Growing Up at St Innocent by Pabayo

The time I spent in other orphanages before the ranch felt like an eternity. The abuse I endured at the other orphanage had become too much for me to take. The day I arrived at St Innocent Orphanage I was a confused six-year-old sitting in a car and just trying to figure out where I was and where I was going.

My childhood at St Innocent Orphanage was fun. I played marbles and tops and sometimes Pokémon. I went to school and to church. I drew and painted and grew to love playing soccer with my brothers. I have so many good memories. The ranch became my home. It is my family. The place I feel most comfortable in this world.

When I arrived, I was rude, didn’t listen and I would bother the younger boys. But the ranch gave me what I needed to be the man I am today through education and time. By education, I don’t just mean school, although it was an important part, I also learned discipline, guidance, direction and faith. It took time and patience and the space to grow and mature.

The church had a big role in my growth. Even though for a while I went just because I had to, the spiritual life made me stronger. I feel the presence of God in my life. Christ says to come to Him and to get to know Him. I feel that. His presence fills me with peace. Knowing God gives me purpose and church is no longer an obligation. My faith is something that I have chosen. This became clear to me in high school, when my classmates would challenge me for having faith, sometimes making fun, but I never doubted. My base is too strong. I know the Truth.

I am studying Psychology at the University. I enjoy my classes even though the assignments can seem unending. I’ve changed so much since I first arrived. The uncertain little boy, unsure of where he is or where he is going is gone. I have goals. I want to make a life for myself. My goals may seem ordinary but the simple things in life are what is most important to me like finishing my degree, having a career, and my own family. Maybe one day I will have loftier goals, but honestly, these simple goals seem like a privilege. Having an education, a career and a family is a luxury for so many people and I am blessed that these goals are within my reach.

Are you interested in supporting our School Buddies Education Program?

A Journey of Miles by Faeli Heiss

“And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet and learn to be at home.”

-Wendell Berry

The quote above by Wendell Berry nicely summarizes my nearly two years at Project Mexico.

Before I joined the ministry, I had undeniably taken “a journey of miles,” where I felt as if God had been guiding me away from my plans and asking me to wait as His plans unfolded. This spurred me on my “journey of miles” all over the country for a period of almost two years, searching for somewhere that felt like home, searching for peace, searching for an increased sense of God’s presence. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit and I was invited back to Project Mexico that I began to understand that I needed to turn inward in my journey.

The year before I was a Homebuilding intern but my return in summer 2020 impacted me very differently. I grew much closer to the boys at the orphanage and began to feel an internal shift. Whatever had been propelling me during that “journey of miles” faded into the background. There was no single moment of revelation when I knew that I wanted to stay and work at the orphanage. I had no conspicuous thought of “this is where God wants me to be.” Simply, He opened the door and I walked through it. Or instead, stumbled backward into it, would be a more accurate evocation.

In the time I’ve spent with the ministry, I have learned many things. The majority of those lessons have arisen from various challenges that ranged from diverting to taxing in nature

and every single one of those lessons feels significant. Perhaps the most significant of those lessons is I have learned that I do not need to desperately search for that perfect place where I have a perfect purpose. I do not need to go that journey of miles.

Instead, I take the inward journey towards Christ. It is there that I meet Him. I meet Him in every aspect of my life, my beautiful and wild daily life, rich with blessings. I meet Him in the hearts of our boys. I meet Him in the hearts of my co-workers and community. I meet Him in the dust and the downpour, in the depths of human suffering and the abundance of joy.

Mother Maria of Paris said “ 'Love one another,' so long as it is love to the end and without exceptions. And then the whole of life is illumined, which is otherwise an abomination and a burden.” The Love I discovered in my time at Project Mexico illumined my life in a way never before known to me. It is the force that brings me to the ground at my feet. To learn what it means to be present on that ground with Christ in each moment is a journey that I will be on for the rest of my life. A journey I am thankful to have started.

For more from Faeli please check out our Stories of Hope Podcast!

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

Shelter for the Faithful by Charlie Boardman

In the Gospels, Jesus likened the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed that grows from the smallest of all seeds to the largest of all herbs: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32).

By the Grace of God, our humble organization has grown beyond the seed phase and into the large tree phase. In the post-COVID world we have witnessed numerous people re-think the course of their lives.

Many faithful have answered the call to service and have committed their support on a long-term basis. Because of this growth, we are in dire need of shelter to accommodate these young Orthodox leaders of the future.

We’ve broken ground on a new dormitory for our long-term missionaries and volunteers. These volunteers commit hard work and sweat to keep the wheels turning at the ranch and I’m honored to work on their new home.

Our most immediate needs are for building materials like toilets, fans and faucets. But we can’t make this happen without your prayers and support. Below are two simple ways you can help bring this project to fruition.

