Growth and Life by Julia Kasten

Essential Ingredients to Inspire Growth

The life-changing and substantial ingredients that inspire growth aren't the most significant events or the most dramatic changes. They're often simple acts and choices that we make each day. I know this isn't an uncommon idea, but when you experience growth that turns into consistency and habit, it becomes a foundation for beautiful things to develop.

I have been working at the Casa Cuna infant orphanage since we received our first child. I have witnessed how quickly kids ages 0-2 develop. Everything sticks with them. From learning the daily routine and knowing that washing our hands means it's time to eat, to talking to them in well-spoken language, we must be mindful that they indeed soak it all up and mimic us. We see them begin to imitate our practices in church. They now know how to kiss icons and recognize a cross.

The other day, we got them all in high chairs and at the table ready for a meal. Queadan (my coworker) and I made the sign of the cross, in preparation to eat. Three of the kids were very watchful. They clumsily copied our motion while only looking at us. It made me think about the foundation and way in which I was raised. Always going to church on Sundays, praying before meals, asking forgiveness, and living in the community. It is a way of life that pushes me to grow and seek my faith.

The position I have found myself in now creates opportunities for me to foster the same foundation for children. But much of the work is in the everyday. Taking the babies for walks and telling them that God created everything they see and or allowing them to kiss the same icon 15 times in a row. Even if they aren't aware of our action, they feel it. It is part of that foundation.

This has made me see where my own spiritual foundation can be improved and learn how to grow. I’ve noticed the change isn't to read a Bible chapter every day but to say "Lord have mercy," during those quiet moments. My work with the infants reminds me that whatever effort I put into growing my relationship with Christ, it will in turn cultivate a foundation in Christ for the children.

Growing Faith by Wyatt West

My name is Wyatt, I am 27 years old and I live in California.

This Summer I will be visiting Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage for one month to help as a homebuilding intern. I will be in charge of many tasks such as overseeing build sites, facilitating group activities and maintaining the orphanage grounds. My history with Project Mexico began in 2014. I took my first trip to Project Mexico as a member of one of the many Summer build groups. The week was filled with work, a lot of nerves and awkwardness and a lot of fun! This was my first time out of the country and a huge leap out of my comfort zone.

During introductions at the beginning of the week one of the icebreaker questions was why each of us had decided to visit Project Mexico. My response was, “My mom made me go”.

I returned the following year as part of a week-long build group, missed one year due to a surgery and then returned for a third time in 2017 as a Summer intern. Wow. That Summer was probably the most exciting Summer I’d ever experienced. It was filled with all manner of events! There were good times, hard times, crazy times and everything in between. I gained a lot of self-confidence through my experiences that Summer.

The following year (2018) I returned as an intern for a second time and got another dose of unique challenges and personal growth. 2018 was the last time interned for Project Mexico. During the last several years I have visited the orphanage during the off-season (Fall, Winter and Spring) and been a part of three Summer build groups with the same church. I also visited my best friend who moved there to take charge of homebuilding for two years.

I love Project Mexico. I love it so much that I have considered moving there and working for them on many occasions. As time has gone on, however, moving there does not seem like the right thing for me to do, at least not at this time.

My love for Project Mexico is still as strong as it has ever been and I miss spending time there. After a lot of thought and conversations with priests, friends, family and others, I have decided to dedicate one month this Summer as a homebuilding intern. With that decision and upon being accepted as an intern once again, there are certain obligations I am entitled to, one of these being the responsible party for raising $3,000 for my trip. $1,600 of this sum will go to me as a stipend and $1,400 will go to the internship program.

If the funds raised exceed $3,000, the excess goes directly to Project Mexico as a donation. God willing, with your help, I can reach the goal of $3,000 before my Summer journey! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to be returning to Project Mexico as an intern! Getting to work, pray, attend services and meet many other Orthodox Christians almost every day is a dream come true!

I am eager to experience another Summer at Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage. I can’t wait to have those crazy, amazing experiences once again!

If you’d like to support my mission work this summer you can donate directly by clicking the button below.

Strength by Gabriel Fahling

 From June 2021-August 2022 Gabriel will be serving as an intern with FOCUS through the St. Innocent Service Works program. Gabriel will be working with FOCUS Orange County to help distribute food to those in need in the Orange County area in southern California.

For the better part of my life, I believed that service meant helping those who are less fortunate than yourself. As time has passed, I’ve come to understand how service can look many different ways and be many different things. This summer I am interning for St. Innocent Service Works because I want to dive deeper into following Christ’s call to serve others, to learn how to humble myself to be least among my brothers and sisters. 

In autumn of 2020, I was an intern for Neighborhood Resilience Project, a non-profit in the Hill District of Pittsburgh that offers community support and free resources such as food and clothing. My fellow interns and I spent two and a half months moving and breaking down boxes, putting together lunch bags, sorting clothes, cleaning, and working the front desk, among many other things.

Most of the work was not glamorous and the days were often quite long. You had to be ready to serve someone at almost any time, as it would happen frequently that there was help needed with something at practically any time of the day. Most days we were running around making sure all the essential tasks were completed and everyone was served. Arriving home from work both meal preparation duty and house cleaning were also ways in which we ministered to each other.

It was exhausting. There were other challenges I encountered during my experience in Pittsburgh, however,  I learned a very important lesson in regards to service: no matter what you are doing, you can make any simple act one of love and service. Even when we are not tangibly doing something for someone else—such as the time we take for ourselves to wind down—all of our life we can offer to God. 

From my time at Neighborhood Resilience Project and my time as an intern at Project Mexico, I have been inspired to pursue service to others and to God. This summer, through God’s providence I am in Orange County, California helping distribute food and household items to those in need. It has been a surreal and somewhat intimidating feeling; not knowing what each day will look like but only knowing that I am here to give myself over to God’s will, and to do the best that I can to serve those in need and my fellow interns. It is something I feel very ill-prepared for, but my comfort lies in knowing that Christ gives strength to those who lean on Him. (Philippians 4:13)

To support Gabriel and the work we’re doing in the US and Mexico, please use this link: https://sisw.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/GabrielFahling1