Learning to Laugh

God came to challenge us to keep growing no matter what our age. (Matt. 5:48) As we celebrate Pascha/Easter, we learn what it really means to follow Jesus. We realize that He suffered for us and through His resurrection our lives can be filled with life and hope. We are called to follow with hope. Here in Tijuana, we are surrounded by plenty of tragedy for this reason the Mexican government asked us to open “Casa Cuna San Felipe,” Casa Cuna is Spanish for Infant Orphanage.

In October of last year we received our first infant, little Felipe. We loved him. We held him. We fed him. He learned how to smile and laugh for the first time and was adopted by a loving Mexican family in January of this year. These infants and toddlers, who were abandoned, learn to do their Orthodox cross, kiss icons and sing to Jesus. Laughter emanates from the Casa Cuna. These joyous little ones know that Jesus loves them because now they have a home.

Currently, we care for 27 boys, one infant and four toddlers. St. Paul encourages us to live a life of purpose, patience, perseverance, and faith. (2 Tim. 3:10-15) As missionaries of the Good News we strive to live the Gospel by upholding the life of Christ through compassion and love. This endeavor is easier said than done when you have an infant crying, two toddlers fighting and three teenagers making fun of you.

The Orthodox team here in Tijuana is not perfect but it is our goal to learn from the lessons of the ministry so to grow closer to Jesus. The Church community of St. Innocent Orphanage allows us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We also have access to the Sacramental Life. In tears we confess our sins. With hope we lift up our voices to praise God. And in gratefulness, we receive Holy Communion, the Eucharist, the flesh and blood of God. We are becoming one with Jesus through caring for His little ones.

• Repurposed a dormitory to house five female long-term missionaries

• Installed two new icons in the Orphanage Chapel

• Purchased land to build a new church outside of the Orphanage for the people of Tijuana

• Remodeled the intern dorm so we could begin caring for six infants

• Completed 60% of the infant orphanage which will house up to 15 children from newborns to toddlers

Like the mustard tree, Project Mexico has become a place where children can find refuge, where young adults can discover God’s purpose for them, and where Mexican families can receive help in order to rise out of homelessness. Jesus Christ was sent by His Father and hung on the tree for us. That tree is the cross and is the vehicle that brings life. Now, at the St. Innocent Orphanage & Project Mexico, the tree is growing and we all are becoming more like Jesus. Therefore, let us celebrate Pascha/Easter, rise to the occasion and learn to always put our hope in God.

Leap of Faith

I grew up in Worcester, MA. taught me what is needed to live a successful life.  As a young boy, we would play football without equipment, just a ball and a lot of scratches and bruises.  I learned quickly that the person who is the fastest and strongest of the line has the greatest advantage.  This applies directly to our lives in Christ as we struggle on a daily basis.  Starting the first moments of the day with Jesus on our lips lets us leap from our beds in faith in God.  We spring from the darkness of sleep to face the challenges of the day with Christ in our hearts.  After 25 years serving the Church, I have learned that starting the day with Creed makes the demons of the world tremble.  Yes, every morning I read the Nicaean/Constantinople Creed to give me strength and a swift call to action to face whatever the world brings me.  Leading Project Mexico as the Executive Director I am faced with constant challenges and diversity but in Faith, I have the upper hand and leap to serve Jesus overcoming the darkness.

Leading does not mean you know exactly how to get to where you need to go.  God is challenging us to grow the Church in Tijuana.  Just miles from the American border, the Mexican people are thirsting for the Truth and yearning to feel Jesus’ loving presence.  As a result, we have been charged to open an infant orphanage to care for children from birth to four years of age.  As well, the local community has grown so much that a church needs to be built off the grounds of the ranch property.  Both endeavors have been thoroughly considered and we have a clear path forward, but there still is so many unanswered questions that can only be addressed once we take the first steps.  This is faith.  This is leaping up to be challenged not knowing how all the problems will be solved but with the solid hope that ALL the problems will be overcome. Jesus Christ’s Church will grow, caring for the suffering, and bringing encouragement to all.

