Mission Training School FAQ

What is the housing situation like for singles? We have two large dorms, one for guys and one for girls. They include bunk beds, dressers, and some closet space for each student. Each dorm has three toilets, three sinks, and four showers (with hot water). There is a large community kitchen, dining room, meeting room, and staff hang out room.

What is the housing situation like for families? We have eight 540 square foot apartments for families (up to four children). They include two small rooms with a kitchenette and a bathroom with two sinks, showers, and toilets. Families also have the option of renting a house off base and commuting each day for classes and base activites, but we highly recommend that people live on base for the community aspect of the program and because it ends up being cheaper than living on your own.

How much does the school cost for families? We charge $400/month/student, $300/month/non-student and $150/month/child (2-18). All families are on the European plan meaning that we eat lunch each day in community which is included in the price. Families are then on their own for breakfast, dinner, and weekends. We have found this to be the best way to accomodate children's tastes/needs/schedules and to encourage healthy families. Everyone in the family receives a missionary visa (worth $300) which is included in the fees.

What do families do at the school? Normally, the head of the family is dedicated full-time to the school/ministry while the wife focuses on homeschooling the children and gets involved in as much ministry as possible (teaching English, kid's ministry, reading books, auditing classes, etc.). We are very sensitive to the balance between ministry and family.

How do you deal with schooling for the children? Most of our families homeschool their children using different methods. As more families come on board, we hope to coordinate homeschooling so that different parents can teach different grades/subjects and free up some of the others for more ministry or down time. At some point, we may even grow to the point where we have a whole school for the missionary children with dedicated teachers.

How many students do you normally have? We usually get about 20 students ranging from 18 - 55 years old as well as several families.

Can I bring a vehicle or trailer? Definitely! All of the vehicles at our base are for staff and ministry use only. We only cover travel costs to ministry sites for students and that is usually using local transportation. So, you can bring your own vehicle for personal use or to take into town if you are planning on getting your whole family involved in ministry. Most families prefer to bring their own vehicles.

Is Oaxaca safe? We live in Tlaxiaco which is a small market town of about 35,000 people. Most of the people know us and respect us here and it is very safe. We do encourage people to do things in groups and expect the ladies to be accompanied by a guy when possible.

What is the weather like in Oaxaca? It normally stays in the 80s during the day and 60s at night except for the winter months when it can get down to the 40s at night. The weather is very dry and we are at an altitude of 7200 ft. There is a rainy season from May until October where we get a few hours of rain followed by the sun coming back out.

What is your policy on tatoos, dyed hair, dreds, piercings, etc.? We use Paul's method of ministry by becoming as much like the people so that some might be reached with the gospel. Oaxacans are very conservative so we do as much as possible to not stand out and to be able to better relate to the indigenous people.

What is the food like? At the base, we have a mix of international dishes. We normally all have "comida" together and then everyone is on their own for breakfast and dinner. There is always bottled water and food available for students that are on the all inclusive plan.

What is the village food like? Their diet basicly consists of beans, rice, salsa, eggs, soups, and homemade tortillas. It's very good stuff and we get to eat everything set before us!

What is a typical day at school like? Check out our schedule page.

What other organizations do you work with? Commission to Every Nation (CTEN), Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Wycliffe, Buenas Nuevas, COMIMEX, International Mission Board (IMB), Cristo Por Su Mundo, and pretty much anyone else that wants to network to see the Great Commission fulfilled.

Do people get sick a lot? It normally takes a little bit of time for your body to get used to living in Mexico. We recommend that people eat well, excercise, and get plenty of sleep to stay in good shape. Many students do get parasites at some point during their stay here which comes from dirty hands or water. We have a nurse on staff here and keep parasite medicine in stock.

What is the health care situation? We have a pretty good grasp of the illnesses that "gringos" deal with in Mexico and also have a nurse on staff. There is a local hospital and doctors that we trust. If anything major occured, we would take people to Oaxaca City which has many different quality options.

What should I do about insurance? Many younger students are still able to fall under their parents insurance since they are still considered full-time students. Most of our staff and students decide to get the Omega Plan coverage from Talent Trust Consultants because they seem to have the best policies and prices, but there are other carriers as well. Some missionaries just pay out of pocket as needs arise, but CTEN highly recommends having at least a catastrophic policy.

Who is CTEN and what do they have to do with anything? Commission to Every Nation is like an umbrella organization that gives us covering. We don't have the staff to write receipts for all of our students' supporters, so they do that for us. They also come down once a year to do a pastoral visit and are very helpful with newsletters. If you would like to use CTEN to receiving your missions support rather than your local church, we can forward all of your information to them and they will get you set up for fundraising. They charge a 10% administrative fee the first year while you are a student and then let you choose a percentage once you go full-time.

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