TEAM = INFORMATION FOR VISIT TO SINALOA, MEXICO

TEAM=20 INFORMATION FOR VISIT TO SINALOA, MEXICO!

(updated=20 August 2006)

WEATHER

Our=20 summer is from end of May =97 Oct. or Nov. Daytime highs can and will = exceed 100=BA.=20 Our rainy season is basically July =97 Sept. It is in the form of = thunderstorms,=20 bringing wind and rain and a brief respite from the heat. After the = rain, the=20 temperature returns to normal and the humidity is high. It starts = cooling off by=20 mid to end of October. From Christmas to February the daily highs are in = the70s=20 to 80s, with nightly lows between 45=BA =96 60=BA.

LOCATION

Sinaloa=20 is located along the west coast of Mexico, two states underneath = Arizona. It = is a long,=20 thin state. It is basically an agricultural state. Alhuey, a farming = town of=20 about 7,000 people, is located in the north-central part of the state = about=20 25=20 miles from the coast of the Gulf of=20 California. The county seat, Angostura, is about a mile down = the=20 road and Guamuchil, a larger town with 125,000 people, is about=20 10=20 miles away.

AIRPORT=20 LOCATIONS

There=20 are two airports =97 Culiac=E1n and Los=20 Mochis. Both of them are over an hour away from = our=20 house. The rates seem to be cheaper flying into Los Mochis, but it=92s best to check = out both=20 possibilities.

ENTERING=20 MEXICO =

You will=20 need a US passport or a copy of = your birth=20 certificate. A driver=92s license isn=92t a valid form of identification = as it=20 doesn=92t give where you were born. You will fill out a tourist visa = upon entering=20 Mexico. Starting in=20 2007, = a=20 US passport will be = required=20 to get back into the US. We strongly recommend each person = purchasing health/accident insurance for your protection while you = are in=20 Mexico. Go to http://www.imglobal.com/ to get a = quote for=20 the exact number of days and coverage limits.

ACCOMODATIONS =20

Motel=20 York is on the north side of Guamuchil and is around = 12 miles from = our house.=20 Their rates at the time of this writing are about $42.00/night for a = room with=20 two double beds. The rooms come with a small refrigerator. The hotel = also offers=20 laundry service for a reasonable price. Our home is spacious =97 we have = two=20 bedrooms with a/c, one with a double bed and the other has twin beds = There is a=20 bathroom between the two bedrooms on the other side of the house. We = have our=20 own bathroom, so there is more privacy for guests. See the following = links to=20 see pictures of the motel:

http://www.tdhornor.com/qt_= motel.jpg=20 and http://www.tdhornor.com= /qt_motelpool.jpg=20 and for the restaurant: http= ://www.tdhornor.com/misteam_custom_motel_restaurant.jpg

PERSONAL=20 INFORMATION

We can=20 be contacted here in Mexico=20 via our US phone number: (864) 335-8733. Our local=20 Mexico phone number, = calling from the=20 States, is: (01152) 697-734-0148. Calling from inside = Mexico it=92s:=20 (01) 697-734-0148. Motel York: = (01152) 673-732-0500, (01152) 673-732-5777. Team members are more = than=20 welcome to use our US phone=20 to call anywhere in the US at no extra cost to you = or us. Of=20 course we also have internet and email.

TO MAKE=20 YOUR STAY AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE

1. You=20 will not be drinking the tap water, so you can bring a water bottle and = refill=20 it at our house or buy bottled water as you need it. =

2.=20 Everyone will need their own water bottle, hat, sunscreen, and bug = repellent.=20 The sun is very strong here and a person can burn quickly. Also you will = need=20 comfortable walking shoes as we will be doing door-to-door visiting, = inviting=20 people to attend outdoor meetings.

3. If=20 there are special health snacks or something along that line that you = like, you=20 can bring those along. There are plenty of cookies and chips to buy, = along with=20 Coca-Cola, etc.

