Approximately 20 mission teams visit the City of Children every year. Some are college groups serving during their Fall or Spring breaks, some are groups of families coming to visit their sponsored children, and almost a dozen teams come over summer break to build spiritually centered relationships with the children here at the home. Teams submit an application in August and we attempt to accommodate every group into one of their top 3 choices of dates they can come to serve. A group size of 30-40 people is most ideal, but some groups are larger and others are smaller.  Small groups may need to be combined with other smaller groups in order for all to have an opportunity to come to work.

 Not only do groups sacrifice their time to be here, but there is also a financial sacrifice as well. Groups fly into San Diego, arrange for their transportation back and forth across the border (which typically means reserving a 55 passenger charter bus from San Diego), pay the cost of all food they prepare and share while here, and pay a facilities usage fee to assist in covering expenses incurred while having visitors at the home (such as the cost of electricity and water). On average, the cost for one person to be a part of a week-long mission trip to the City of Children is approximately $1,000.  We recognize and appreciate the financial sacrifice each person makes to spend a week here, and we believe the blessings of being in relationship with the children here will always far outweigh the expense.