In Christ,

Charlie Boardman
Operations Officer
Project Mexico

Amazon Smile for Project Mexico and St Innocent Orphanage

AmazonSmile and Amazon Charity List for Project Mexico

Below are a couple of easy ways to help our ministry!

Choose Project Mexico and St Innocent Orphanage as your Charity on Amazon Smile. 

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that lets you enjoy the same shopping experience as on Amazon.com, but with a benefit to Project Mexico and St Innocent Orphanage. Shop as you normally do on Amazon and at no extra cost to you, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase back to our organization!

1. Visit www.smile.amazon.com

2. Login with your amazon account or create a new one.

3. Search for PMSIO and select us as your charity or click https://smile.amazon.com/ch/33-0521448

4. Shop Amazon Smile!

Show our Boys your support by shopping amazon smile :)

Support Our Organization by Purchasing Items from our Charity List

AmazonSmile Charity Lists is a meaningful way for you to shop and donate items directly to charities in need. We’ve created an Amazon charity list of the supplies that are needed between now and May. Simply click on the button below and order from the list. Make your purchase and the items will be shipped to us.

Another beautiful part of this supply drive is that any surplus food or supplies we receive will go directly to the orphanage program.

Celebrate Abundance by Faeli Heise

You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance. Psalm 65:11

(NKJV)

I am meditating upon this promise from the Psalms as we all enter a new season. A new Church year, a new school year, a new fiscal year. It has barely even begun, but I have already been reminded of God’s providence in so many ways.

We had three new boys join our family at St. Innocent Orphanage on August 19th, 2021. They have entered this new season with us, and on Monday, August 30th they had their first day of school with their brothers here on the ranch. At the end of that first day, one of our head counselors asked the youngest (age 7) how he liked his first day in his new school. The boy replied with huge shining eyes, “It was a delicious day! A delicious, delicious day!”

At first., watching our boys rally and return to online school was difficult to fathom. But with God’s grace, they are doing it with resilience, and even savoring it! In a time of discouragement, this boy’s enthusiasm was a remarkable reminder to me that God’s goodness always prevails.

The fact that we have three new boys to care for is proof of that, alone!

And speaking of God’s goodness, how could I not mention the overwhelming response we received to our announcement about our need for school supplies? Within a day, all supplies for the first day of school were purchased. So many people reached out to encourage us and bless us with their generosity. Our Lord is working through all of you to provide for His children and meet their every need. Thank you.

As we all move forward, let us rejoice and remember: the paths of the Lord drip with abundance. They are rich with opportunity, love, daily miracles, and sustenance. He has crowned this year and this new season with goodness. I hope you will all join me in giving thanks for these delicious, delicious days.

Faeli Heise

OCMC Missionary, Project Mexico Resident

Missionary Spotlight - Faeli Heise

Faeli is an OCMC Missionary working at Casa Hogar and St Innocent Orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. She works as an online school tutor for the 25 boys on the residential property. She is also the co-host of Project Mexico Podcast, Stories of Hope.

PM: Why did you decide to become a full-time missionary, and also specifically work for Project Mexico?

FH: It was a decision that happened very much with God’s prompting...something I stumbled into by His grace. I was a homebuilding intern with PM back in 2019 and I had reapplied to come back in summer 2020. Homebuilding was canceled because of the pandemic, but I was still able to go down to St. Innocent Ranch to help out with all the boys. I was scheduled to leave on the Feast of Dormition, but I ended up offering to stay and continue helping with the boys. I thought perhaps I’d leave after Christmas 2020, but by then I knew that God wanted me here and that I had found somewhere that felt like home. It was during this time that I was connected with OCMC, and I realized that missionary work is the path I’m being led down. I am about to reach my one-year anniversary here in Mexico, and I am so thankful to God for everything He has brought me in that time.

I am equally excited for what’s in the future. 

PM: Describe your role with Project Mexico. What are your responsibilities and contributions to the organization?

FH: The bulk of my time is spent with our 6th-grade group of boys in their online classes--one of those boys is my newly-illumined godson! I assist them throughout the day: keeping them on track, making sure they’re in the right classes, writing down their assignments, and helping them work through the many frustrations that come up throughout the day. Additionally, I’ve helped here and there with various marketing and fundraising projects.

PM: Tell us about how you have grown personally since you came to work for Project Mexico full-time?

FH: I think it’s quite possible I’ve grown more in this last year than any other year of my life. Lord willing, I have grown in patience and flexibility...but my prayer is that I have grown the most in love. My experiences here with the boys have opened my eyes to real love. It’s a love that takes priority over all else and sometimes feels too much to bear. I have a long way to go before I understand it and I can love others selflessly, but I’ve received a taste of it during my time here.

