It is very important that you:

• Love God and have a desire to share Jesus with the children.
• Know how to drive a manual transmission pick-up truck.
• Know how to navigate 4×4 roads or heavy city traffic 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.
• Feel ok with very simple accommodations and Latin food. 
• Send your signed waiver form.
• Complete the donation and take the cash required.
• Bring an unlocked phone and have a sim card that works in the country you are going to which will be used for communication via WhatsApp and navigation via Waze or Google Maps.

Here are some things that will help prepare you as you come:

• You’ll be renting a 4 x 4 truck with manual transmission
• You’ll receive a schedule (when you arrive) that will need some flexibility and grace on your part. Schedule starts around 5 to 5:30 am each morning because schools are only in session from 7 am to 12 or 1 pm and the books need to be delivered while the school is in session. Some mornings the first drop off is a 2 to 3 hour drive away.
• You’ll take cash that will cover food, fuel, and hotels but remember you’ll be on a budget. As a missionary your budget is geared to local food and hotel choices.
• You will be driving with a Project Jesus worker each day who will probably not know English or know directions. Depend on the Project worker to help you with the timing and speed you are driving (too fast or too slow).You don’t have to obey them BUT they have a good feel for the route and the road conditions. Some of the Project workers are quite new and this could be their first time in a city, vehicle, or school.
• You will need a functioning SIM card in the country and WhatsApp working on your phone.In this way, you always be able to get help.
• Follow your schedule closely to determine how much time you have at the school and communicate any delays with your team leader. Arriving at the warehouse to re-load is particularly important.
• Project Jesus workers need to take photos at each delivery-part of their employment. Please co-operate and smile!
• Each evening will be a short de-brief meeting and devotional time at the hotel. Watch for miracles each day! (Bridge out story)
• Most deliveries are complete around 2-3pm. Your main meal will be in the evening, once your truck is loaded for the next day.
• Prior to coming, download WhatsApp, Google Translate, Waze, and Google maps. Google Maps will be used to help direct you between schools. Practise using them so you are familiar with them.
• Pack light – carry on suitcase and backpack – you will be changing hotels during the week, and will need to carry your suitcase in the truck with you.
• Things to bring with you:
  • A humble heart-they aren’t doing it wrong, just different
  • Patience and grace
  • An unlocked cell phone
• Drivers that are committed to multiple weeks, the week end is free for you to schedule. Project Jesus commitment will be Sunday to Friday evening.
• Project Jesus staff are mostly young adults. They are very hard working and fun loving. Distribution is a welcome break from all the phone work they do the rest of the year-contacting teachers 2 times a year is their biggest challenge. They encourage and train teachers in the use of the material.

Driving in Latin America is like learning a new language, be cautious and alert at all times.

• Motorbikes: Always at the front when the light turns green AND they drive/pass you on the right. . . OR left to get there!
• Many vehicles have broken lights OR none at all.
• There are many good, paved highways with lots of speed bumps-watch for these.
• As soon as you turn off the paved highway there are trails and roads with ruts and potholes, speed bumps OR deep wash outs.
• Don’t pass on double yellow lines OR up hill. If you get stopped, trust and rely on your Project worker to negotiate with the police. If there is a fine, the team leader will let you know how much it was.
• Horn beeping is not road rage. Beep, Beep is a polite, ‘let’s go’ OR ‘I’m here – beside or behind- please don’t hit me.’
• You will be cut off many times but relax! You’ll need to do the same just to get moving. Edge out cautiously and they will give way to you.
• Don’t drive faster than you can see ahead. If you can’t see the road ahead, slow down. Pedestrians, cows, broken down or slow trucks might be over the crest of the hill. . . There might not even be a road when you come flying over the top of the hill because it took a sharp right!
• 4 x 4 recommended on steep hills and through creeks and rivers.
• Please let us know if you are comfortable with extreme 4 x 4 routes OR would prefer adventure but not extreme!
• Pedestrians do not have the right of way, so don’t stop traffic for them. They will often cross part way and stand in the middle until traffic clears.

SPANISH TERMS:

• Por favour – please
• Gracias – thank you
• Baño – bathroom
• Mucho Gusto – pleased to meet you
• Derecho – right
• Izquierda – left
• Directo – straight

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Download WhatsApp – we will set up a group chat beginning of March to make sure everyone is familiar with using it

Download WAZE and Google Maps

Download Google Translate – download Spanish so it can be used off line.  Try to use it so you are familiar with the conversation and texting features

What each week looks like:

All details of the schedules and routes for each driver are made by Project headquarters.  The drivers will work with the Project workers to arrive at the schools.  The staff 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:

5:30am – Devotional

5:45am – Drive to area

7:30am – Visit some schools and the municipal office.  Sometimes its a meeting with school principals

3:00pm – 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.

Each country varies but the average cost is as follows.  Please contact us at projectjesusvolunteers@gmail.com for exact cost information for the country you are interested in.

Flight: Each person or team needs to buy their own ticket.  They can get a tax deductible receipt after the trip.

Truck rental: Every driver deposits approximately $750/week before January 1st.

In-land costs: Each person brings cash in local currency (can bring USD and change it at the airport) for the inland costs such as hotel, toll booths, fuel, food, snacks and water. The recommended budget is between $500-$750 USD/week

Location of the PJFC offices:

During distribution there are several warehouses in each country where different teams will be stationed to lower driving times.  These are the location of our offices in each country.

Costa Rica – International Headquarters: Moravia, San José

Nicaragua: Jinotepe, Carazo

Honduras: Tegucigalpa.

Colombia: Zipaquira, Cundinamarca

El Salvador: San Salvador

Panama: Panama City

Bolivia: Santa Cruz de la Sierra