Latest News from Project Mexico and St Innocent Orphanage
Episode 2
In this episode, we talk with Fr. Jacob Saylor from Scottsdale Arizona about his history with taking groups down to St. Innocent Orphanage for the past 8 years, how it has impacted his life, and why it is so important for the youth of orthodoxy to come down year after year.
Episode 1
In this episode, host Luke Andruchow chats with home building coordinator Oliver Fahling about identifying families in the community for a home, building for summer 2020 and going to law school.
Like many organizations, we are concerned and being proactive in our response to COVID-19. Like many non-profits, we are no strangers to crisis, especially operating a home building volunteer program and orphanage in Baja, Mexico. We are responsible for the lives of our boys and staff on the ranch as well as hundreds of volunteers who join us each summer to build homes for families in Mexico. With regard to the current world crisis, we will approach this as Orthodox. Listening to the science and experts, remain calm and minister to those in need and at risk.
First and foremost, the safety of all Project Mexico boys, staff and volunteers is paramount to the successful operation of the orphanage, ranch and our teams on our build sites. At the Orphanage, we are practicing and implementing strict hygiene protocols to limit exposure and contamination. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide additional updates to the trustees as it evolves.
First and foremost, at this time do not anticipate any change to our summer 2020 Home Building schedule. However, we are preparing contingency plans in the event that travel restrictions and travel bans are still in effect in the summer. As of now, the restrictions seem to point towards a relaxing of restrictions around mid-May, though we know this is correlated to the containment of the virus.
We are waiving our 90-day cancellation policy. You can, if necessary, cancel your home building work trip up to 24 hours on the day of your trip. In fact, with airlines waiving change fees, and lowering fares, now may be the ideal time to book your flights and retain maximum flexibility.
Please understand that this is a dynamic and ever-evolving response to the rapidly changing situation around the world and in the US response to COVID-19.
If business returns to normal this will leave us in good shape for the summer home building 2020 season. As we develop contingency plans and opportunities to support our ministry in response to this crisis, we will release those as soon as possible for you to have the options you need to: continue to support our ministry and to address the safety and travel concerns of your group members and parishes.
As the stock market has reacted to the pandemic, your financial support of the Orphanage is more crucial than ever. We have a loving and dedicated staff caring for 17 growing boys. Our Orphanage may prove more crucial than ever in the event of more children being orphaned due to the Coronavirus.
We plan to continue our ministry and grow it to meet the needs. This will only be possible through your generous support, prayers, goodwill, and strength of giving to assist us in this time. We are also coordinating with our partner ministries of the Orthodox Church to mobilize and assist them in their own COVID-19 responses.
While we are all focused on our loved ones and our own health and financial concerns, as Lazarus laying at the door of his neighbor, the poor, widows, and orphaned are always at hand awaiting whatever generosity and humanity we can give, even the widow’s mite makes a difference. In particular, with food kitchens and homeless shelters closing due to restrictions on crowd size, this leaves those most vulnerable at particular risk for exposure and hunger.
Orthodox have been ministering to the poor, widows, and the orphaned since Pentecost and the Apostles appointment of deacons to minister to the needy. This is our faith, this is our response, this is our way, that in times of affliction and need, we respond by conquering our fear with the hope of the Lord who conquered death by trampling down the ability of death to determine our lives. He freed us from the fear of death and gave us the hope to live more abundantly, both in this world and in the world to come.
Therefore, it is important that we muster our strength and keep those values and work even harder than before, renewing our efforts through the ministry to those in need in times of great crisis.
I ask that you please keep all of the boys and staff and missionaries at Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage in your prayers,
With the love of Christ,
Fr. Demetrios
Executive Director
My name is Thomas Ingram. I grew up in Huntington Beach, California. I was baptized Roman Catholic as a baby and had a Catholic education all the way up until college. However, in my early teens, I started attending Protestant mass on Sundays. Because of my Protestant influence, I attended a Quaker University in Oregon. This is also when I encountered Orthodoxy. After my sophomore year, I went on a short-term Protestant mission trip to Romania and Moldova. Our group leader thought it would be important for our team to experience an Orthodox Church service (liturgy) in Romania so as to understand the Romanian culture better. It was the first time I had been to an Orthodox service. I left that liturgy with many questions. When I returned to Oregon, I began attending an Orthodox church in Portland. Two and half years later I was baptized Orthodox. Glory to God!!
Why did you decide to become a full-time missionary, and also specifically work for Project Mexico?
