificates of naturalization, birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and photocopies are NOT considered acceptable alternative travel documents. Non US citizens must check Visa requirements for entry and exiting Mexico.
Living Conditions
The team will be staying at the St. Innocent Orphanage during their trip where meals will also be provided. The facilities are sufficient but basic. You will be sleeping in simple houses on bunk beds with plywood platforms. There is no electricity in the houses or the bathhouse. We have hot water for showers, limited electricity, a variety of simple foods, and safe well water. Team members will need to bring sleeping bags.
Legal Documents
- US Passport
- Legal residents must bring their green cards.
- Non-U.S. citizens should check with their local consulate office about requirements for re-entering the U.S. from Baja California, Mexico. Usually a passport and valid visa are required.
Immunizations
There are no immunizations required by the U.S. or the Mexican governments.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that ALL travelers, regardless of destination, be up to date on the following normal childhood immunizations:
- Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR Vaccine)
- Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTP Vaccine)
- Polio (OPV), Haemophilus Influenza B (HbCV Vaccine)
Recommended for travel to Mexico:
These shots are available through a family physician or a public health clinic (generally, clinics are much less expensive). Be sure to allow several weeks before your departure to get your shots. Some vaccines require multiple shots/several weeks between doses (e.g. Hepatitis A).
Emergencies
In case of emergency during your trip, please call 800.919.1OCF (1623). Also, your trip leader will be contacting you with his phone number in case you have problems with your arrival.
REQUIRED Forms
There are three Project Mexico forms (Medical, Liability and Conduct Agreement) posted on the Real Break Project Mexico Page at www.ocf.net. Please email the completed form to realbreak@ocf.net or mail to:
Orthodox Christian Fellowship
c/o: Real Break Project Mexico
679 Encinitas Blvd. #201 | Encinitas, CA 92024
Clothing
Please see the Project Mexico Dress Code below for details regarding clothing. Be sure to pack at least 1 extra set of clothes in your carry-on just in case your suitcase gets lost for the first day or two
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Note:
All Real Break Project Mexico Trip Participants must download and read the complete Trip Information Packet that includes special instructions regarding required immunizations, dress code, expected conduct, and extensive information regarding accomodations, work projects, etc.
Download 2013 Real Break Project Mexico - Trip Information Packet (PDF Format)
Download Required 2013 Real Break Project Mexico Forms (PDF Format)
Download 2013 Real Break Participant Information Packet (PDF Format)
View 2013 Real Break Fundraising Essentials