PM: What is a personal talent or interest that would surprise people to learn about you?

FH: I’ve always been fascinated by “old-timey” things. When I’m not bouncing on trampolines with kiddos, running around after ranch dogs, or generally favoring practicality, my personal style is Edwardian-lady-meets-wannabe-hipster. In fact, my godson once saw my church outfit and asked me “Are you from the past?”

Please consider supporting Faeli and her work using the button below.

Push-Ups for Hope Pascha Challenge

“To repent is to look

not downward at my own shortcomings

but upward at God’s love; 

not backward with self-reproach

 but forward with truthfulness.

It is to see not what I have failed to be,

but what by the grace of God I can become.” - St. John Climacus

The Push-ups for Hope Pascha Challenge

The St Innocent Orphanage Push-ups for Hope Challenge is a new way to take ACTION. Support the ministry by committing to do 10 pushups for every $10 you raise. Hit your fundraising goal and challenge your friends and fellow parishioners to do the same. Join the St Innocent Orphanage Push-ups for Hope Pascha Challenge and grow stronger spiritually and physically in honor of St Climicus.

This year the boys of St Innocent are also taking part in a push-up challenge. Doing push-ups is not the only challenge, we also need to raise funds to support critical education, technology and care services. Fundraising for The Push-Ups for Hope Challenge can be rewarding and fun. 

JOIN us Saturday, April 10 at 1pm PST for a LIVESTREAM from St Innocent Orphanage in Baja, Mexico.

We pledge to do 1,000 pushups for 1 hr to reach our goal of $10,000.

Start Your Own Virtual Fundraiser

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Set a Fundraising Goal

Once you’ve registered for The Push-Up Challenge, go to your My Page and set your fundraising goal. Be ambitious and keep trying to reach your target! Letting people know what your goal is could inspire them to help you out.

Donate to Yourself

Don’t forget to start things off by donating to yourself to get closer to your goals. People who support themselves are more likely to raise additional donations.

Share on Social Media

Use the Share links on your My Page to share your fundraising goals on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by email. Talk about why you are doing The Push-Up Challenge and why they should support St Innocent Orphanage. Make sure you tag The Push-Ups for Hope Challenge and use #pushforhope

Get Creative

Film yourself doing a creative push-up as a part of your training for The Push-Ups for Hope Challenge and share it on social media. It’s a great way to grab your friend’s attention and inspire them to support you. When you write your post, tag 3 of your friends and challenge them to come up with their own creative push-up.

Start a Team

Get your friends, family, co-workers, gym buddies or fellow parishioners virtually and start a team on The Push-Up Challenge to work towards fundraising and push-up goals together.

Get Your Parish, Workplace or School Involved

Make sure you let everyone at your school, workplace, sports club or parish, know that you’re doing The Push-Ups for Hope Challenge! Ask a priest/principal/organizer/manager to share a post on the social media page or send an email around to support you. Include a personal message on why you are taking on the Push-Ups for Hope Pascha Challenge.

Ask a Local Business for Support

It could be something as small as your local coffee shop, gym or lunch spot. Reach out to your local business community to help reach your fundraising goal. If they can’t donate, ask them to share your social media post on their page to generate more awareness.

Thank Your Supporters

Make sure you thank your supporters! All it takes is a simple message on your social media posts to encourage more people to donate.

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.

Annual Matching Grant Campaign 2020

This has been a different year altogether. We would have celebrated our 32rd season of homebuilding but because of COVID we were unable to build as the border closed and lockdown went into effect in Mexico. Over 300 volunteers were scheduled to join us this summer to build homes for 20 families.

As we prepare for the last quarter of 2020, our needs are greater than ever due to 40% loss in homebuilding revenue because of COVID-19. Your contribution is critical for us to continue our mission providing education and a safe home for the boys of St Innocent Orphanage.

Right now, we are planning for Christmas as well as finishing the details for the annual report that is sent to each of our supporters. One of the programs that has enabled our success over the past several years is our Annual Matching Grant Challenge. We pray to make our goal of securing $650,000 in matching grant sponsorships to raise the full amount of our annual operating budget of $1.3 million by December 31st. 

We hope to not only inspire a gift this year but a commitment for 2021 as well. This way we can inspire a gift this year and a commitment for next year from our donors that will enable us to survive 2021. 

We encourage you to become an Annual Matching Grant Donor.

Or, if you have the means to become a sponsor with a commitment of $75,000, $50,000, $25,000 you can make a critical impact on our organization!

With your support, we will survive these uncertain times and secure the ministry for 2021.

Send checks:

PROJECT MEXICO OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH 8210 PO BOX 8210 PASADENA CA 91109-8210 United States (619) 426-4610