I never saw myself as a missionary when moving down to Project Mexico. When I had gotten the invitation from Project Mexico to live down there to help spearhead their agricultural and beautification desires, I considered it a good opportunity to be a part of an Orthodox organization (which I had been desiring) and to do agricultural work which I enjoy doing. It wasn’t until time went on a little while longer at Project Mexico that I thought, “I guess my work could be technically considered missionary work.”
What are your responsibilities and contributions to the organization?
My role with Project Mexico is diverse; a standard feature of Christian non-profit organizations. While my main role is centered around the implementation of agricultural projects and the beautification of Project Mexico by such things as planting trees, creating beautiful spaces, and helping spearhead our animal program—my duties also include helping facilitate the maintenance of our vehicles with our local mechanic as well as maintenance of the facilities. I repair broken pipes. Work with local electricians when we are having issues and make sure the Orphanage has clean drinking water. I also fundraise and travel to parishes to support the projects I implement.
How you have grown personally since you came to work for Project Mexico full-time?
I have been stretched in certain areas of my life while living at Project Mexico. I have, probably more than ever before, been starkly confronted with what it means to actually put my trust in God. There have been several challenging situations where the way to move forward was out of my control and/or capability. These situations created the opportunity for me to be humbled and to put my faith and trust in God.
DOWNLOAD
Directed by Adam Lowell Roberts, this documentary follows five teenagers as they build a house in Mexico for a homeless family. They signed up to give, but what they received was tenfold.
Download the film or stream it on Youtube below.
Directed by Adam Lowell Roberts, this documentary follows five teenagers as they build a house in Mexico for a homeless family. They signed up to give, but what they received was tenfold. Please consider subscribing to this channel to be notified about future films.
We’re thrilled to join our friends from OCMC and the Arizona Walk for Missions at another great event in Tempe, AZ this year.
As in year’s past, we’ll raising funds for both Project Mexico and OCMC.
ABOUT:
This project began eight years ago under the direction of Antonia Adams Clement. Antonia, and a committee of representatives from varying Orthodox Churches, from multiple jurisdictions, representing the entire state of Arizona, came together and through the Orthodox Christian Mission Center Ambassador Program, they discovered that 26 Orthodox Christians from Arizona had served the Church as missionaries abroad.
Through this program the fellowship began sharing their experiences and decided to support Project Mexico through funding tutors for our boys at St. Innocent Orphanage. Speaking to the Arizona Clergy Council (Antiochian, Coptic, Greek, OCA and Romanian member organizations), each parish selected a representative and the Arizona Walk for Missions was born.
WHEN:
Saturday, May 4 th 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Kiwanis Park
Tempe, AZ
Introducing 3 exciting new internship roles for Summer 2019!
Anyone who has been involved in a home building trip with Project Mexico knows that our faithful and hardworking interns are at the heart of everything we do. Interns from across the nation dedicate their entire summer to living in basic conditions in Mexico. They work diligently alongside our home building coordinator to facilitate 600+ volunteers to build homes for impoverished families in Mexico.
They become part of daily life on the ranch, helping maintain and prepare all that is needed for the arrival of volunteer groups. Not least of all, they become family to the boys of St. Innocent Orphanage. Our internships can be a milestone of spiritual growth and maturation. For many it has been both a transformational and life-defining experience.
If construction isn’t your thing but you desire to serve with us next Summer, then we have some great news for you! In addition to our homebuilding intern positions, we have expanded our program to include the following new positions:
Group Facilitator (must have youth leadership experience): Your main responsibility will be to mentor, supervise and facilitate the other interns, conducting debrief and processing groups, provide one to one guidance, assisting in coordination of intern activities and trips and facilitate volunteer group discussions. Seminary, teaching, youth work, camp staff experience would be very helpful. This position may suit school teachers or seminarian students/graduates.
Media Intern: Your main responsibility will be to document through photographs, video and writing: the volunteer groups, home builds, families, events and activities of the boys of St. Innocent Orphanage. You will also be responsible for hospitality of Volunteers both on the build site and ranch. Depending on your skill you will be assigned to a media role and work with Project Mexico’s marketing team. You will also work in other areas as needed.
Medical Intern: If you have medical training, such as first aid, CPR, EMT, Nursing, please indicate the experience, any certifications, experience, or training you have. We hope to have several trained individuals on staff each summer.
The positions above may overlap depending on a volunteer’s skills and experience and the number of suitable candidates who apply.
We are now accepting applications, please submit your applications before November 30th, 2018.
Fill in your contact info and download HomeBuilding 2019 Internship Application Form.
Success! Thanks for your interest in Project Mexico Summer HomeBuilding Internship Opportunities. Now check your email to download the application and for further instructions.
