Go Missions to Mexico
Travel/Safety Info
Is Our Area of Mexico Safe and What are the Risk in Travel?

Some of you might be wondering whether or not it’s safe to come to Mexico.  You could be a concerned parent pondering whether or not you should
allow your son or daughter to come. Or, you might be a leader weighing whether or not you should endorse your church to come.  Following is some
help and perspective on the matter from us as a family who live in Mexico as long term missionaries.

What are the risk of coming to Mexico?

  • First of all, our area of ministry is in a rural, agricultural setting with no problems whatsoever.  We are not in a large city, but a farming valley
    made up of smaller communities.
  • Your church group will be staying in a very safe, fenced in Mission Base where we as missionaries live.  Your mission team will be well taken
    care of.
  • The issues in Mexico are over 800 miles away from our area.
  • When comparing the murder rate per 100,000 in the larger cities in the U.S., you might be surprised to know what they are verses the larger
    cities of Mexico.  New Orleans is highest with around 60 murders per 100,000, and the average, per other larger cities, is around 30 per
    100,000.  The border city of Tijuana (which you don’t drive through when coming to our area, but use a bypass freeway to go around it) is 13
    per 100,000.
  • Most of the incidents mentioned in the media are isolated and mainly take place at night in questionable areas. The newest U.S. Travel Update
    for Mexico says to use caution when going to Red Light Districts.  It also recommends going to recognized tourist areas. Other than that, it is
    not telling folks to stay away from Mexico, but to just use reasonable caution.
  • If you enter Mexico south of San Diego, you’ll be using a toll freeway on your drive down.  Everyday there are between 5,000 - 10,000 cars that
    use this freeway. That means that in the past year there have been almost 2,000,000 vehicles use this freeway with no incidents whatsoever.  
    We use this freeway all the time and feel very safe.  And once again, this toll road bypasses Tijuana so there’s really nothing to worry about. As
    with all travel in Mexico, it is best to travel during the day as livestock and etc. can be on the roads.
  • If you would rather enter Mexico east of San Diego via Tecate you can do so. The highway is #3 and connects in Ensenada. Tecate is a small
    border town and the road is quiet and peaceful.
  • Mexico is very concerned about its tourism and is patrolling all its highways with additional police and soldiers to ensure maximum safety. The
    area is also patrolled by Green Angels who help tourist whose vehicles might break down and keep watch as well.  
  • It's also pertinent to say that some of the media attention has been made a little sensational (as the media tends to do) and blown out of
    proportion. A good case could be put together from things that happen in Southern California that it's not safe to travel there as well. We are all
    accustomed to small risk in life and coming to our area of Mexico is not any huge risk.  We also serve a big God who has our days numbered
    as well and we’re     not going to die one minute earlier or later than He has determined for us if we’re in His will.  There’s no safer place than to
    be in His will doing His work!
  • We’ve been hosting mission teams for 13 years (well over 250 total mission teams hosted) and have had no issues whatsoever. We are on
    schedule to host another 30 teams this year and foresee no problems whatsoever.
  • We are long term missionaries who are in our 13 year living here. You will be well taken care of by us. If we thought your lives were in any way
    in danger, or things were even remotely out of hand, we’d let you know.
  • We can also provide references of recent team leaders who have currently been here if you’d like to talk with someone other than us.
  • Someone from our ministry will be with your team at all times and act as your host.