Project Mexico
Project Mexico Mission Trip ’06
By Doreen Hoskins and John Holder
A group of nine missionaries, eight from St. Catherine and one from St. George Parish in Shreveport, LA., traveled to Rosarito, Mexico to participate in Project Mexico this summer. Our group consisted of Fr. Lou, Jonathan Christopulos, Cassandra Finch, Peter Fedec, Tom Gallanis, John Holder, Doreen Hoskins, Chris MacNeil and Mitzi Theo. Two additional mission teams from Orthodox Churches in Minnesota and Washington joined us for a week. We built a small house for a family in need. The family consisted of a single mother of two and one grandson. We had the great honor of meeting the Mom, Laura, a very nice lady who was very thankful to have a house built on her vacant property. Laura has worked very hard for many years to maintain payments on her property. She has also maintained rental payments for an apartment so that her family would have a place to live. Thanks be to God, now Laura and her family will be able to live in a secure structure on her own property!
Laura was only able to get off of work the first day to be with us, but the joy in her eyes and the smile on her face was beautiful. There was a break that first day, and in a brief conversation with her we found out she was very excited. She called what we were doing “un milagro” – a miracle. She and her son worked hard beside us as we shoveled and picked at the rock on the hill that first day.
It took four days to build the house. The house was a wood frame house, about 250 sq. ft. in size with a lean-to roof and stucco walls all of which we built. This was no easy task especially since many in our group of 36 had not done anything like this before. About 24 of the 36 were teenagers. Our house was built entirely with hand tools. No power tools were used with the exception of a small cement mixer powered by a gasoline generator. When our labors were completed we all participated in a beautiful house blessing presided over by Fr. Lou.
During our stay we lived at St. Innocent Orphanage, an Orthodox home created on a ranch for orphaned boys of the Tijuana area. We stayed in bunk houses that are exactly the same as the houses built for the families in need. We spent a wonderful week there, interacting with the boys by sharing meals, participating in daily Orthodox services in the beautiful little chapel, participating in sports (wow, can those kids play soccer…so some of us just watched) and in other fun games and activities. To have been able not only to build a house for a family in need but also to spend a week with the boys in a culture completely different than our own was indeed an incredible experience effecting each of us deeply. To worship our Lord, oftentimes in Spanish only, united us in a very special way.
We need to mention that our beloved trip leader, Fr. Lou, was the only priest present during our week at Project Mexico. Fr. Lou did a wonderful job leading our prayers and worship, every day…morning and evening. To top it off, Fr. Lou did the entire Sunday Liturgy in Spanish and did not miss a beat! Muchas gracias, Padre.
We would like to encourage all of you to think about participating as missionaries for a week at Project Mexico. It is truly an experience that will impact your life; you will never forget it.
If you would like further information please email Fr. Lou or Doreen H.
Viva los perros y los frijoles buenas!(Long live the dogs – of which there were many – and the refried beans!)