There are two groups traveling to Ensenada in February 2026:

• Group A: Sat, Feb 7 to Wed, Feb 11, 2026
• Group B: Thurs, Feb 12 to Mon, Feb 16, 2026

Space is limited on a first-come, first-serve basis, up to 100 people per group.

The cost of the trip is $2,000 for the first member of a household and $900 for all subsequent family members. A $250 non-refundable deposit is required per person to reserve each spot.

The cost covers all the building materials required to construct two homes, four nights lodging at the YWAM base in Ensenada, fresh cooked meals every day and shuttle bus transportation between San Diego and Ensenada. The cost does not include domestic roundtrip airfare to/from San Diego, CA.

A sample itinerary looks like:

•  Day 1 - Fly down to San Diego, CA. Take a shuttle bus down to Ensenada, MX. Pass through customs. Check in to the YWAM base. Break into two groups and visit either the local orphanage or woman's shelter. Have a pizza dinner onsite with the families.
• Day 2 - Begin the day with chapel. Eat breakfast at the base. Begin construction on the "Two day house". YWAM missionaries will serve lunch on the job site. Build from 8:30 to 5:00. Have a taco dinner on the base and debrief. There may even be a churro stand!
• Day 3 - Chapel. Breakfast. Finish construction on the "Two day house" and hand the keys to the family. The Mexican family will cook onsite and serve lunch. Begin construction on the "One day house." Build from 8:30 to 5:00. Meet at the "Corner of Goodness" for glorious Mexican street food. (think Cuban sandwiches, fish tacos and ice cream)
• Day 4 - Chapel. Breakfast. Complete the "One day house" and deliver the keys to the family. Take a break in the afternoon and explore the beach or the shops of downtown Ensenada. Enjoy a more formal pasta dinner on base, as we honor the YWAM missionaries and staff.
• Day 5 - Grab a bag breakfast to go at 6:00. You are heading home early. Catch the shuttle bus back to the San Diego airport. Pass through the world's busiest border crossing. Fly home!

There are two sizes of homes: a 20 ft x 20 ft "Two day house" and a 20 ft x 16 ft "One day house". When the volunteers arrive on the job site, the concrete slab is already poured and all building materials will be available on site.

The main jobs in building and preparing these homes consist of:

• Building the walls - hammering nails to construct the frame of the walls. Then standing up and joining the walls.
• Building the trusses - building the frame of the roof.
• Painting the exterior siding, painting the interior walls.
• Hanging the sheetrock.
• Running the electrical wires and installing outlets and light fixtures.
• Roofing the structure - laying the plywood, tar paper and nailing on the shingles.
• Assembling the internal furniture - beds, tables, kitchenette, etc.

No prior building experience is required as all jobs are led by a Master Builder and a "B" Builder. Each group will also have plenty of "returning veterans" who are skilled across multiple jobs. For people who are not interested in swinging a hammer, there is plenty of painting to do and plenty of needed touches to make the house feel like a home. 

For safety reasons, safety goggles must be worn at all times and no children under 16 may use power tools.

I can understand that feeling. Money is tight. But remember, God is BIG and he owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Let's break down the costs a little bit.

It costs approximately $14,000 to build a house of this style. Each 5-day volunteer group will build a total of 8 homes - four that are 20'x20' in size and four that are 20'x16'. The most expensive parts of the build are the lumber, the sheetrock, the siding and the cost to dig and pour the cement slab. Costs are also allocated to pay local workers to build and assemble the sink kitchenettes and to build and assemble the beds for the families. All houses are also fitted with a dining room table and chairs.

In addition to the building materials, funds are allocated to the lodging expenses (and workers are paid hourly to clean and service the rooms) along with the catered meals and the shuttle bus service between San Diego and Ensenada. It is worth noting that all of the missionaries at YWAM do not draw a salary and are dependent on raising their own support, so the trip fees do not cover their living expenses.

That said, the costs charged to the volunteers is not sufficient to cover all the expenses of the trip. Each year, by the grace of God we have been able to make budget thanks to the generous donations of benefactors who cover the deficit and help keep our costs relatively low.

If you feel called to go, then go! Don't let finances stand in the way. There are many generous people in this world who would love to support you. Put God to the test!

Many people don't and that is OK. Spanish is not required. All of the YWAM missionaries are bilingual and a dedicated translator will escort you through customs and be on the build site every day. Should you desire to speak with the family, the translator will be happy to assist. However, it is fun to speak Spanish with the families, so I encourage everyone who is interested to practice. The one thing many volunteers wish is that they spoke more Spanish!

It's also worth noting that not all of the families speak Spanish. Many of them are from Oaxaca and speak Mixtec, which is an indigenous language. In this case, even your Duolingo Spanish skills will not suffice and you will need the translator.

• Register for Group A (2/7-2/11): here
• Register for Group B (2/12-2/16): here

Register and submit a $250 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. All 200 spots are expected to be filled.