Mexico Orphanage Project

What do I need to know before coming to Mexico?

Welcome to the land of perpetual incredible sunsets!  It is also a land of wonderful food, fresh fruits and vegetables, at a fraction of the prices that you are probably used to paying.  You will soon learn to be selective where you go to eat out, as not all restaurants are equal in hygiene.  If you get sick once, you will know exactly what we are talking about.  You will learn that it is best to drink only bottled water and avoid drinking from a public water system or water fountain. 

Plus it is best to always wash all fruits and veggies even before you peel them or cut them up.  For example, you must wash a watermelon before you cut it and serve it.  Same with oranges and everything; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

Welcome!

·        We are happy to welcome you to Hacienda Navojoa.  The construction site of the new orphanage is located on the campus of a Seventh-day Adventist College, Universidad de Navojoa, 11 kilometers southwest of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico. 

·        This new site will house the children that have been living at Hogar Refugio de Infantil near Villa Juarez, an orphanage which was established over 15 years ago under the guidance of Robert and Annette Mason and was badly damaged by Hurricane Henritta as well as Hurricane Scrounging Neighbors.  So all the children are now living in temporary accomodations on this campus.

Before You Come:

·        Read this entire set of Guidelines and send in a volunteer application with your information on the last tab above.

·        IF you have made application (as found on our website) with us and have received a ‘go-ahead’ from us make your final travel plans, collect your papers and BUY SUPPLEMENTAL MEDICAL INSURANCE to cover you in Mexico, traveling in and working at the site.  Attention Canadians: your provincial health plan will not cover you for international travel.  There is no coverage for you from our end.

Getting There (Option 1, by vehicle):

          From Tucson, Arizona drive south to Nogales, following Hwy 15 from Nogales to Navojoa, which is about 400 miles south of the border.  Carry a map of Mexico to avoid confusion.  You can copy the map provided on the Hacienda Navojoa website.

·        Speed bumps are called Topes in Mexico and you need to be on the watch for signs.  They can cause considerable damage to your vehicle and belongings if not sighted early enough to slow up.

·        There are 3 separate places where you will feel like you are crossing the border.  At each of these crossings there are stop/go lights at your eye level from your vehicle.  At the first two crossings, advance slowly, look for the (hopefully) green light and proceed. 

    No. 1 is at the actual USA/Mexico border.

    No. 2 is down the road a few kms.  Unless you are declaring something major that you have arranged for and paid for ahead of time with a customs broker in Nogales, proceed slowly, staying to the left and watch for the green light again.  When you are bringing in goods amounting to more than $1100. USD you must use a customs broker to prepare the paper work to import. 

     No. 3 is called KM 21 but don’t let that fool you.  It is a little farther than that.  Here is where you MUST stop and obtain your personal visas and permits for your vehicles.

   Make sure you have proper paperwork showing ownership of the vehicles you are bringing in.  If the vehicle and/or RV is owned by any company or corporation the ORIGINAL corporate registration documents must be in your possession and paper showing you have authority to bring the vehicle into Mexico from the company owning the vehicle.  Any missing paperwork will only cause you a delay at the border. 

   You must have proof of vehicle insurance for Mexico to show at this border.  This insurance can be purchased online through www.mexican-autoinsurance.com or www.sanborninsurance.com or another company of your choice.

   There are costs for the personal visa and the vehicle permits which change every year.  They are usually in the 25-30 dollar range, each. 

   There is a 10-year permit available for your RV if you want to leave it in the country and return year after year.

·        Money: Use a bank ATM to withdraw pesos as soon as possible after entering the country.  There is an ATM as you cross into the country at border crossing #2.  We do NOT recommend the use of your visa or master card in the country. 

·        Looking at your map of Mexico stay on Hwy 15 passing through Santa Ana, Hermisillo, bypassing Guaymas,  on to Obregon and then Navojoa.

·        On tabs at the top of this website you will see one that says, Contact Me.  Go to that page, scroll down to Map to Orphanage, open and see insert for instructions on how to bypass the city of Navojoa to arrive at the university.

·        The drive will take you approximately 10 hours from Tucson, 1-2 hours getting through the border and whatever time you need for stops along the way.

·        Please, do not arrive on the campus after 10 pm.  If you have gotten away late in the morning, or you have encountered any delays, please, find yourself housing for the night and come to the campus the next morning.  Any arrivals after 10 pm are not welcome and will be sent back to Navojoa to find accommodation there.

·        Communicate your arrival time to Sherwin so we can notify security.  Sherwin’s Mexican phone cell number is: 642-103-5974.

Getting There (Option 2, by air, bus):

·        The nearest airport is Obregon which is an hour away.  You can arrange with us for pick up there.

