Overlapping Tasks at Airport, More or Less in This Order:
1. Before the trip starts (now?): Put the phone numbers of all adults (and some of the students) on the trip into your phone. The numbers are on the spreadsheet.
2. The morning of 3/18: Designate someone, such as David Stamper, to Stay at Terminal 2 Baggage Claim area with the team that's gathering, until the whole team has arrived at the airport. Carefully check off the names of each person as they arrive.
3. Leader #1: Go meet with Jason of Mission Rent-A-Van to collect keys and paperwork, including Mexican insurance. Brad will pay for the vans and sign whatever he can remotely before the 18th. Jason may want you to meet in the same Harbor Island Park parking lot as before (a little further down the road from the Sheraton Hotel where you'll be staying.) Be in phone contact. Once he has his meal crew ready to go, take 1 van to the airport, so the meal crew can load up and go to Costco.
4. Leader #2: Go to Costco as soon as you have a van load of people (NOT other drivers) and the key Meal Team person who knows what to buy. This first van-load of people does Not have to be the officially assigned people to that particular van, but--IMPORTANT: Be sure the person at baggage claim, who's checking off who has arrived, knows exactly who is going in this van. Begin shopping at Costco while others gather at the airport.
5. Once the whole team arrives: 1. Be SURE that you have everyone (except for those who already went to Costco), 2. Get one other driver, and drive the other 3 vans back to the airport and begin loading the vans ("active loading only" at curbside). 3. Put all luggage in the back of the vans (doesn't have to be tightly packed for now). 4. Designate a person to tape the Van # on the front and back windows of each van. 5. Assign someone else to ensure that a walkie-talkie is in each van and that they are on the same frequency and able to communicate with one another. 6. Make sure the paperwork is in each van in the console area. 7. Pray in the parking lot (suggestion: open prayer, anyone can jump in, you close). 8. Remind everyone that they will be getting their own lunch at Costco. 9. Load and double check that everyone is accounted for 10. Drive to Costco.
6. At Costco: 1. Be sure the vans are all full of gas, the oil is at the right level, the emergency brake, doors, windows A/C, etc all work. If anything is out of order, report it to Jason immediately. 2. Designate a couple of 'expert packers' who will be in charge of loading the vans. IMPORTANT: Put as much food as you can in hidden places: under seats, and right behind the back seat. (Sometimes the border guards think we're going to sell the food in Mexico for a profit, if a lot of food is visible.) Put luggage in the very back where the doors open. Put frozen and chilled items together in freezer bags. 3. Leaders: Stay fixed at the check-out stand where we are buying the food. Be certain to collect all receipts, and put them in the van packet for receipts.
7. Driving Across Border: 1. Several miles before the border, remind everyone to not chat with the border guards, unless answering a direct question. If they ask what you're doing in Mexico, say you're Visiting Rancho Santa Marta. Do NOT say you are going to volunteer or to work. 2. Turn off phones (power down) while going through the border, and turn them on again right after crossing. 3. Remind drivers to move far right after leaving customs and take the Cuota Hwy 1 route toward the beaches. If a van goes missing, you can re-gather at the first rest-stop. Be in constant walkie talkie and then phone contact with one another.
8. Ensenada: 1. Before arriving in Ensenada, remind everyone: 1. They can buy souvenirs, and how barganing works. 2. Watch their wallets and purses closely. 3. Buddy system - ALWAYS stay with at least one other person. Girls always be with at least one young man in your group. 4. Do NOT eat ice cubes or drink drinks with ice in them. Do not eat vegetables or fruits, generally speaking. 5. Report back to the vans when the leader decides. (Usually 45 minutes to 1 hour is enough time there, but it may depend on how far away you park.) 2. Park in a safe area (not the usual parking lot!). This is new territory, as our previous parking spaces have not worked out. You want to keep all of the vans together and park together. One dad should stay back and remain in a van, while others go sightseeing. You might want to drop everyone off, except for the drivers, before finding parking. 3. Leaving Ensenada: 1. Drive about 10 blocks south on the beach-frontage road. 2. Turn left, and go about 3/4 of a mile inland, until you hit the main North-South road (2 busy lanes each way). 3. Turn right, and keep going until you get to San Vicente. 4. This is the more dangerous stretch of the road (but now it is much safer than it used to be). 5. It's super unlikely, but if banditos happen to pull you over, probably give them whatever they ask for. Follow the Holy Spirit's lead.
