MVM Mission Trips
It
is always exciting to receive church groups from the
United
States
.
We would love to share our ministry with you. Over the last ten years we
have hosted many short term mission trips. We welcome you to contact us
about this unique and fulfilling opportunity.
Mission
trips
are a blessing to everyone involved and will prove to be an
unforgettable life changing experience. Some of the activities which
groups have participated in have been
Vacation
Bible
School
,
English classes, and work projects such as painting and building a park.
Many of the activities depend on the dynamics of the groups itself and
any special skills of the members. More detailed travel information can
be found below.
MVM
Mission
Trip Travel Information
All of us at MVM are looking forward to your upcoming visit. In order to
prepare you a little bit more for your visit we would like to give you a
few suggestions so that you will know what to expect and what to bring.
Hopefully, this will help you in your planning and preparation and make
your experience here even more fulfilling and enriching. The following
is a lot of information, but we think you will find it very useful!
Location
The MVM campus is located in the state of
Mexico
about 2-3 hours west of
Mexico City
by car or 80 kms. We are located in the
mountains at an altitude of about 9,600 ft. So we do caution vigorous
activity until you have become accustomed to the high altitude. The sun,
although you might not realize it, is very intense. We would advise a
hat, sunscreen, and lots of water to protect you from severe sunburn and
heat exhaustion.
Climate
The climate at the MVM campus is characterized by warm days (65-75 F)
but chilling nights and mornings (35-45 F). So be prepared for all types
of weather. Frost is very common from November through March. We would
recommend layering clothes during the day and bringing a sleeping bag,
although we do have extra blankets here for your use. Sweats are also
nice to bring for sleeping if you are prone to getting cold at night. If
you arrive during the months of May-October be prepared for rain. Rooms
are made of concrete and there is no heating system.
Customs/Language
Shaking hands upon arrival and departure is a very strong custom among
the Mazahuas. A person may feel ignored and offended if not greeted with
a handshake. Here are some common greetings:
.
|
Buenos
Dias
|
Good
Morning
|
|
Buenas
Tardes
|
Good
Day
|
|
Buenas
Noches
|
Good
Evening/Night
|
|
Mucho
Gusto
|
Nice
to meet you
|
|
Hasta
Luego
|
See
you later
|
|
Adios
|
Good
Bye
|
|
Que
Le Vaya Bien
|
May
Everything go well
|
|
Que
Dios Le Bendiga
|
May
God Bless you
|
Mazahua is the indigenous language spoken in this region although
Spanish is the predominant language, especially among the younger
people. Most people can understand and speak some Mazahua, but it is
becoming less widely spoken.
Religion
We minister in an area which is divided among Catholics and
Evangelicals. Most of our ministry is carried out among the Evangelicals
who prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages and smoking,
therefore we ask that you recognize and respect this and refrain from
smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages during your time here as you
may be endangering ties which have taken 15 years for us to develop. No
Alcohol or Smoking, Please!!! Most of the people we minister to belong
to Pentecostal churches. Their services are characterized by lots of
singing, clapping, and praying. Do no be surprised if you are asked to
share a song or greeting. Always be prepared. Skirts, below the knee,
are a must (for women)!! Because of the climate we recommend that
women also bring nylons.
Dress
We would appreciate it if you would take into consideration the culture
here and dress conservatively and casually. Culturally, shorts are
considered inappropriate, although you may want to pack a pair just in
case you have a chance to visit a beach or water park. As mentioned
before, layering your clothes is a good idea. Bring a sweater and
jacket. It is ok to wear jeans. A good pair of walking shoes is also
advisable. Pack Light!
Food and Water
As to food and water we suggest lots of common sense and Pepto Bismol.
Potable water is not safe to drink unless boiled for a minimum of 20
minutes. The MVM provides bottled water for all of our guests. Food at
the MVM campus is carefully prepared, so you do not have to worry about
eating uncooked vegetables or fruit.
Communities
If you visit a community we suggest that you bring a small snack and a
water bottle in the occasion that you may eat later than anticipated.
Remember to visit the bathroom before leaving for a community unless you
like natural surroundings; there are plenty of cactus plants. Be careful
of eating uncooked vegetables or unwashed fruit unless it is pealed. Do
not eat food prepared on the streets.
Other Things to Bring
We do not provide towels or toiletries so we recommend that you bring
them or buy these things upon your arrival. Also we suggest bringing
"Wet Ones" since you may not always have a chance to wash your
hands before eating if out in the communities, which is always a good
idea for preventing illness. Due to sometimes unreliable electricity it
would be wise to bring a flashlight and lots of patience. Remember, you
are not in the
U.S.
Gifts
If you wish to donate articles of clothing, towels, paper or candy,
please do so through the administration. We do this so that there can be
equitable distribution and to avoid conflicts.
Contact
Information
The
MVM now has satellite internet. As it is very expensive we ask that our
guests contribute $1 dollar (or $10 pesos) an hour for its use. We do
have a cellular phone on the MVM campus for emergency use only, as we
are charged for every call made and received.
(all
numbers are for calling from the
United States
)
|
The
MVM campus Cellular Number
|
011-521-712-105-4568
-
OR-
011-521-712-108-6364
|
We
do not recommend receiving mail while here, as it is very unreliable and
can take up to 6 weeks. But, just in case you need to contact us through
mail here is the address:
|
Eustacio
& Sally Dominguez
|
|
Aptdo.
166
|
|
Atlacomulco,
Edo
. De
Mexico
|
|
Mexico
50451
|
You
can also reach us through e-mail:
|
The
MVM campus directors :
|
sallytacho@hotmail.com
|
Documents
and Money
Passports are now required by
U.S.
citizens to enter
Mexico
Also,
anyone traveling across a national boundary with a child (as in under
18) must have a notarized affidavit from the other parent giving
permission. Travel agents have these. This applies regardless of the
marital status.
Travelers checks are probably the safest way to handle money although,
cash is the easiest to exchange. Cash and debit cards are also easy to
use. Cash and traveler's checks can be exchanged upon arriving at the
airport. The peso is the official monetary unit in
Mexico
. Right now the exchange rate fluctuates
from $10-11 pesos to $1.00 U.S. dollar.
Payment
Rates at the MVM are $25.00
U.S.
per night. This includes room/board plus
transportation to and from the communities. Also included is bedding
(2-3 blankets per person) and toilet paper, but it is always best to
have on hand your own toilet paper since it is always in high demand. We
hope that this has been helpful in preparing you a little bit more for
you journey to Mazahua Valley Ministries. If you have any pressing
questions feel free to drop us an e-mail. We are looking forward to your
visit. God bless you in your planning and preparations.
