Our primary goal for missions is always relationship.

The trip's purpose is to have members from Faith Church serve and help the Victory Center build concrete relationships with the community of Morelia, Mexico. We want to learn from the organization and community we partner with and give whatever we can relationally. We may assist in several hands-on projects, but that is not the only intent of the trip. The hands-on projects often provide us with relational opportunities with other Victory Center volunteers as we work.

We encourage everyone who feels a strong tug to apply. We will never make a hard and fast rule about who can and can’t apply because you never know what God is doing in a person’s heart. We want to pray and discuss this with you if you want to go on the trip.

Minors between the ages of 15 and 18 will be considered if they meet the criteria discussed in this packet. Due to the nature of this trip, Sue and Erika have requested that the teams be comprised of no one younger than 15.

Note: If you plan to travel without your parents, you must have written consent from both of your legal parents/guardians, and the form has to be notarized by a Notary Public to be valid. The minor may be asked to provide this form at the airline ticket counter on the day of travel to be allowed to travel with the team; therefore, you will need two notarized copies of this form – one for the airline traveling to Mexico and the other for the return flight to the United States.

Part of the application asks for medical information about yourself. Because Morelia has limited access to US-quality health care, we need to know about your health conditions and medications. This information will be kept strictly confidential between you, the team leader, and the directors of the Victory Center.

If you have any questions about the trip or the type of individuals who would be a good fit, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Since we have such heavy contact with the Victory Center children, we require background checks for every person traveling on this trip to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved. Upon approval of your application, you will receive an email from Checkr, the third-party service that the church uses for this process.

Mexico does not require vaccines to travel. The list of recommended vaccines can be found on the CDC.gov website, where you can search for Mexico Traveler’s Health.

The MSU Travel Clinic is also an excellent resource for you. This clinic can provide all the needed vaccines—call (517) 353-3161 to schedule an appointment.

The total cost is approximately $1500-$2500 per person, depending on final flight costs. Prices include air travel, background checks, housing, meals, supply costs, and ground transportation fees. The cost does not cover passports, vaccinations, medications, or souvenirs.

There is a deposit of $50 per person. This amount is applied to the total trip cost and is due at the time of registration. If you have to withdraw from the trip, this deposit (and any other amount paid toward the trip) is only eligible to be refunded if we have yet to pay for flight tickets or if there is someone on the waiting list.

The trip cost is, ultimately, your responsibility. However, we may offer fundraising options to help you. We also encourage you to write support letters to friends and family, which can effectively raise the needed funds.

God is bigger than the bottom line of $1500-2000. We understand that this is a large amount of money, but we have seen the power of these international trips on individuals. Please pray diligently about your potential involvement.

The total amount is broken up into three deadlines:

(approximately 6-8 months before travel) – Application and $50 non-refundable deposit

(approximately two months before travel) - 50% of trip expense due

(approximately 1 month before travel) – Balance of trip expense due

The travel dates for this trip are not yet set. Sue and Erika's scheduling preferences, travel safety, and airfare costs will primarily impact the finalized dates.

A staff member will be the team leader.

Passports are required to travel out of the U.S. and arrive in all connecting foreign countries. They can take up to 3 months to obtain, so please start this process immediately if you still need a current one.

If passports are not obtained in time, they will have to go through emergency rush services in Detroit or Chicago, which is expensive. Do this ASAP!

Visas are currently not required for US citizens to travel to Mexico.

Travel insurance (emergency medical) is strongly recommended. However, it is not required for this trip. We recommend you check with your medical insurance to verify its limits when traveling outside the country. Travel policies are affordable and well worth the peace of mind in rare circumstances that they may be needed. You can get an idea of prices with a free quote here: http://www.tripinsurance.com