Imagine participating in an event without rules of conduct. Now imagine this on a mission trip in a foreign country. The result: chaos! The Amor Camps are communities with their own sets of rules and regulations that the participants are expected to uphold. We’ve adopted the same principle found in most state campgrounds: take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints.

Authority

• Group leaders are responsible for the whereabouts of group members at all times.
• The Amor Staff serve as guides and hosts, not police.
• The camp caretakers, pastors on the Mexico Ministry Planning Board, are there 24 hours a day to prevent unauthorized entry into and departure from the camps.

Campsites

• Each campsite is a ‘private’ area. Do not enter without an invitation.
• Do not venture into areas outside of the main camp without asking a staff member.
• Every group is different; do not impose your standards on others.

The Camp

• Groups are expected to stay at the Amor Camps.
• The camps are established near the communities where Amor builds homes.
• Camping provides an atmosphere of team building within each group.
• Groups should not bring fireworks, weapons, drugs, alcohol or animals into the camp.
• Groups should not leave camp without notifying an Amor staff member.
• The camps are open spaces of gravel and dirt.
• An air mattress or at least a thick foam mat that fits under a sleeping bag is a smart investment.
• Canopies, folding chairs and tables are good to bring for dining, Bible study, and relaxation after a long day of work.
• Another smart buy is large steel tent pegs. Aluminum and plastic pegs are often too weak to penetrate or stay in the ground.
• Keep vehicles locked when unoccupied and carry spare keys.
• Recreational vehicles are welcome.
• Sandals, shorts, and tank tops can be worn at camp, but please stress modesty within your group.

Designated Campsites

• All groups will be given a designated, chalked out area to use as their campsite when they arrive in camp.
• Campsites are determined by group size.
• Plan for enough seating, cooking, and serving equipment for your entire group.
• Smokers must smoke only at their fire pits; no smoking in public areas or on the worksite.

Fire Pits

• Groups who want a campfire must dig a firepit and it must be contained within their campsite.
• Only wood or paper products can be burned.
• Do not allow the fire to be more than 3 feet high.
• All fire pits must be cleaned and refilled before leaving.

The Bathrooms

• A bathroom is called a baño (bahn-yo), and it resembles an outhouse.
• Helpful Hint: B.Y.O.T.P. (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper)
• Baños are cleaned and disinfected daily. Report any problems immediately.

The Showers

• Amor Camps use bucket showers with separate, enclosed structures, marked ‘boys’ and ‘girls’.
• Shower in the appropriate enclosed structures only.
• There is a two and a half gallon limit for each person, per day.
• Water is provided in 55-gallon water barrels just outside the showers.
• Take shower water from the barrel; don’t bathe in the barrel.
• Groups should not drink, brush teeth or wash dishes with water from the shower barrels.
• Proper shower attire is a bathing suit. Please exercise modesty while walking from campsites to the showers.
• Proper attire to and from the shower is anything large enough to cover the bathing suit.
• Keep personal items (especially razors) off the shower floor.
• Helpful Hint: A great water container for showers can be made by cutting the top off of a gallon jug just above the handle.

Helpful Hint:

• A good investment is a portable shower bladder. Fill it, hang it in the sun, and by evening, there are two and a half gallons of warm water for a shower.

Trash

• There is an area designated within the Amor Camp for all trash.
• Bag trash, tie all bags and break down boxes before placing in designated area.
• Do not allow trip members to litter.