Missionary Profile: Oliver Fahling

OCMC Missionary – Oliver Fahling

My name is Oliver Fahling. I studied at Mississippi College and played on the soccer team. My previous job was as a lift attendant at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho. I enjoy reading about history and philosophy and will be attending law school this Fall, following in my father's footsteps.

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

I decided to intern at PM after getting tired of working odd jobs for a few summers to help pay for school. As for deciding to be full-time, it was not much more than saying yes to the opportunity to be the Home Building Coordinator when it presented itself after two summers as an intern.

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

My main responsibility is overseeing the construction of homes that are built by volunteers. Most of my work is preparation and takes place before volunteers arrive. This includes interviewing and selecting families, purchasing materials, constructing the wall systems, arranging material deliveries, running off-season work trips, and a few other things. There are also many subsidiary responsibilities that solely exist in the summertime, such as managing summer interns.

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

I don’t get as angry anymore. In dealing with many things at one time and many different personalities all at the same time it is absolutely necessary for one’s mental stability to realize that some things won’t go the way I planned it. And that they might take a little longer than they should. I also realize that I am not always right. So, these revelations have helped me be more patient.

I’ve also noticed that I now love meeting people who land anywhere on the personality spectrum. I suppose I’m learning to appreciate people more as they are.

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

I have a tendency to sweat while I eat, I think it’s genetic.

Missionary Profile: Thomas Ingram

OCMC Missionary - Thomas Ingram

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.

You can make a difference today! Support Thomas’ hard work with a monthly donation for a cup of coffee, burrito or donate for an agriculture project on the ranch.

A Call to Action by Faith Gunderson

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, "I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:34-40)

Back in 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall over southeast Texas, and completely devastated the area. Harvey was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Katrina back in 2005, inflicting an estimated $125 billion in damages. The flooding that occurred in the area was catastrophic. Two years later, Houston, and the surrounding areas, are still trying to put the pieces back together. There are thousands of people who are still waiting for the relief money they were promised. There are thousands who are still living in homes that were severely damaged by the hurricane. There are thousands who are still displaced and don’t know if they will ever be able to move back into their homes again.

Because of the devastation that Hurricane Harvey caused, there are still numerous relief organizations that are actively working in the area, trying to get people back in their homes. One such organization is IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities). Since its beginning back in 1992, IOCC has provided more than $692 million in aid for people all over the world, with it’s U.S. focus being primarily on disaster relief (hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, etc.). Deploying teams of volunteers, and with the help of Orthodox churches from all over the United States, IOCC has been working endlessly to help hundreds of people affected by disaster. There are many different ways that volunteers can be involved with IOCC. Teams of volunteers are often called in after a disaster hits to help begin the clean-up process, and then later on down the road, they may go to help with the rebuild process.

This past May, I had the opportunity to partner with IOCC and attend their training to become an Emergency Response Team Leader. This training helped prepare myself, and about 30 others, to lead IOCC’s disaster response teams when the need arises. This was an overwhelmingly positive experience. I left ready to take action, and ready to go serve as soon as possible. Late in August, I was finally able to join a team of volunteers on a rebuild in Houston. Myself, one of IOCC’s Team Leaders, and three other volunteers joined another organization called, Team Rubicon, to start the clean-up and rebuild process on a house just outside of Houston. The home belonged to an elderly lady. Hurricane Harvey had, fortunately, not flooded her home, but it had done extensive damage to the roof. Basically, despite receiving aid from FEMA, and having contractors come out and “put on a new roof,” it had been raining inside of her house for the past two years, causing parts of the roof to completely collapse in, mold to grow up the walls, and completely ruining the flooring and many of her belongings. All of this while she was still living in the house.        

Team Rubicon (a veteran service organization that uses disaster response to help reintegrate veterans to civilian life) has been working to reach a goal of rebuilding 100 homes in the Houston area. They are the ones who found this woman, and they will see the house through to completion. We spent the first couple of days working to get all of her belongings out of the house and sorted through. There was much that was able to be saved, but unfortunately, there was also a lot that had to be thrown away because of water and mold damage. Once everything was out and sorted through, we began the demolition process. Everything had to be stripped. Drywall, flooring, cabinets, everything had to be taken out and the house stripped down to the studs and concrete foundation. Team Rubicon has continued on with the rebuild process on this house. In a couple months, this woman will be able to come home to a new home, that will also now be better fortified to hold up against future hurricanes. Even though I won’t be there to be one of the people to welcome her into her new home, when we met on the first day of the rebuild, the gratitude that she showed us for the work we were doing forever changed my heart.

