Mexico Mission Trip Details (Hub)

Location: 

Ensenada, Mexico 

Ministry Partners: 

Yugo Ministries – https://www.yugo.org

Leader: 

Chris Yarbrough  –  cmyarbrough86@gmail.com 

Dates:

June 21-27, 2026

Cost:

$1,500

Purpose: 

The purpose of this trip is to come alongside a local pastor in Ensenada to help reach his community with the Gospel of Christ. We accomplish that by building homes for families who are living in structures pieced together by trash. Yugo has partnered with local pastors to develop this program to provide houses for families. A local pastor identifies a family they know in the community who needs a home. This family may not be connected to the church or even be believers. Yugo Ministries encourages pastors to use this as an evangelistic opportunity. The pastor asks the family to enter into a year-long process where the pastor can evangelize, witness, and disciple the family while they go through this process. We meet the family on Sunday afternoon, begin framing the house, and by Thursday afternoon, we hand the keys to the family with their newly finished home. In just four short days, a family receives a house they can call home. 

Group Size:

The ideal group size is 12-24 people. It takes at least 12 people to finish the home in one week. With more than 24 people, there needs to be more work to go around. 

Travel: 

As a team, we will depart from the church parking lot and proceed to the airport. We’ll leave Columbus with sufficient time to clear security, allowing for a minimum of two hours.    

We will fly from Atlanta, Georgia, to San Diego, California. Once we arrive at the San Diego International Airport, we will be picked up by someone from Yugo at the airport, who will then drive down to Ensenada, Mexico (on the Baja Peninsula). They will pick us up in 15-passenger vans and take us from the airport doors to the campus doors of Yugo. 

Last year, we traveled this route and did not have any issues. Once we crossed the border into Mexico, we took a hard right turn towards the Pacific Ocean. Once we arrived at the water, we took Highway 1D, where water was on our right and mountains on our left. We passed three toll roads, and in two hours, we were at the front door of the ministry center of Yugo.  

Lodging: 

Yugo is equipped to host 200 guests on their property. The way they put it on their website – Yugo is where mission trips and Christian conferences collide. The Yugo campus in Ensenada has safe, comfortable facilities for our team. With a good mix of spaces for sleeping, visiting, and just hanging out, you’ll find their campus has everything your team needs for an incredible mission trip. The campus is equipped with dorm-style housing for up to 200 people. The rooms range from small rooms for couples or families to large rooms to accommodate large groups. In addition, they are fully equipped restrooms and showers with hot water!

They have a full working kitchen to prepare buffet-style meals for your team to enjoy in our dining hall. Breakfasts include menus such as bacon & eggs, french toast, breakfast burritos, and omelets. Dinner menus include pasta, hamburgers, tacos, soups, and salads. Lunches, including sandwiches, fruit, and snacks, are prepared to take to your ministry site. There is safe drinking water available at all times. However, we recommend you bring a water bottle to refill throughout the week. 

The campus has several large common rooms and recreation spaces, including patios with ping-pong tables and a foosball table. We also have an outdoor basketball court, just a short walk from the beach. There is even an on-site cafe to get coffee, soda, and snacks, purchase YUGO gear, or hang out and connect. The campus is a Wi-Fi hotspot perfect for those important SnapChats, Tweets, and Social Media posts.

They also have a 150-seat meeting space for our daily chapel services. These chapel times include contemporary praise and worship, dynamic topical speaking, and highlight videos of your day’s activities. We must take these times together to help process and reflect on what God is doing in and through us. 

Requirements:

• A passport that has not expired less than 6 months from departure. 

Safety:

This is a significant issue for most people and parents. We stay current on what is happening in Ensenada. We realize Mexico has been in the news for violence recently. However, most occurrences are not in the Baja Peninsula and do not occur on the roadway to Ensenada. The bottom line is that as we get close to our trip if any activity causes us to question our safety, we will not go. Since 1965, Yugo has operated in Mexico and has never had a threat or a violent act against a staff member or mission trip team member. Last year, over 3,000 people participated in a Yugo mission trip, and they did not have any issues. The only thing that happened in the history of Yugo was a car burglary, and that was because a staff member left a money bag in their car while they went to Walmart. An individual smashed the window to take the money bag. Even in this situation, the crime happened while no one was present. We encourage every parent and participant to check out the safety information on Yugo’s website – https://yugo.nm-secure.com/safety-concerns –

Packing List:

• Passport (copy of passport ) 
• Travel pillow
• Water bottle
• Towel for showers 
• Bible, notebook, pen 
• Toiletries 
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Work Clothes (may get ruined) 
• Closed-toe shoes for worksite and casual shoes 
• Spending money (campus has a store, Churros, Tacos, souvenirs from Mexico)
• Personal medical items (glasses, prescriptions, etc.) 

Schedule: 

• Sunday Evening
  • Dinner with the family we are building the house for. 
  • Orientation in the Chapel
• Monday – Thursday
  • Morning Chapel 
  • Breakfast
  • Worksite (9:30-4:30)
  • Dinner 
  • Evening Chapel 
• Friday
  • Breakfast 
  • Chapel 
  • Leave Campus 
  • Arrive in San Diego 
• Saturday
  • Airport 
  • Arrive back in Columbus

FAQs: 

• Do I need any vaccinations for Mexico? 

You do not need any vaccinations for Mexico. 

• Do I need any construction experience to participate in this trip? 

Each build site has an experienced Yugo Staff member to help with the build. They give you step-by-step instructions throughout the entire process. You do not need to have prior construction experience to participate. 

• Is there any financial assistance available? 

If you want to go on this trip but need financial assistance, please get in touch with Philip to discuss options. 

• Can I purchase my airfare using my airline points? 

You are welcome to purchase your airfare using your loyalty points. Please let that be known as soon as possible to assist you in getting on the same flight as the rest of the team.