·        If you fly into Tucson or Phoenix, AZ you can rent a vehicle with insurance which allows you to drive that vehicle in Mexico. You would then have transportation when you are on campus.

·        You can travel to Mexico by bus transferring to a Mexican bus line in Phoenix or Tucson, AZ to arrive in Navojoa.  Taxi service is available.  If you have arranged for us to pick you up please call when you get to town.

Accommodations:

·        RV Park:  we have sites for 12 full hook ups and 6 have concrete patios. 

·        Dormitory/Room and Board:  700 pesos/week/person if you just need a room in the dorm; 1400 pesos/week/person for room and board.

·        Payment for Dormitory Room and Board is payable in advance for the time you expect to be there.  It is payable in pesos as there is no exchange available on campus.

·        Laundry:There are laundry facilities available in both girl’s dorms with a sign-up sheet in the senior dorm.  In the high school dorm it is first come, first served.  There are also laundry facilities available for the boys.

·        Keys:  room and main door keys are available.

·        Meals:  the food is all vegetarian and only available at the posted cafeteria hours.  Girls are required to wear skirts or dresses to the cafeteria.

·        If you do not plan to eat your meals at the cafeteria even though you are staying in the dorm, the cafeteria needs to be notified.  They add food to their budget when they know we have extra people on campus. 

·        There are two snack shops on campus for your convenience which are open every day except Saturday.

         Schedules:

The site will be closed during the week between Christmas and New Years starting up again by the 2nd of January, 2008.

·        We need to know your arrival and departure dates.  This allows us to plan our projects around the help that is coming.

·        Daily Work:

Our daily schedule (Mon-Thurs) is from 7am to 12 noon then 1:00 to 5:00 pm.  On Friday we start at 7:00 am and quit at 4 pm.

·        Saturday is our Sabbath and no work is done on site that day.

·        Volunteers are not required to work the hours we do but we need to know ahead of time the hours you intend to work so we can plan our projects around your availability.

Worksite dress:

·        As safety is our first issue we require proper shoes with support; no sandals or flipflops on site. 

Shorts, halter tops, tank tops or muscle shirts, whether male or female, are not appropriate work attire and not to be worn on the site nor would this attire be appropriate anywhere on campus.   Long pants, cropped trousers and modest shirts are required for workers at the site with dresses/skirts necessary for the girls at meal times in the cafeteria. The girls cannot go straight from the job site to the cafeteria.

Weather:

·        From October-April the temperatures range from 70-105 with much cooler temperatures at night which require warm clothing and bedding. 

What to Bring:

·        Medications you usually need and those for 3rd world travel.

·        Work gloves.

·        Sunscreen.

·        Water bottle.

·        A hat.

·        Tape Measure

·        Insect repellant

Miscellaneous:

Campus security will require photo id from each volunteer.

On Saturday, our Sabbath, church services are available on campus from 9:30 am to 12 noon.  They have a mid-week worship on Wednesday evenings.  These services are in Spanish.

There is a local bus service a short walk from the gates of the university which will take you to Navojoa, the closest city.  The service is quite regular and is minimal in cost. 

Transportation is the responsibility of the volunteer.  There are no car rentals available locally.

For Groups:

We require that the leader of each group provide us with the following at least one week before arriving:

·        Completed application form for each volunteer.

·        Criminal record check for all in your group.

·        Previous work experience of the members of your group.

·        A full list of all volunteers in your group, their ages and please give numbers of male and female so we can arrange with the dormitories for rooms needed.

Volunteer Worker Responsibilities:

Be Sure  Before coming examine your feelings and be sure you really want to help other people in this way.

Be Convinced  Don’t offer your services unless you believe in the value of what we are doing.

Be Clear  Tell us what you are prepared to do and what you will not do.  Make sure we know this before you start to work or, if you have a change of heart, as soon as possible to reduce future misunderstandings. 

Accept the Rules  Don’t criticize what you don’t understand.  There may be a good reason.  However, feel free any time to ask, “Why?”

Be Loyal  Offer suggestions, but don’t ‘knock.’  We are all working on the same team, and bad mouthing there team members will not be tolerated.

Be Willing to Learn  Opportunities to grow and acquire a new skill or trade will be given to those who have the desire and are willing.

Welcome Supervision  You will do a better job and feel a sense of appreciation if you are doing what is expected.

Speak Up  About things you don’t understand.  Doubts can fester and turn you into a worker with problems.

Be Dependable  Do what you have agreed to do.  Don’t make promises you can’t keep as it causes problems for everyone.

Be a Team Player  Respect your leaders and your fellow workers.  We are all working for the same goal.  Encourage each other often.  We all need it.

Welcome package  

to submit he volunteer information form at the end of this package,
go to the last tab above and use the form provided there.

Map to Orphanage in Navojoa, Mexico