I have said many times that taking care of children who have been orphaned is the “toughest job you will ever love.”  Yes, I love my work and it is very difficult.  We are charged to excel and care for boys with so many physical and spiritual wounds. Leaping to face the challenges is essential.  But I do not face it alone.  I labor with Jesus in my heart.  My springboard is the Holy Spirit being filled with God’s Grace, and I am filled with Faith that I can do it.  My leap of faith is the fact that I leap with Jesus holding my hand and this comfort allows me to persevere. 
 

Recently one of our boys shared with me that the St. Innocent Orphanage only became his home after much tragedy.  Until he was six he lived in the Tijuana prison because the Mexican law several decades ago allowed an incarcerated woman to keep her children with her even if that meant the young child would have to share a home (jail) with thieves, murderers and criminals.  This story I share not to paint a picture of pity but rather remind us of the difficulties we have to overcome in order to bring hope and rescue the distressed.  The Orthodox Church has risen to the occasion for over 35 years in Tijuana.  Jesus is holding our hands and we leap with faith having the strength to change the world into a better place.

Voice of Hope: A Message from the Executive Director

Voice of Hope

A Message from the Executive Director

Every day and in every way we are getting better and better. This is the message I remind myself of frequently. It is important to keep this fallen world in perspective. Despite this reality, we cannot lose sight of the goodness in us and the miracles God performs daily. I want to remind you that there is still so much good in the world and we should not let the evil we experience cause us to lose sight of that.

I have lived in Mexico for more than thirteen years and have witnessed my share of suffering. Hope is the true champion and this newsletter will give you a glimpse of some the great news just south of the border.

This year, through God’s grace, we will have a full homebuilding season and welcome hundreds of faithful volunteers as they build homes for dozens of Mexican families. I was inspired by one of our missionaries who shared a fresh and powerful insight, “don’t listen to the people who have not come down to serve but ask the people who have, and they will tell you it is amazing here and you won’t regret it.”

We are happy to announce the Swanson family are joining the ministry. Zach and Sophia Swanson were work-trip coordinators in 2016 have committed to move back to Tijuana to help grow the Church.

Through the blessing of Archbishop Elpidophoros and Metropolitan Gerasimos, Zach will be ordained and bring his family to Mexico to serve. As the Executive Director my responsibilities have expanded tremendously and Project Mexico has a great need for more pastoral support. I am confident Zach’s degree from Holy Cross Seminary and his years of parish experience will allow him to truly be a vessel of God’s grace.

Great things are happening and our God, who is Good, is blessing us all. Share the good news and be the Voice of Hope in this world, which needs the message of Christ’s love and brilliant light.

In Christ,

Father Nicholas Andruchow
Priest and Executive Director

Generosity to be Imitated

"Gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy." - Henri Nouwen

It is with great joy and appreciation that Project Mexico & the St. Innocent Orphanage announces the recent estate gift from John Phillip Giannikas. On September 7, 2018 Mr. Giannikas, “Phillip” passed from this life into eternal rest in the Lord. At the age of 57, his death was clearly premature. His family and friends mourn the loss but celebrate his relentless perseverance in bringing hope to the world.

Phillip was a true philanthropist. He was also an accomplished attorney, Administrative Law Judge, actor, singer, songwriter, musician, as well as a beloved son, nephew, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. His legacy shines with his sustained commitment to helping children without parents. He understood the vulnerability of orphaned children and the responsibility that we all have to care for them.

The recent gift from his estate will go entirely to supporting the St. Innocent Orthodox Orphanage for years to come. In addition, his generosity is a reminder for all of us in this holiday season to help care for God’s little ones.

Project Mexico and the St. Innocent Orphanage would like to thank Mrs. Angeliki Pentheroudakis, Phillip’s mother, for raising such a beautiful son. May his memory be eternal. As we approach the celebration of the birth of Christ, may we all follow his example and share our abundance so that children in need can always have the St. Innocent Orphanage as the safe place to call home.

A Test of Faith: A Letter from Fr. Nicholas Andruchow

Dear family and friends, 

Christ has risen! Cristo ha resucitado!

I hope you all had a blessed Pascha/Easter. In addition, I hope you all are well during these turbulent times. The Lord calls us to have faith in the storms and the recent crisis around the COVID-19 is truly a calamity to which level the world has rarely seen. Living here south of the border has given us a different perspective.  Presbytera and I are safe and have been mostly keeping close to the Orphanage grounds avoiding contact with people off-site. This has limited our exposure to the virus but has allowed us to grow closer to the community and all the boys. This experience has made it clear that the fast pace of modern society can be exhausting and possibly unnecessary. 