In this day and age, it is so easy to get caught up in the message of hate that is being spread over our communities, our nation, and our world. All we hear about is the bad and the ugly. It’s everywhere. It has instilled a sense of fear in many of us, and because of it we miss, or overlook, a lot of the good that is still going on. We miss out on the good that we can be doing, the love we can be spreading.

There is still so much good that is going on around us, we just need to open our eyes and our hearts to see it! This is so evident in the work that organizations like IOCC and Team Rubicon are doing to help families affected by disasters to rebuild their lives. It’s also evident in organizations like Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage, who are working day in and day out to provide homes, not only to families in need, but also to orphan boys may not have families, or a place to really call home. We can easily be a part of these good things! By opening ourselves up to taking a week out of our busy lives to go on a Home Build (either in Mexico or in the United States), we not only start to see the good in the world once again, but we also start to become that same good we want to see in the world.

We’ve heard the commandment over and over again: “Love thy neighbor as yourself.” But often we struggle to fully understand what that might mean exactly: How do I love my neighbor as myself? Am I to give them everything I have? Do I even know who my neighbor is? What can I do to show love to my neighbor, even if they’re a complete stranger? Here, by giving up just a little of our time to volunteer with these different organizations, we find and easy and tangible way to fulfill this commandment and to share the love of Christ. Even to emulate the love of Christ. And even if homebuilding is not really your thing, the thought of sleeping in a tent in Mexico doesn’t sound appealing, challenge yourself to try to find something that may be more of your thing.

Both Project Mexico and IOCC have many different ways for people to be involved with their missions, and there are countless other organizations out there to get involved with as well. We should not be inactive in our faith when there is so much need in the world. We are called to action. We are called to go! Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19), go and care for the needy, the widow, the orphan, the sick, the hungry (Matthew 25:34-40) Going does not have to mean flying halfway around the world. Going can mean walking next door to check on an elderly neighbor. It can mean going downtown to volunteer at a homeless shelter. It can mean running a canned food drive at your school or church. It can mean so many different things! Are you ready?

“What good is it, my brothers, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17)

If you’d like more information on how you can answer the call to action and get involved with these ministries, you can check out their websites. Both have a lot of great information on the many different ways you can be involved in their missions.

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC): www.iocc.org/take-action/volunteer-opportunities

Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage: www.projectmexico.org/get-involved

If you have any questions, or would like to hear more about my time with Project Mexico and/or IOCC, feel free to contact me: faith@projectmexico.org

In Christ,

Faith Gunderson

WATCH the Building Hope Documentary (VOD and Streaming)

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.

Project Mexico Gap Year Internship

Project Mexico is happy to announce its first formal year-long internship program.

The program will be held in Eagle River, Alaska and begins September 15, 2019 and will conclude in August 2020 in Mexico. Interns will go to Mexico in early May to prepare for the summer home building season.

The program will be done in conjunction with OCMC and Saint John Orthodox Cathedral, which will provide a loving, supportive church community for the interns during their stay in Alaska. OCMC missionaries Michael and Jennifer Saur are bringing their immersive missionary experience from Project Mexico to Alaska to help set up and run the program.

Learning service development will include work at the Downtown Hope Center in Anchorage in addition to other social service agencies in Anchorage, Eagle River, and Wasilla. Work with the OCA Diocese of Alaska will be done as well as it becomes available.

There will also be opportunities for Alaskan adventures (i.e. snowboarding, skiing, hiking,etc).

Tuition for the program is $15,000. This covers the entire year and includes travel costs, rent, and a living stipend.

Space is limited, so apply immediately!

To Apply:

Contact program overseer Fr. Matthew Howell FrMatthew@ProjectMexico.org.  

Love Your Neighbor by Anna Cunningham

Home building season is upon us and we started our first week with a training build to teach our summer interns the ins-and-outs of the construction. Because this is the first build of the season, we chose the family with the most immediate needs. In this case our “family" was an elderly woman, her dogs, hens, and plants. 

She makes cookies and sells them in the market for money. All of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren live in southern Mexico and do not have the funds to visit her very often if at all. Because of this, she relies on help from friends in the community and refers to her dogs as her, “familia.” She has limited mobility in her knees and recently had surgery to regain movement in the fingers in her left hand.

She was living in a quaint apartment in Rosarito for years, but the landlord decided that he didn’t want to rent out that unit anymore and told her she had to leave by mid-April. Through the glory of God she had a lot of support from friends in the community who saw her through this difficult time. A friend she works with in the market told us about her situation, so we decided to build our first house of the season for her. Another friend owned property near where we were building the new house and let her stay there during the 45 day transition. Someone else has been looking after the dogs.

