| The Project: |
| The objective of this mission trip is to construct concrete roofs on owner-built homes using local materials and local methods in a Mayan village on the west coast of the Yucatán. |
| But the goal of the trip is to forge stronger links with God, with the people of Chuburná, with the workers from Mano Amiga and with our fellow mission volunteers. |
| The Organizer: |
| Mano Amiga means "Friendly Hand" in Spanish. It is an organization of volunteers who work to improve the life conditions of the unfortunate...especially those who live in arid regions and areas of difficult access. Mano Amiga is an ecumenical, Christian organization and is registered with the IRS as a tax exempt organization. In 1997 and again in 1998, 1999 and 2000 volunteers from Christ Lutheran Church, Woodcliff Lake, NJ and from Long Island Lutheran High School have become “Friendly Hands” and now ask you to join them in a powerful, spiritual experience. Numerous other congregations and groups from the Midwest and the south have participated in these work experiences over the past 15 years. |
| Location: |
| On the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico, just southwest of Progreso, in a small fishing village of Chuburná. The climate is tropical and is usually warm and dry in Feb. Bananas, sugar cane, papayas and coconuts grow throughout the village. |
| Need: |
| Hurricane Gilbert (1988) hit Chuburná very hard and damaged many homes which were built of corrugated tar paper. A large number of the homes have been rebuilt with concrete block walls...a few blocks at a time as the people can afford to purchase the materials. But the roof construction is a labor intensive effort...like a barn raising. It requires a large number of people in a short period of time to hoist and put in place concrete roof beams, raise and put in place specially shaped concrete blocks that "key" into the beams, and then mix concrete (by hand) and pass it up in buckets to cover the entire roof. The men of the village work every day to make ends meet and may go for years before accumulating enough money for a roof and having the luxury of a few days off to do the labor. |
| What We Can Do: |
| There are several organizations that donate time and money to help people build their own homes. However, some like Habitat For Humanity depend upon skilled professionals (electricians, plumbers, masons, carpenters, roofers, etc.) for much of the work because they have to conform to various US building codes. In this part of Mexico, non-skilled, motivated groups using local methods and materials can make a direct and immediate gift to a family and can, literally, change their living conditions in a day or less. This is a very rewarding experience for both the family and for the group. |
| Why Not Just Send Money? |
| We could do that. There may be qualified people in the areas to do the work that is needed. However, that would eliminate the life-changing experiences of the volunteers and the opportunity for mutual cultural exchange. You will return home richer than when you departed...spiritually, emotionally and culturally. You will have had a life-changing experience. And your communities will benefit from your experiences, your new awareness and attitudes for years to come. |
| Who Can Go on a Mano Amiga mission? |
| Mano Amiga invites people of all ages and capabilities to join in serving. If you can swing a hammer, carry a bucket, take a picture or boil water...they need you. However, there are no special provisions for the handicapped. |
| What do we actually do? |
| Everything! Everything from putting the beams and blocks on the roof to mixing the concrete by hand and passing it up to the roof in buckets. We also do all of our own cooking and kitchen cleanup. And we are responsible for keeping the camp clean. Plus, we have the opportunity to interact everyday with the local people. |
| How Do We Get There? |
| The fastest and least difficult way is to fly to Cancun and then take a four hour bus ride (in a modern bus) across the Yucatan Peninsula to Chuburná, the village that becomes our headquarters for most of our stay. |
| What are the Accommodations? |
| We stay at a very basic Presbyterian Summer Camp in the village of Chuburná, just down the coast from Progreso, right on the Gulf of Mexico. We have flush toilets and showers, but no hot water. We do our own cooking and share in K.P. chores. We sleep in hammocks. Accommodations are better than primitive and better than most of the villagers of Chuburná... but not by a whole lot. You will notice things are different! However, the camp is located directly on a beautiful Gulf of Mexico beach! |
| What is The Food Like? |
| All the meals at camp are “normal” foods that almost all U.S. teenagers and adults regularly eat. Kitchen hygiene is rigorous! Most of the times when we eat away from camp you can chose to eat local dishes or you can stick with pizza or the like. Pure water is always available at camp and at the job sites and is readily available throughout the Yucatan. Soda and seltzer is also available at camp. |
| Do I need to Speak Spanish? |
| No. There are several fluent Mano Amiga members with us at all times. But it doesn't hurt to know a few words and phrases. |
| Do I have to go to church? or be a Christian? |
| No, to both questions. People of all faiths are welcome to join us to strengthen their own faith. People without faith are welcome to try to discover faith. |
| When are We Going on the Next Mission Trip? |
| Depending upon response, current plans are for December 2004, February and March, 2005. Individuals and small groups can sometimes tag along with other groups. A separate trip will be arraigned for groups of sufficient size. |
| Do we just work? |
| No, we will have time to meet the villagers and see some of their lifestyle. If we are working on the Northwest coast of the Yucatán, we will visit the city of Merida for an evening. We will have time to visit at least one of the ancient ruins (Chichén-Itzá, Dzibilchaltún, or Uxmal) that surround us (most of the villagers are Mayan). We will probably stop in the old colonial city of Valladolid for a meal in the courtyard of a beautiful inn. We might swim in a cenote (a natural, freshwater sinkhole). The last day of the trip will be spent on the small island of Isla Mujeres on the East (Caribbean) coast of the Yucatan, where we might have the opportunity to visit nearby Isla Contoy, a national park. |
| How Much does this Cost? |
| Currently, it looks like about $1300 per person. This figure can vary depending on which airport, what carrier you will be using and the time of year. |
| Why so much? |
| That includes just about everything except souvenirs. Travel and transportation costs, food, entrance fees, building materials, tools, Mano Amiga expenses, camp costs, hotel in Isla Mujeres, etc |
| I Can't Afford that Much! |
| If you can come up with about $400 on your own, you can get sponsors to help you with the rest. You only need 18 sponsors @ $50 each to get you on this Mission Trip! |
| I Can't Go , but I'd Like to Help |
| If your hands can't go, send someone to act as your hands. Sponsor one or more people with whatever you can afford. Send a donation to purchase the materials for an entire roof or, perhaps, for just the cost of the beams or the blocks or the cement, sand or gravel. |
| When Do I have to Make Up My Mind? |
| You need to get enough dollars ($$$) in Tom Thiets' hands so that when we go to the Yucatán in October for our planning trip, we will have the money on hand to purchase the necessary materials for the roofing (cement, concrete beams, concrete blocks, sand & gravel) that your group will accomplish in the following months. So that means that you must either collect sufficient advance monies from group participants OR have the ability to get an advance from your organizing group (ie: school, church, etc). By the time of the planning trip (usually the llast or the next to the last week of October) you will also have to have firm travel dates since we must notify the material suppliers when to deliver the supplies. And then you will need to purchase your air tickets ASAP after that to insure receiving tickets for the anticipated travel dates. |
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For Further Information:
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