We are in new territory

Whoever would have thought the safest place to spend Holy Week would be at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. We were not only sheltered from the virus but because of our unique situation, we were all strengthened by the ability to worship together. All thirty of us ate together, did morning prayers together, and attended the 14 Holy Week services together. The boys all rose to the occasion because since we did not have the support of the local Orthodox community these young soldiers were expected to chant all the services, clean all the candle stands and serve in the altar up to 3 hours at a time. I am so proud of them. Similar to the rest of the world they have not seen any of their school friends in over a month, they have not had any school sports activities and they all are taking classes on-line. All these changes have created significant more responsibilities for the orphanage staff but the team has made many sacrifices to provide great care for the boys.

A true test of faith

One of the reasons I left my community in Northern Arizona nine years ago was the need to minister to the hundreds of youth who come every summer and build homes for needy families. For obvious reasons, this summer will need to be adjusted due to the realities of the Pandemic. There will still be plenty of construction happening through Project Mexico but compared to recent years this summer will be abridged. This is difficult for two reasons. First, some of the families in hardship will have to wait for relief to receive more stable housing. Second, the surplus income from the homebuilding registrations will be significantly less, therefore, putting substantial pressure funding the Orphanage operations. Proceeds received from people who come to help build homes cover the expenses of the orphanage. When there are fewer people building homes, there is less financial support. We are all doing our part to cut expenses and the Lord is giving us a prime opportunity to grow in faith.

Responding in Joy

The life of an orphan is not easy.  Losing your family at such a young age is a tragedy.  These are boys are accustomed to hardships as well as the St. Innocent Orphanage.  For the past 30 years, young children have had a place to heal and grow up on what we call “The Ranch”.  On these 16 acres, we try to teach them that even though their parents let them down, Christ’s Church will never let them down.  With this knowledge, they have learned to be grateful and happy for the little things they have.  It is not going to be easy here at the orphanage but we will all survive.  As a Church, I ask you all to donate now and help these little ones through their difficult times. Your gift of joy calls on God’s abundant love.

In the Love of Christ,

Fr. Nicholas L. Andruchow

Priest/Associate Director

Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage

UPDATE: Life at the Border

I wanted to take a moment to share a little peek into our life here south of the boarder.  My wife—or presbytera in Greek circles or kuria in Antiochian circles or matushka in Slavonic circles—and I have completed seven years living at the St. Innocent Orphanage.  Yes, it has been an adjustment, especially for my presbytera who was raised in a traditional Greek family—an experience very different than life in Tijuana. 

In our years here we have had many new experiences that come with living in a third world country and in a foreign culture.  One of these experiences was the immigration of thousands of Latin Americans traveling through Mexico hoping to find asylum in the United States. It definitely did not go as well as most of them were hoping but I would like to share some of the realities we have seen being on the ground.

Recent statistics tell us that the vast majority of the migrants have chosen to seek Mexican work visas or returned to their home countries. According to the Associate Press (see link below) of the 6,000 migrants in the caravan 1,300 people have returned to their home countries, 2,900 have received Mexican humanitarian visas that permit them to work in Mexico, and 1,300 migrants have been detained. The temporary shelters in Tijuana have been closed and migrants have integrated into the community, living in permanent housing accommodations.

At the height of the Migrant Caravan event, the city of Tijuana had several pockets of migrants waiting in tents looking for guidance for the next step.  Because of the hundreds of displaced that were in these temporary camps, the local municipalities were burdened to say the least.  Despite the sheer numbers, Mexican authorities handled the situation well and at no time did it become a national crisis for the country. 

Yes, the border was closed for several hours coming into America, but everyone forgets to mention that there was another border crossing that was kept open less than 20 miles to the East.  At no time did any of the missionaries feel “trapped” or in danger.  We are grateful that the situation has calmed and that those individuals and families are finding stability.

So people always ask me, “Is it safe to travel to Tijuana?” or “Will I be able to get back into the United States?” 

The answer to both these questions is, “Yes.” 

