Saturday
Meet at Ave Maria Catholic Church parking lot at 7:00 am to begin the caravan to Alamogordo, NM.  Arrive in Alamogordo at approx. 6:00 pm and have dinner at nearby restaurants.

Sunday
Attend Mass in Alamogordo, NM on Sunday morning followed by breakfast at one of the local restaurants.  Leave for El Paso (about 100 miles) by 11:00 am.  Groups and individuals arrive at El Paso Airport and wait at the Middle Gallery at the front of the airport for the people mover (small bus or van at approx. 3:00 p.m.) The people mover (van) driven by one of the locals or someone from Southern Exposure’s Esperanza House (House of Hope), will transport the group through customs and across the border to the Colonia of Plutarco Elias Calles, (the name of a president) where Esperanza House is located. 

Have your identification (passport) handy, safe but not buried in your luggage you may be asked to present it at the border crossing.

You will settle in at the Southern Exposure House making use of dormitories (separate for men and women) and have your first meal there, prepared by the cooks / housekeepers.  There are showers (a luxury in Juarez) but with so many people and only one hot water tank please be considerate of all your team mates in water use. (Water is also a luxury in Juarez)

Breakfast and Dinner is prepared and served at the Southern Exposure House, lunches are prepared and provided for you at the work site, as well as a 5 gallon container of purified water from which you will refill your own drinking container. (Note, only vegetarian and diabetic meals will be given exceptional treatment.  Otherwise everyone is expected to partake of the fare that is presented by the cooks)

Monday – Friday
Rise at 6:00 a.m., eat breakfast and board the people mover (van) for the trip to the work site at 8:00 a.m.,(it is possible it may be within walking distance) where a foundation has been laid and materials are in place. 

Your group leader will get you started and make sure all have a job to do. The crew breaks for lunch and then back to work until approximately 4:00 p.m. After work you return to Esperanza House for the evening meal and some easy camaraderie with your fellow builders and perhaps a game of soccer with the local children.  This schedule may vary slightly according to circumstances or weather conditions.

At least one day will include an immersion tour of the area and the projects that Fr. Stan Martinka has built.  This may include the Grade School, Junior High School, Clinic and Technical School.  Other sites may include a Cathedral, the Market and perhaps a meal and show in the evening.  Please be prepared to pay for your own meal and entrance to the show.  Crews are not allowed to go on any excursions without the presence of the Resident Leader.

Saturday
Prepare for the return to El Paso airport and your return trip home again have your Passport handy.  We will cross the border around 8:00 am and back to the airport by 9:30 am.  The caravan loads up and we drive approximately 10 hours back to Denver - arriving sometime late that evening.

What in the world is Alamogordo...