As I sit on an old wooden bench, warm Mexican sun beating down on my hair, and the laugher of young boys playing on the soccer field in the distance, I cannot fathom the fact that my time here at the ranch is winding down. This summer has gone by in the blink of an eye, but contrastingly, it feels like I have been here forever. Looking back at this time last year, I was an eager group member dreaming about being accepted into this internship position. One week simply just wasn’t enough for me, and I couldn't wait to apply and spend three months here at this incredible ranch.
I had so many expectations of what I thought this summer would be like based on my past experiences here and what I heard from past interns, but quickly I learned that it is so important when doing mission work similar to this, to have no expectations and have an open mind. The summer was full of laughter and tears, and certainly was exhausting at times. Building a new home every week and having the energy to greet each new team like it was your first is something that is both beautiful and challenging. But more than the build, this place and this summer for me has been about building relationships.
Theodora and I arrived two weeks later than the rest of the young adult interns that would dedicate their summer to leading home building. In my journal on the first day of arrival I wrote about how I was nervous that close relationships and friendships had already formed, and perhaps we wouldn't get to know the other 17 interns as well. This trivial worry quickly faded within the first couple days. It is so beautiful and easy to connect with other young Orthodox Christians. Growing up in the faith and sharing the same values is something that allows us to truly connect on a deeper level, and I know that these will be people I stay in contact with long after this summer is over.
Connecting with the 19 boys here at the orphanage, though, has been by far the most rewarding part of this experience. Boys ranging in age from eight to eighteen live on this ranch, and each of them have their own vibrant and inspiring personalities and stories. Between group activities and home builds, we get the opportunity to spend as much time as we please with them. Despite their backgrounds of neglect, these boys are some of the most loving people I have ever met. They are eager to learn more about you, make you laugh, and if you are lucky, they sometimes share their personal stories about their past.
This summer the ranch was blessed with three new little boys ranging from eight to ten years old. Immediately after arriving here in this new home, the boys were always eager to participate in church and had so many questions about the faith. It was truly something special to see how they transitioned with such grace. It is a challenge, however, especially with these three new little boys, to connect with them without getting too close and allowing them to get too attached. It is so obvious that they need love from the way they run up to almost any female who they are familiar with and cling to them calling each one “Mama.” Although this can be tough at times, it is comforting to know that the family here at the ranch will indeed give them the love and permanency they so desperately need and want.
That is what is so special about this place.
It is a community where everyone is a part of the family that makes up St. Innocent Orphanage and Project Mexico. It is going to be bittersweet to leave this country and its people, but I leave knowing that this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and also knowing that it was not really me who made it, but rather God who called me to be here.
2019 Home Building registration opens Thursday Oct. 18, 2018 at 9 am Pacific Standard.
We're excited to build hope with you next year!
Summer 2019 Dates:
June 6 - 12
June 18 - 24
June 27 - July 3
July 9 - 15
July 18 - 24
July 30 - August 5
August 8 - 14
The Essentials
After a beautiful month of building homes in Tijuana, Mexico, my fellow interns and I have compiled an essential packing list of must-haves for your trip.
We’ve been able to learn from first-hand experience and compiled what we believe to be the top five most important items to bring for your trip.
While not 100% essential, we think it’s good to bring the following:
Below are the Top Five essentials for your Mission work in Mexico!
Number 5: A Solid Hat
The sun in Baja can be especially brutal during long days on work sites. A good hat that covers your face and/or neck definitely helps keep the sun off of your face so you can maintain your energy levels throughout the day.
Number 4: Your Favorite Water Bottle
Like I said I said previously, it gets REALLY hot. Staying hydrated throughout your time on site and on the Ranch is absolutely crucial!
Number 3: Small Bills (No currency larger than $10)
During your trip, we may visit the city of Rosarito for lunch or dinner at the local taco shop, or for cool treats at an ice cream parlor. Most vendors don’t accept big bills, so having a couple of smaller bills in your pocket is always a smart idea.
Pro tip: If you can exchange dollars for pesos find the best rate with a simple google search and bring some!
Number 2: Snacks
After a long day of hard work, it’s good to have some of your favorite snacks back at the ranch. And even though the food on the Ranch is delicious, if you know you are the type of person who likes to snack late at night then definitely bring some.
Your fellow Interns will certainly be grateful if you remember to bring enough to share!
Number 1: Warm Clothes/Sweats
Yes! You read that right.
Surprisingly, the temperature drops into the 50s and sometimes as low as the 40s during the night. Also, the Ranch gets a cool breeze from the Pacific every now and then. Definitely have enough layers so you feel comfortable at night hanging and when it’s time to sleep.
All of us interns hope this list helps and we can’t wait to see you!