4. We=20 would recommend that you start taking acidophilus about 2 weeks before = you leave=20 to come down. It helps with building up the good flora in your = intestines to=20 help you not to have problems with the different food you will be = enjoying.=20

5. Do=20 not travel with large amounts of cash on your person. Travelers checks = are no=20 very practical in our area. IT IS EASIEST TO ACCESS CASH (Mexican pesos) = THROUGH=20 AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES (ATMS) ATM MACHINES. These machines are = available at=20 airports and in all cities in our area. Your card, credit or debit, = must be activated and you must = know your=20 PIN number. You must = notify your=20 bank that handles your credit card or debit card that you will be = traveling to=20 Mexico and they should notify their security department that no to be = alarmed to=20 see charged placed from Mexico. You can only withdraw cash from ATM=20 machines, this service is not available from the bank teller. The = currency here=20 is Pesos, and most places do not take American dollars, especially out = here in=20 the country. There are also exchange places in Guam=FAchil to change = your dollars=20 to pesos and vice versa. Travelers checks are not recommended. One man = had=20 trouble with Traveler=92s Checks in Tucson, they wouldn=92t accept them.=20

6. Our=20 area is not a tourist area, but there is the market in Guamuchil for = those that=20 might want to look for a few souvenirs.

7.=20 A small=20 flashlight would be a good idea. Sometimes there are power = interruptions.=20 Cameras and video cameras are welcome so you can record your = activities.

8. The=20 voltage here is the same as the States, so adaptors are not needed. All = of your=20 appliances will work here.

DRESS=20 CODE

Lightweight,=20 cotton clothing is best. For young ladies and women, dresses or skirts = and=20 blouses should be worn while we are out in the neighborhoods and at the=20 meetings. Loose fitting is the most comfortable and also the best for = testimony=20 sake, nothing tight and form fitting. You can wear shorts, culottes, = pants, etc.=20 at the motel. The motel = does have a=20 swimming pool for those that would like to swim. For guys, jeans are = hot, so if=20 you have something else that is lighter, that would be better. Polo = shirts (some=20 of those can be hot too) or nice T-shirts are fine for everyday wear = while out.=20 You don=92t need to bring ties unless you are = preaching.

The=20 Christians in our town are very sensitive in the way they dress. The = majority of=20 our church women do not wear pants or shorts. Even the unsaved men = usually don=92t=20 wear shorts outside of the home. Our church folks try to stay away as = much as=20 possible as dressing like the world. Also they do not wear swimming = suits when=20 swimming. Many don=92t know how to swim, but when they do swim, they = wear t-shirts=20 and culottes or long shorts =96 a least to the knees. We would also ask = that you=20 honor that and dress the same. One team offended our teen girls by = wearing their=20 swimming suits at the motel. Other Mexicans asked if our girls were a = part of=20 this group and they replied, embarrassingly, yes. We know that you = aren=92t used=20 to wearing clothes to swim in, but we would ask that you do that for the = time=20 that you are here. We live in a small town, everyone knows everyone and = what is=20 going on. They watch us Christians very carefully and if we make a = mistake or do=20 something that they think we shouldn=92t, they will mention it to our = people. We=20 don=92t want to feed their gossip and we want to be good testimonies. We = also want=20 to set high standards for the glory of our Lord and so as not to confuse = the=20 young believers of the next generation as to these matters of testimony = and=20 separation. What we allow in moderation regarding dress, music, etc., = the next=20 generation will most likely follow to the extreme. It is very difficult = to raise=20 standards that have fallen to the world=92s level =96 begin well and you = can avoid=20 many problems.

MEDICAL=20 CONSIDERATIONS

Obviously=20 if someone is on medication, bring what you need to last you for the = time that=20 you will be here. You can bring Imodium AD with you and you might want = to bring=20 Tylenol also. Pepto Bismol is available here. There is a very good = clinic close=20 by for treatment of minor injuries and illnesses. In emergencies, for = minor=20 treatment, no papers or insurance forms to fill out =96 best just to pay = for=20 everything with cash.

MUSIC

We=20 encourage anyone who plays an instrument that can be transported, to = bring it=20 down. If the group can learn one or two songs in Spanish, everyone here = would=20 love to hear you sing. We have taught both of our churches 2 songs in = English so=20 they can sing those to you while you are with us. We can also teach you = a short=20 song in Spanish while you are here.

FOOD =20

We love=20 Mexican food. In this area, there isn=92t anything really exotic or = weird that=20 they eat. Beef and chicken are plentiful. When we have our people = prepare food=20 for the teams, we give them guidelines to follow and everyone has = enjoyed the=20 food and have had no adverse affects. We will be eating tacos while you = are=20 here. You will also get to eat some authentically prepared food in = people=92s=20 homes. Come willing to try something new and different. =

If you=20 have any more questions or ideas for this sheet, please don=92t hesitate = to ask me=20 or make suggestions.

Return=20 to home page: http://www.tdhornor.com/index= .html