9. Arrival at RSM 1. Remind people BEFORE getting to RSM: 1. They are never to put toilet paper in the toilet. If they accidentally do so, they need to fish it out with a tool in the bathroom, and put it in the wastebasket. 2. Right after arriving, you'll take a moment to gather as one big group and pray thanksgiving. 3. Stay close to the dormitories the first night; no wandering around. 4. All should help with unloading first: 1. Designate someone, such as Eli Walters, to tell people where to put stuff in the kitchen. 2. Luggage goes in the courtyard. 3. Food goes in the kitchen. 5. Dinner crew needs to immediately get the dinner going.
10. Arrival 1. Right after arriving--before unloading luggage and food--gather as one big group and pray thanksgiving. 2. Get the Wifi password from Trey, and do not share it with the students. 3. Send an email to team parents back home that you've arrived safely.
11. Follow the schedule...unless directed otherwise by the Holy Spirit :)
Other Tips
1. Every night: Check that van doors are locked. Sometimes vagrants come through looking for open doors and passports. 2. Sunday: 1. Remind everyone that they'll be able to give an offering at church. 2. Someone (Rod?) give a tour of the ranch, explaining our boundaries, and the history of the place. 3. Team Building Activities this day. 3. Beach Trip: 1. Encourage everyone to talk lots and lots to the Mexicans - that's why we're there. 2. Rip-tide: Careful! Only go in water up to waist. 3. Clothing: Modest. Dress similarly to the Mexicans, i.e., if they do not take off their shirts in the water, we shouldn't either. 4. Games Team Leader: Bring balls, etc. 4. Parade Day: 1. Super important: Buddy System. Make sure to stay in groups of at least 4 people, with one young (or old!) man. A child was momentarily lost on parade day once - no bueno.\ 2. Leave by 8 AM to go downtown, set up, and evangelize. 3. Give each group a walkie-talkie 4. Meet back at the vans at a designated time. 5. Reminders: 1. Meal team clean up process: Half of team cooks and half cleans up. 2. Explain garbage and pig feeding processes. 3. NO TP in toilets! 4. USE your Spanish as much as possible. TALK to the kids. 5. Rattle snakes (ALWAYS: at least two people if going running up the hill in the mornings or any other time), black widows (never put your hand into a dark place), and scorpions, oh my! 6. Invite people, such as Lucy, the teacher, Gironimo, Steve & Millie, Rod & Tina, others to come share their testimony or wisdom with the group.
3/23 Last Night
Prior to Camp fire: 1. Serenade by 7 PM. 2. Everyone pack their personal belongings. 1. All put donations in black bags on bench in front of dorms. One bag labeled Clean and the other Dirty. 3. Pre-clean bathrooms. 4. Mop dining hall, and LOCK door and blockade entrance. 5. Set up camp fire. 6. Volunteers: clean inside of vans - prior to loading. 7. Pay Victor and Miguel $20 to wash vans, if you want to. 8. Charge walkie-talkies.
3/24 Departure Day
1. Have pre-planned clean-up assignments and instructions for everyone that are written out on laminated cards. 2. Check dorms and kitchen and cottages before exiting to make sure they're 100% clean. 3. Photo on the Rock. 4. Take a break at the rest stop just past the last toll booth. 5. Have a good Spanish speaker seated in the front of each van when entering Tijuana. 6. Plan to arrive at airport by 4:00 PM. 1. If you're early and have time, stop at In-N-Out. 2. Fill up vans at Arco station about 2 miles up the road on San Diego Mile of Cars
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