Her friends constructed temporary housing near the new home out of left-over wood, boards, and bricks. Tarps were stretched over the top to create a roof. The space was well-constructed, and she was able to adjust her routine to acclimate to it. But each time we went to see her there was a new leak in the tarp roof. 

The land she bought is in a beautiful, peaceful area out in the hills on the outskirts of town. The owner of the land gave her 200 cinder blocks to use as she wished. Similarly, when we arrived on the first day there was a water tap conveniently located near the build site. She told us that a neighbor had put it in the night before so that we would have water during the build. She also prepared the land by hiring out a man with a machine, as many families do, striking a deal with him to exchange a chicken for his work.

Her community stepped up and helped her every step of the way above and beyond the services we provide. Project Mexico arrived with the gifts we are able to offer, built the house, and secured her living space. Project Mexico survives and thrives by blessings from God in the form of donations, interns willing to give their summers building homes, volunteers who work with us, and the local community that has welcomed us since 1988. 

“Let a friend be with you on every occasion, and let brethren be useful in necessities, for they are begotten for this reason.” (Proverbs 17:19, Orthodox Study Bible)

Glory to God for help from friends! 

8 Annual Arizona Walk for Missions

Join Us and Support the Walk!

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.

Support the Walk with a Donation!

WHEN:
Saturday, May 4 th 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:
Kiwanis Park
Tempe, AZ

 

The Straw-Bale House

Building Naturally at the Ranch

by Tina Cooper

One of the wonderful things about Project Mexico is the diversity of talents and gifts that God brings our way through our staff and missionaries as they work in synergy with the local Mexican community.

When we strive to dwell in community with one another, we see how each person’s offering contributes to our developing vision. Whether producing our own naturally made, environmentally friendly and vibrant limewash paint by iLia Anossov. Or our most recent venture into sustainable building. We see our ministry developing in fresh and creative ways when we allow space to bring forth ideas and collaborate together.

In partnership with OCF during the Spring break build session (March 11-16th, 2019) we will be building the new tiendita (Ranch store) using the straw-bale natural building technique. Natural building methods like straw-bale, cob, adobe, light straw clay and many similar methods can be traced back to ancient times. The word “Adobe” means “mud-brick” and originated in 2000 BC in Ancient Egypt.  In Omaha, Nebraska you can find houses built with this method that are over 100 years old and still standing!

Thomas Ingram, a Project Mexico missionary who specializes in developing agriculture on the ranch, recently visited a Montessori ecological school in Tecate, México. He met with established teacher and naturalist, Cesar Valdarama, who created a native plant palette for the ranch at Project Mexico. With his love for botany and ecology, Cesar has researched the biodiversity of native plants and their benefits for human development and the entire ecosystem in which we live. While there, Thomas was intrigued by buildings on the site that were made of natural building materials. The buildings were the work of the architect, Tonatiuh Magaña.

Thomas and homebuilding coordinator, Oliver Fahling, explored the advantages of building with natural materials. This construction had the potential to become a mainstay of our ministry. They contacted Tonatiuh and the proof-of-concept project of building our new tiendita using the straw bale method at Project Mexico was proposed. Tonatiuh agreed to lead the build! The project was approved by the rest of the Project Mexico team.

Tonatiuh Magaña

Tonatiuh, who holds a Masters degree in Architecture specializes in construction with natural materials. He began building natural structures about 12 years ago. Trained by international and national experts, he has worked on various ecological farm projects in South America. For the last five years, he has designed houses, cabins and educational spaces (such as the school in Tecate) made of straw bales, bajareque and Adobe. He chose to specialize as a natural builder because it allows him to leverage reusable materials and because he likes having the ability to build his own home. Likewise, Thomas who has some experience of cob building likes this approach because, “it allows for better stewardship of the environment.”

Aside from the benefits of using natural materials, these buildings have efficient insulation properties, reducing or even eliminating the cost of heating or cooling the home during winter and summer. Once they are very old, they can then be torn down and allowed to decompose into the ground without having to dispose of drywall or deal with any harmful chemicals.

It’s not just about sustainability for Thomas though, he also prefers the aesthetics of the natural built home stating, “You have the ability to make a natural building for the same cost or less than a conventional building while achieving a much better aesthetic value. These buildings look really nice when completed”.

