Mescalero, NM July 19 - 25, 2009 Senior High (ages 14+) Type of Trip: Home Repair Trip Capacity: 408 Availability: Open Bus Accessible: Yes Community: Native American/First Nations $409 per person

DESCRIPTION: The mountain homeland of the Mescalero Apache people is a beautiful world of evergreen forests and crystal-clear streams.  Yet, in the midst of such natural beauty, elderly and low-income people struggle to maintain their homes.  Perhaps you’ll build a wheelchair ramp for a disabled widow who hasn’t been able to leave her house in years.  Or replace a dangerous, rickety porch for a single mom and her kids.  Whatever your task, you’ll have a chance to explore a fascinating Native American culture—as you serve people in need in the Land of Enchantment.

NEARBY: Ruidoso and White Sands National Monument.

DETAILS: 
Transportation: You will need to provide transportation for your group to and from your mission trip location. Also, during your mission trip, vehicles you bring will be used to provide daily transport to and from project sites. Please ensure the number of seats and seatbelts in your vehicles match the number of people you bring to on the trip. Vehicles with at least six seats and seatbelts are preferred. If you bring a large bus or charter bus, it must be available daily for transportation to sites. Not all locations can accommodate buses. If this location cannot accommodate a bus, it will be designated above.

Typical Day: A "typical" day involves serving others, "God Sightings", daily devotions, and inspirational/interactive worship programs. Your daily schedule will look similar to this:
6:45 a.m.  Rise and shine!
7:00 a.m.  Breakfast and gather supplies for the day
8:00 a.m.  Morning program
8:30 a.m.  Leave for project sites and serve at project locations
3:30 p.m.  Return to lodging site for clean-up and free time
5:00 p.m.  Dinner
7:30 p.m.  Evening program, youth group devotions, free time, prep for bed
11:00 p.m. Lights out

Food: A total of 16 meals will be provided during the trip, beginning with dinner on Sunday evening. Meals will consist of hot breakfasts, sack lunches, and hot dinners. All meals will be prepared for you by lodging facility staff. Picnic-style lunches will be put together in the morning and you'll bring these with you to your project site locations when you depart in the morning. The last meal will be breakfast on Saturday morning. IMPORTANT NOTE: Dinner will NOT be provided on Wednesday. Youth groups will have free time that afternoon.

Lodging: You will lodge at a local school, community center, church or similar facility. Accommodations will include areas for groups to room together by gender, a common eating area, and a program area. Plan to sleep on the floor (so bring a single size air mattress). Showers will be available, however, they may be indoor showers (locker room style) or they may be outdoor semi-private, temporary showers. PLEASE, make sure everyone in your group brings a swimming suit to be prepared for any showering situation. The facilities may or may not be air-conditioned, so plan accordingly. You might want to bring a small fan. Pay phones may be available; however, there will always be an emergency phone onsite. Also, although cell phone service may be limited in some areas, feel free to bring your cell. 

Cleanup: Facility staff prepares and clean-up all meals and clean the lodging facility.

PARTICIPANTS: 
Register As: A group (minimum of one youth and one adult of the same gender)

Adult/Youth Ratio: You need to bring a minimum of one adult for every five youth. If you register both males and females, bring at least one adult male and one adult female. Adults serve on project crews with young people.

Criminal Background Check: To provide the safest environment for young people, adult (age 21 and older) staff and participants must pass a national background check through a qualified service provider. Your church will need to arrange for a qualified service provider to run a National Criminal Indicator Database Search that includes Social Security Number verification. Your church will purchase and retain the background checks, and send Group Workcamps Foundation verification that all adults are eligible to attend. Forms and details will be provided in the spring.

SERVICE PROJECTS: 
Nature of Projects: You and your group will provide home repairs at no cost for elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged people that need your help. Project crews typically serve the same resident for the entire week, creating an environment where meaningful relationships develop. And, most projects are designed to be completed during the week, allowing your group to experience the satisfaction of a job well done. You’ll serve the needs of others through projects like... Interior and exterior painting Building or repairing porches and wheelchair ramps Building or repairing steps Weatherization and other home repairs

Project Crew Structure: Typically, you’ll work at a home in small teams (five-six teenagers with one or two adults) helping someone who needs—and appreciates—your help. Each crew member is valuable part of the team fulfilling an important and defined role within the crew. You and your group will make new friends while serving on project teams with people from other churches. Or, if you desire, we can keep you together with people from your own group…just let the Registration team know so we can make proper arrangements.

PROGRAM: You’ll applaud the daily programs and devotions. Along with hundreds of other people, you’ll experience high-impact, interactive programs with music, Scripture, video, drama, and hands-on activities...led by a trained youth ministry professional and a song leader. Programs are carefully designed by the youth ministry experts at Group Magazine (the most widely read youth ministry publication) to help you shape your group’s service experience into a spiritual growth experience.

STAFFING: We’ve got you well-covered with a trip Director, Program Leader, Song Leader, and up to 14 additional trained staff to handle project materials, project assignments, office tasks, program multi-media, project site coaching…and more. Additional adults in your group (beyond the 5-to-1 ratio), may apply online for a volunteer position. If chosen as a volunteer staff member, your registration fee is waived. Many of our staff serve year-after-year because they have a heart to minister to church groups.

WHAT TO BRING: 
Supplies: Each group must bring supplies such as ladders, painting supplies, and construction tools including circular saws, electric drills, hammers, etc. Your online Leader Manual will provide a full list of what to bring.

Personal Items: Your online Leader Manual will provide a full list of what to bring. It’s pretty much what you’d expect—including a single size air mattress or foam pad for sleeping, water jugs and coolers, work gloves, sunscreen, and modest clothing appropriate for a Christian mission trip.

PAYMENT: 
Deposit Amount: Per person deposits of $50 are required to reserve space, and are non-refundable. Forfeited deposits can’t be transferred to an account balance or to another group. However, forfeited deposits can be used to add a new participant to your group. Registration fees are in U.S. dollars and can be paid by check, money order, or credit card. Payment can be made online, by phone or by mail.

Early Bird Option: Early Bird Registration lets you delay the per person deposit until September 30th, 2008. Registration fees are in U.S. dollars and can be paid by check, money order, or credit card.

Payment Dates: Because fundraisers can’t all happen at the same time, we’ve broken the registration fee into a deposit and two payments. 50% of your group’s balance is due March 15, 2009, and the balance is due May 15, 2009. Registration fees are in U.S. dollars and can be paid by check, money order, or credit card.

Cancellation: Deposits are non-refundable. Forfeited deposits can be used to add a new participant to your group, however, they can’t be transferred to an account balance or to another group. Registration fees, less deposits, are refundable when cancelled at least 30 days before the start of your trip. The entire camp fee will be forfeited for cancellations less than 30 days from the start of your camp. In order to open spaces for other church groups, missed payment dates will result in automatic cancellation of spaces and forfeiture of deposits.

TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS: 
Travel Insurance: All participants need to have sufficient medical insurance. Each person must bring a copy of his or her insurance card with them. If you have participants without adequate medical insurance and/or if you desire to purchase trip protection insurance, you can purchas low-cost domestic and international insurance online through our insurance partner...or you can purchase it from another insurance provider of your choice.

$409 per person