OCR Orphan Adventure Trip 2016 to Monterrey, Mexico

Please consider joining me, other OCR athletes, and Back2Back Ministries in January 16-22, 2016 for the first annual OCR Orphan Adventure Trip to Monterrey, Mexico.

We'll spend the week encouraging orphans, participating in activities with them, and assisting with projects that directly benefit the children.

Since we are obstacle course racers, one activity that I'd like to organize for the kids is a small obstacle course or event with stations that feature different exercises. I'll need your help creating the course and staffing the stations.

Personally, this will be my first trip to Mexico and first trip focused on working with kids that have obstacles we can only imagine here. How do they overcome their obstacles?

Steve McCollum (Facebook | Twitter) of Back2Back is organizing the trip and is an OCR enthusiast and athlete supporter. Many of you likely met Steve (or at least received a free Gatorade from him) at the OCR World Championships or at one of the Mud, Guts, and Glory events.

Like me, you probably have questions. Here's information from a Back2Back PDF that helped me and others interested in the trip:

Where do we stay?
Depending on the country, you will either be housed in a Back2Back gated facility in dormitories with bunk beds, hotels or in hostels with our area directors. In some locations, you might stay in a Back2Back host home in a secure gated community.

What do we eat?
Back2Back provides healthy and balanced meals that are enjoyable. They also provide authentic meals from our in-country staff. Teams occasionally go to local restaurants that serve either authentic cuisine or American-style meals. Back2Back also provides safe drinking water at all locations.

How do we travel once we arrive to country/property?
In order to ensure your safety, you will always travel by chartered bus/van or staff vehicles.

What is a typical day like?
During the day, teams serve at area children’s homes or communities. During the evening, we have small group time for debriefing, which is designed to foster personal and spiritual growth.

What kind of projects do we work on?
Work projects are determined by the needs of the children’s homes and communities, so it is challenging to predict projects in the future. Back2Back works closely with its national partners in determining the projects that are most important to the needs of the children. Projects will vary in terms of demand and required skill level. All teams will be placed at projects that align with their skill level and will be assisted by Back2Back staff. Examples of common projects include construction, remodeling, cleaning and painting. All projects will directly benefit the development of the children you will meet on your trip in one or several areas of the Back2Back 5-Point Child Development Plan. Back2Back also intentionally includes opportunities for teams to connect with the children.

Do we get to play with children at the orphanages and how big are the children’s homes?
Absolutely! Back2Back intentionally includes opportunities for teams to connect with the children. Time with the children will either be at their children’s home, a Back2Back facility, or on a field trip. The children range from newborn to early twenties, depending on the place you are serving. Some children’s homes have over 100 children; some have only ten. The villages we serve have between 100-300 families and some areas have even more than that.

Do we need to be able to speak the local language?
Although those who do speak the language are at an advantage, it’s been said that only 3% of communication is verbal, so you will be able to “say” a lot without even opening your mouth! Back2Back also has local staff who are fluent in the local language and can translate for teams. Additionally, English is becoming more prevalent in all the countries in which we serve.

How much does a mission trip cost and what is included?
The cost of the trip is $1000 plus airfare. Back2Back does not handle booking of flights for mission teams. Fees include housing, food, projects, ground transportation and emergency medical insurance. Airfare is separate.

What is the age requirement?
Depending on the country, Back2Back has had guests ranging in age from 8 to 80 join us. However, in Nigeria and India, we require guests to be at least 12 and all guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent, or in some cases, a legal guardian.

Do we evangelize?
Back2Back is a ministry that is centered on relationship by serving the “least of these.” We strongly desire and pray that each child and family we serve come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. As we focus on serving and building lasting relationships, we use that as a platform to share God’s love and His desire for us to know and be known by Him. We share the Gospel to others by sharing our lives. As Paul writes, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8 However, we do not withhold help or services from any child or home based on religion. We serve all children alike regardless of their faith or creed and do not require any child to adhere to Christian faith in order to receive our services.

Do I need a passport or visa?
A passport is needed to travel to all of our sites. It must be valid for six months after your trip date. A visa is required when traveling to Nigeria and India.

For more details, please contact Steve at smccollum@back2back.org or 513-535-6659. He can also provide you with the registration form.

Finally, here are some more pictures of Monterrey...

Hope to have you join us.