Interestingly, the idea of using natural building methods are not new to the vision of Project Mexico. Greg Yova, Project Mexico’s founder had similar objectives from the very beginning of the ministry. Greg was intentional in establishing an environment on the ranch that was self-sustaining in a time when sustainability wasn’t as highly valued or practiced. Alongside staff that had an interest in gardening they recognized the importance of growing plants that are native to the land so that they could thrive and use less resources. Greg and his staff created a plan to assess which plants would do well on the ranch, paying attention to sun exposure and shade. From the outset, grey water (water from bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, and washing machines) has been used to water the plants of the ranch instead of being processed through the septic system.

Pigs were also farmed and fed discarded food from local restaurants. The pig waste was then used for soil fertilization. Utilizing resources in different ways through their life cycle was something Greg valued and part of what he considered to be good stewardship of the earth and its resources.

The straw-bale method was also researched as a viable option in the early days of the Project Mexico homebuilding ministry. The team were much in favor of this technique for building their homes because of the numerous benefits including the acquisition of materials locally instead of internationally imported lumbar. However, the lack of expertise at a time when the ministry was still being established meant that it would have been a challenging road to take.

We’re thrilled to announce preparations for this exciting new endeavour are underway! During our Spring build session, we’ll be building the new Tiendita using the straw bale method. First, we must raise funds and recruit volunteers. You can help bring this to life this March! College students are encouraged to register through OCF. Parish groups of all ages are invited to register as well as individuals.

We have also opened up our Spring building schedule! Parish groups or individuals can provide a great service to our ministry and help Project Mexico on many different projects.

Day trips and week trips are available!

If you believe in this venture but can’t come and build with us your contribution to our Tiendita campaign. Your generous contribution will help us bring the project to fruition.

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

Migrant Caravan

We wanted to take this opportunity to update our supporters on the migrant caravan that arrived in Tijuana this fall. The caravan consists of people seeking asylum in the U.S. from violence and famine in Central America. This is not the first group of migrants that have arrived in Tijuana. Tijuana has many Haitians, El Salvadorians, South Americans, and Columbians who have settled in Tijuana over the past forty years.  

Mexican authorities and local charities in Tijuana have years of experience and ability in aiding and managing groups of migrants at the US/Mexico border. In fact, most of the fast-paced growth in the city is from migrants who cannot get across the border. Instead, they stay and thrive. 

The migrant caravan consists of political asylum seekers from south and central America. Many are fleeing gang and narcotics-related violence from major cities like Tegucicalpa, Honduras or from rural areas plagued by drought. Thousands have been sheltered at the Benito Juarez Sports Complex and State authorities are busy organizing the camp while limiting disruption for Tijuana residents and businesses. 

A nearby Catholic Charity’s soup kitchen helps feed and supply them. Nuns from the Catholic Charities use volunteers year-round to feed the homeless near the San Ysidro border crossing. At Saint Innocent Orphanage we dedicate the week leading up to Christmas making and distributing tamales at the border while singing Christmas Carols. Last year, our Interns spent their off-time as volunteers at the Nun’s Kitchen.  

“On Sunday the 25th of November my family and I were planning to go to San Diego. As we reached the crossing, frustrated migrants rushed the border. For less than 15 minutes, there was a half-hearted attempt to cross a very hardened border crossing. Mexican police and American Border Patrol agents had been preparing for weeks for this occasion. The entire event was resolved in minutes. Since then, everything has returned to normal. More programs are offered to migrants to assimilate into Tijuana.

Mexican work weeks are often six days of twelve-hour shifts. Thousands of visa holders also cross the border every day to work in America and return at night. There is a well-organized commute system of walking lanes, public transit, and ride sharing. At Project Mexico, I cross four-to-six times a week. 

The migrant caravan revealed to me the immense beauty of the professionals and volunteers in Tijuana who have dedicated their lives and money in the alms giving ministries. This is why people come to Project Mexico. - Mike Saur OCMC Seminarian

The migrant caravan revealed to me the immense beauty of the professionals and volunteers in Tijuana who have dedicated their lives and money in the alms giving ministries. This is why people come to Project Mexico. 

Many charities in Tijuana are showing how to deal with the situation like the migrant caravan with love and compassion. Charities have provided lodging, clothing and food. Many migrants have taken offers of employment. The way the authorities managed and dealt with the situation limited the disruption to a single episode.” - Mike Saur – OCMC Seminarian Intern

Project Mexico hosts 5 OCMC interns and their families, several US staff, including Fr. Nicholas, Pres. Merilynn, and their families live in Mexico. We regularly cross the border numerous times each week and experience little to no interruptions in our operations. In fact, the ongoing plight of the refugees will likely increase the need for our services of building homes and providing support to orphans over the foreseeable future as they await their asylum claims to be heard over the next several years.

The people of Tijuana and Mexico are resilient. We pray this immigration crisis can find a timely workable resolution. 

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

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