As an Orthodox priest, husband and father, and the Associate Director of Project Mexico, I would not be living here with my family if it wasn’t safe or we couldn’t travel freely.  And, I definitely would not bring hundreds of youth to the ranch every summer unless I could ensure their safety. 

We understand the fear people have.

How the nature of media can exacerbate and fuel those fears. But I encourage all us who have been called to help the families, orphans and widows to come and live the gospel.  Let us not be controlled by people’s biased opinions or false perceptions, rather, let us be guided by strength and love to courageously give and change the lives of those who are truly in need.

Thank you for your support of the ministry and please if you have any question you can contact me on my cellular phone which works perfectly fine in Mexico.

In Christ,

Fr. Nicholas L. Andruchow

Priest

Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage

fnicholas@projectmexico.org

cell. 619-309-8745

Spagat, E. (2019, January 16). Last year's Central American caravan dwindles, new one forms. Retrieved from https://www.apnews.com/be98c131631d49f0943e1f7ac6a4993b

Mexico Update

On Sunday, California Border Patrol closed the crossing at San Ysidro for 3 hours. The Central-American asylum seekers were protesting the lack of resources, slow processing of their asylum requests and the rapidly deteriorating conditions of their makeshift shelter. Most are families who have traveled far to escape violence in their home countries.

First, I want to let everyone know that we are fine in Tijuana. It’s not impacting our operations. If anything, it provides us another opportunity (along with our fellow non-profits) to help our neighbors in Tijuana. Yes, having several thousand extra “temporary” residents has complicated things. The people of Tijuana and Mexico are very resilient and we pray this immigration crisis can find a timely workable resolution. 

Please keep us all in your prayers but for the most part it is life as usual.

And life is plenty busy. Thanksgiving was filled with blessings having family and friends celebrate the day. We had several of the older boys come and enjoy the feast with us. The largest change at the orphanage is the two new boys who arrived and became a part of the community. They arrived last Tuesday and are adjusting to their new home. Please keep them in your prayers. 

Once again, it is Giving Tuesday! A group of supporters have committed funds to our Matching Grant Program. Today is an excellent opportunity to put our thankfulness into action and give. 

A gift of $50, $100, $1,000 or even more can make a big difference for us here in Tijuana to continue God’s work. 

Please consider giving and help us to continue sharing the hope of Christ through His Church just over border. 

May the Lord touch your hearts and bless all of you.

In Christ,

Fr. Nicholas Andruchow

Priest/Associate Director

Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage

A House Where the Spirit Can Dwell

Here at Project Mexico there are many challenges. One of the greatest it seems is the demands to just pay the bills. Through God’s grace, the ministry has persevered and flourished despite the lack of predictable income. With this in mind, I was apprehensive when a local Orthodox Mexican man approached me with a sincere desire to improve our chapel. We are always cautious of expenses for the community’s liturgical needs because paying salaries and keeping food on the table is our top priority. In the end, we decided that the Lord was working through this man and the construction should begin. 

The remodel included tearing down walls, removing old concrete footers and hauling off loads of debris and dirt. As the worship space was expanded, the shape of our new chapel started to form.  On the feast day of the Panagia, the Dormition of the Theotokos, we celebrated our first liturgy. It was a blessed day. Unfortunately, the work was not done. There were numerous details that had to be completed to fully complete the project. A thorough cleaning needed to be done. Screens had to be put on the six the new windows. Fixtures for the adult baptismal fount needed to by installed and a multitude of other tasks. Our goal is to be finished for the feast day of St. Innocent on October 6th.  

The process has been extensive and intricate which is similar to our own efforts to fortify our life in Christ and build up the temple where the Holy Spirit can dwell.

For the past 30 years, Project Mexico has brought over 15,000 volunteers to build homes for needy families and to spiritually construct souls worthy to house the Holy Spirit. St. Paul wrote that we are the temple of God’s Spirit.  (1 Cor. 3:16-17) When the missionary first comes across the border they are faced with the harsh reality of poverty but realize God is present despite the suffering. This dramatic experience allows for the spiritual debris to be cleaned out and to start fresh. As the week goes on a subtle, sublime process occurs where prayer and reflection provides the tools for the soul to be strengthened and purified. 

