By Theodora Veronis
AFTER MY FIRST HOMEBUILDING INTERNSHIP IN MEXICO IN 2018, I THOUGHT TO myself, ‘this was a great summer, but once was enough. I need to be thankful for this (opportunity), keep it in my soul, and bring this joy to the next adventure life gives me.’ But the following summer I found myself at Project Mexico again. I felt similarly at the end of that season, thinking that the summer of 2019 would my last full summer. Yet, I applied again for 2020.
When I wasn’t able to return because of the pandemic, the spirit of the ranch continued to live in me, but my expectation of interning again slowly faded. Anytime I spoke of Project Mexico, I smiled and remembered my experience with fond memories. It is a place that is so near to my heart. I was convinced that my summers of homebuilding were finished. However, God had plans for me to return to the ranch with a different mission. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work closely with the children at St. Innocent Orphanage.
The lesson I have learned is that the education program is much more than teaching lessons and helping the boys catch up in areas that may have been delayed. As a fellow coworker pointed out to me, when the boys get to the ranch, they aren’t at school anymore. This is their life. The work that the staff do cannot be placed in a category because that isn’t the way that life at home functions. C.S. Lewis compares the love that comes with our faith to salt. Faith and love, like salt, are not meant to be isolated. They exist to enhance everything around us! Faith and love are not simple pillars of the organization, rather they are present everywhere and fulfilling in all things. I have witnessed those who work at the orphanage put in tireless hours because they are who the boys have as a family. They are not just teachers who are planning lessons but are people who are using their gifts to share love as they help out with homework, wrap textbooks, or size for uniforms. They share love when the kids get distracted or act out or share stories about their pasts.
I had a professor who told me that a good life is one where you admire those you surround yourself with and are proud of who you are becoming. I can confidently say that my short time thus far has put me on that track. Anyone who ministers with Project Mexico learns that there is a thin separation between work and life. The boys who live here are not projects that need fixing but are children of God who have been placed in our lives to love. This type of love is one that takes priority above all else. It is at times too much to bear. I have not yet fully been able to understand this feeling. I have a long way to go before that happens. However, I have at least witnessed the love and service since I began this path, and I am grateful.