Frequently Asked
A group of Christian individuals from southern California formed a Board of Directors and a 501(c)(3) corporation more than thirty years ago to oversee the Welcome Home facility and operations. These committed people are not backed by any single church or sending agency, but represent a number of different churches. They love the people of Mexico with the love of Christ, and they want to see children given an opportunity to be nurtured in a Christian environment in their formative early years.
No funds are received by Welcome Home from either the Mexican or the U.S. governments. All funding comes from private individuals, churches and other organizations.
Welcome Home has accommodations for up to 45 persons.
Single beds (some bunks) in dormitories are provided for team members. These beds have blankets and pillows, but guests are encouraged to bring their own sheet(s) and/or sleeping bags, when possible, in order to conserve our resources. Bathrooms are fully plumbed with warm showers. All dorms are upstairs. Guests who require ground-floor accommodations need to inquire about availability; reservation required. Electricity is available in all areas, however conservation of this valuable resources is appreciated. Filtered drinking water is also available for guests.
Room and board rate is $25 per person per night. This fee includes sleeping quarters, clean restrooms, breakfast and lunch meals each week day. Welcome Home Partners have a discounted rate of $20 per night. Consider becoming a Welcome Home Partner!
Yes, and it is important that team leaders relay this information to their team members. American Christians visiting in Mexico should dress modestly in keeping with the standards of the Mexican Christian community. Pants or shorts for both women and men of all ages should be knee-length or below (no short-shorts, no mini-skirts). Please, no tube tops, halter tops or bare midriffs; no excessive cleavage; no exposed underwear. Bathing suits should be worn only when at the beach (one-piece suits only or 2-piece with something covering on top). In our area, it is extremely rare to see women wearing a bathing suit; most women swim with clothes over top. Bikinis are simply not socially acceptable. On construction sites, Welcome Home requires that all persons wear closed-toe shoes (work boots or tennis shoes). Absolutely no sandals on construction sites! This is for your own safety. Workers may want to bring a sun hat, sunscreen and gloves for construction.
The breakfast and lunch meals at Welcome Home are tasty, healthy and prepared with love for our daycare children, staff and visitors. However, our kitchen is not able to cater to special diets such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc. Meals offered will often include non-meat choices such as frijoles (no lard is used), rice, vegetables, pancakes, hot cereal, eggs, etc. A person with very strict dietary requirements should plan for him/herself accordingly.
Teams are welcome to use the large kitchen facilities to prepare dinners, however, we encourage teams to support the local economy by eating at restaurants. We can recommend many good eating establishments in the area. Dining out may run anywhere from a $3 taco to $12-$15 for a steak dinner. The average cost for dinner is $8. Our town offers options such as pizza, sushi, hamburgers with fries, tacos and coffee shop food.
Short-term missions teams may choose to build a house or do house repairs for a family, and the Welcome Home staff will identify the right project for you. However, not all groups do construction. There are many other possibilities, such as projects at the WHO facility, Bible teachings, evangelism, food distribution, medical or dental clinics, all dependent on the team serving and the Spanish speakers in the team.
Cost for our basic 18’x20′ cement block house is $7,900 (subject to change). This includes four windows and one door, but no electrical or plumbing.
Your group leader will receive a Statement of Account approximately 8-10 weeks prior to your team’s arrival. Full payment date will be listed on the billing statement, which is generally 4-6 weeks prior to your arrival. Payment instructions will be included on the statement.
Groups interested in booking a date should find the link to the calendar of available dates in step 1 of the reservation process. The reservation form is available here. A $100 booking fee is required at the time of reservation. It can be easily paid via the PayPal link on the reservation page or mailed. Summer weeks fill up quickly, but we encourage groups to consider missions trips throughout the year. If you have questions, please Contact Us anytime.
Yes! All U.S. and Canadian citizens, including children, are required to present a valid passport or passport card when crossing the U.S. / Mexico borders. (For information about obtaining a U.S. passport access the U.S. State Department website: www.state.gov). Mexico also requires an FMM Tourist Visa. It is easily obtained and you can find pertinent information here.
There is a currency exchange booth in Vicente Guerrero, but U.S. dollars are almost universally accepted in the Baja.
Bank ATM machines are available in Vicente Guerrero. Withdrawals can be given in Mexican currency, the peso, or the US dollar. Please note that many banks have a fee they will charge for this service.
The exchange rate varies day to day (see www.xe.com/currency/converter for up-to-date rate quotes). Any ATM or credit card transactions will be calculated at the exact exchange rate in effect the date of the transaction.
Vicente Guerrero lies just 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The weather is mostly sunny and warm, but not unbearably hot. Summer temperatures may reach the upper 80s, but evenings cool down. You should bring a sweatshirt or light jacket for evenings/mornings.Check the current weather conditions at weather.com.