Work Teams

If you are a current Work Team leader you can access our Team Information Manager website to update information about your upcoming trip.

What are Work Teams?

Work Teams are groups of 10-60 Americans from churches, schools, or other groups.  They come to Mexico for about a week and partner with Acción to build churches or homes for families in needy villages.

Work Teams live in Mayan families’ homes (that the families graciously vacate) and even sleep in hammocks for the full Yucatecan experience.

Construction in the Yucatan is done with concrete, concrete, and more concrete.  Work Teams usually do construction in the mornings when it’s cooler and then host an afternoon “Vacation Bible School” for the children in the village.  The work is hard, the weather is hot, but Americans often report receiving more of a blessing than they give, just by working alongside and getting to know the Mayan people they are serving.

History

Pastor Oscar Dorantes (Sr.) graduated in 1969 from Southeastern Bible Collage and returned to Merida to finish his theological training.  Oscar hosted his first work team from Chapel Woods Presbyterian Church of (then) Decatur GA in July of 1981.

Acción was officially founded in 1989.  In response to the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Gilbert in the Yucatan, Oscar implored his American pastor friends to come and help rebuild villages and churches.

In 1994 Dave Coster became Acción’s first Work Team Coordinator and helped bridge the gap between American work teams and Mexican staff while planning work team trips.  In 2006, Dave retired and Abby Gwaltney took over in this role.

Work Teams still remain our most visible program and tangible American-Mexican partnership.

Cost

Acción charges a per person fee for a Work Team mission trip.  This money is due 2 months before the trip date.  It covers:

  • All ground transportation in Mexico
  • Construction materials
  • One hammock per person (which is yours to take home)
  • Housing hosts (the Mayan families who give up their homes for Work Teams to stay in)
  • Acción staff with you on your trip
  • Set-up site visits to prepare for your stay in the village (done by Accion staff before you arrive)

The fee does NOT cover your airfare, food (you will have access to a kitchen and cook your own meals in the village), or any R&R activities such as hotels and entrance fees to Mayan ruins.

Find Out More

Acción has an extensive Team Leader’s Handbook that can answer many of your questions about leading a Work Team.  If you would like additional information or are interested in scheduling a mission trip,  Stacy Lynch, Acción’s Work Team Coordinator, would love to speak with you!  (Her contact information is at the bottom of this page.)