It is very important that you:

• Love God and have a desire to share Jesus with the children.
• Know how to drive a stick shift pick-up truck.
• Know how to navigate 4×4 roads and be happy to drive between 8 to 12 hours a day.
• Willingness to communicate through a translator app or by signals for the week if they don’t speak Spanish
• Do not smoke, drink alcohol, do drugs, or have uncovered tattoos during the trip.
• Feel ok with very simple accommodations and Latin food. 
• Send your signed waiver form.
• Complete the donation of the total cost of trip.
• Bring an unlocked phone in which a national phone sim card can be used for communication via WhatsApp and navigation via Waze or Google Maps.

Details for distribution driving with Project Jesus for Children

Orientation day.  On Sunday, the team will be given an introduction to driving in each country, an explanation of the week’s routes, tips on how to load and distribute books, and other information, including basic Spanish.

Phone and internet: Each driver is given a local phone chip that has internet coverage almost anywhere in the country.  You will need to bring an unblocked phone to use it.   Each driver should have WhatsApp installed on the phone as that is the main way of communication during the week.   Most the hotels in the rural areas will have wifi.

Necessary items to pack:

• Unblocked phone with WhatsApp installed

Recommended items to pack: These are some optional items that we recommend you bring:

• A sheet for putting on the beds in less luxurious hotels
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Coffee thermos
• Music
• Google translate app installed on phone
• Water bottles to be refilled at the base

National Guides: Every driver will be accompanied by a Project Jesus for Children national staff member.   These people work full time with the project and know what you all are supposed to be doing.   Every day, you will also pick up an educational authority. These people work with the Ministry of Education and will not only help give directions for getting to schools, but also be the direct connection with each principal.

General Schedule: Every week day, starting at 6:00-6:30am, each team (driver and staff member) will have a list of schools that are the drop off points in the order they are to be visited.   Each box of books is clearly marked with the name of the school it is to be dropped off at.  Almost every afternoon, the team returns to the warehouse to load the books for the next day.

Passport: You need to keep a photocopy of your passport as well, as that is what you will use along with your license to drive in the countryside.    Your passport will stay at the hotel under lock and key.

Travel insurance:  The rented vehicles have full coverage.  We have no bail insurance and you don’t want to go there.  Each person obtains their own travel/medical insurance.

Dress code:  Long, formal, shorts (like tennis shorts) are allowed in the schools and a t-shirt is fine. Tattoo’s should be covered.

Luxuries: There are a couple of destinations that require an overnight stay somewhere in the boonies.   Only those comfortable with fewer luxuries will be sent to these locations.   Please send us an email if you are NOT comfortable with that.

Food: Sack lunches are provided everyday as “there are more cows than kids” in a lot of areas you will be driving in. Please let us know if you have any allergies or food related problems.  These sack lunches will be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips, fruit, cookies, peanuts, etc.

Coffee: If you like or need coffee throughout the day, please bring a thermos.  On most of the routes there are no restaurants or stores.  There will be coffee each morning at headquarters that you can use to fill your thermos.

Waiver form: We will be sending out a waiver that must be signed and returned before tickets are issued.   It must be signed and co-signed by both parents if participant is under age.

The books you deliver will be the only textbook some children receive as the government does not provide textbooks in schools.   All work is done off a blackboard.  Let your imagination try to imagine where these books will end up.  It will become the prized possession of many homes across the country and you will be a part in these changes.  Read Psalm 2:8 and 8:2 and realize what they mean.

What each week looks like:

All details of the schedules and routes for each driver are made by Project headquarters.  Project national staff will guide each volunteer to the schools, deal with the principals, and handle the paper work.  You do not need to know Spanish and the logistic details will be explained when you arrive.

Saturday: Arrival at chosen country

Sunday: Orientation, picking up rental trucks, driving to assigned Project base

Monday-Friday:

6:00am – devotional

6:15am – drive to municipal education office to pick up educational authority and guide

7:30am – visit 6 to 12 schools or meeting with school principals

4:00pm – head back to warehouse to load up the books for the next day

7:00pm – dinner

Friday afternoon, everyone goes back to the city of entry, returns the rental trucks, and stays at the hotel.

Saturday: Return trip home

This schedule is only to give you a general idea of what the trip looks like.  Each week and driver is unique depending on the assigned areas.

For more information, we can set up a video call with you.

Location of the PJFC offices:

Costa Rica – International Headquarters: San José

During distribution there are several warehouses in each country where different teams will be stationed to lower driving times.

Nicaragua: San Isidro, Mataglapa

Honduras: Tegucigalpa, but distribution starts and ends in San Pedro Sula because of better flight options.

Colombia: Zipaquira, Cundinamarca

El Salvador: San Salvador

Panama: Panama City

Bolivia: Santa Cruz de la Sierra