The salvation of your soul is more valuable than the entire world.

Christ teaches us that the salvation of your soul is more valuable than the entire world  (Matt. 16:26). The chapel of the orphanage serves as a home for all of us to grow stronger and to foster our souls where the Holy Spirit can dwell. We are blessed that our place of worship has been improved. And we are blessed that Project Mexico provides a place where hundreds of faithful can work on their own soul. So, becoming stronger in Christ they build up a place where the Spirit can dwell, and their souls can be saved. 

May all of our souls be strengthened and built up.

30 Years - The Beginning by Father Nicholas Androchow

When we look at the history of Project Mexico we can see the message of hope shouting out at us.  Hope in that we are not alone. Hope in what the future brings. Hope in the fact that God is active in the world. Since 1995, I have been involved with the Orthodox community in Tijuana, Mexico. Ten of those years have been as a full-time missionary living in-country. I have spent at least one week annually in the field either building homes for the needy families or ministering to the young boys who have been orphaned. The impact I have witnessed is layered and expansive. The Lord works through our humility and out of weakness God creates miracles. God has used Project Mexico to do great things and it is obvious that the Lord is not finished yet. Through the power of God these 30 years are just the beginning.

Out of the compost
Three decades of ministry has brought countless challenges and blessings.  In the early years, the ministry was nothing but a dream where two inspired Orthodox Christians, Greg and Margaret Yova, persevered to establish a community where Orthodox believers could live the faith while bringing comfort to the afflicted of Mexico. To maneuver between two countries, two cultures, two languages, two currencies and various economic levels is extremely complex. As St. Paul said “our battle is not against flesh and blood … but against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).  

In 1994, after building homes for six years, the doors of the St. Innocent Orphanage were opened for the first time. Unfortunately, the hired director never arrived, the donors who planned to cover the mortgage expenses could not fulfill their commitments, and after eight months the Mexican government removed all the boys living on site because the bureaucratic demands were too vague in order to comply. Those days were dark and difficult. It nearly resulted in selling the property and focusing solely on the homebuilding ministry.

The tides began to change in 1995 when Project Mexico received the relic of St. Innocent. Shortly afterward, a new Orphanage Director was hired who brought stability for 17 years to the program.  Through tremendous labors, the mortgage was slowly paid off by the donations of hundreds of sacrificial believers.

Today we have a 16-acre ranch, which houses the largest Orthodox cross-cultural missionary movement in the world. The Gospel is being lived and is flourishing by God’s grace via Project Mexico. These fruits are the outcome of years of struggle and sacrifice that provided soil for the ministry to grow.

Exponential Growth
In the fast-paced modern world, we see the extreme growth of economies and societies because of better communication and technology. In the past several decades we’ve seen the world’s population, reliance on technology and consumption of increase three-hundred-fold. This type of growth can be overwhelming but at the same time, it can provide opportunities to capitalize and make the world a better place. This is essentially the message of the Gospel, to make the world a better place. God has come to save the world, to show all creation the path of light and love, to put an end to the curse of sickness, anxiety, and death. 

Project Mexico is a ministry within the Orthodox Church to bring the message of God’s hope to the faithful and the afflicted. In the past six years our short-term missionary numbers have nearly tripled and the number of families annually who have received a home has more than doubled. The children impacted by the orphanage are experiencing a stability that is unprecedented. The Orthodox faithful living and ministering in Tijuana has hit record highs. Summer homebuilding interns are at full capacity. 

Cautiously we give thanks to God for providing such results. I say cautiously because we need to keep our focus always on the ONE goal of salvation, not on the accounting of people being shuffled through.  With all this in mind, we take to heart the Lord’s words...

“…open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35). 

Project Mexico has the capacity to not only maintain this growth but to expand it significantly. The foundation has been provided through sacrifice, prayer and three decades of developing reliable infrastructure on our 16-acre ranch. Faithfully we persevere in doing God’s will. We pray to God that we are provided with the laborers and resources to continue and to grow the ministry of sharing the Lord’s compassion and love for the world. 

Project Mexico and the St. Innocent Orphanage has 30 years of blessed history and with the Grace of God we will continue to labor in His Harvest for generations to come eagerly waiting for His glorious return.