Faces of Hope: Homebuilding in Mexico by Anna Cunningham

Minerva and Jose met in Chihuahua, Mexico while working on neighboring ranches. The young couple moved to Tijuana to be closer to family and lived with Jose’s mother. The young family grew with the arrival of a son. They lived in a small 10’x20’ home with eight other family members.

Shortly after giving birth to their second son, Minerva was informed by a doctor that she had cancer. A caring neighbor recommended Minerva’s family of four to our Homebuilding program. The neighborhood kids went running to fetch her for our initial interview. Most families Project Mexico builds for are interviewed several months in advance. But in this case, Minerva’s new home was scheduled to be built in just two weeks by a group of volunteers from a parish in Louisville KY.

Minerva visited the site every day with her newborn Edgar, and her 7-year-old, Jose Jr. They were amazed at how quickly the house was completed. Upon receiving the keys to their new home, they were filled with hope and excitement. Months later I returned and asked about Minerva’s health. She laughed and pointed at her infant son, Edgar and said, “There’s my cancer walking around on two feet.” The doctors had misdiagnosed her.

When I returned a few years later to conduct this follow-up interview Minerva smiled and moved her sweater to show me that a third baby is on the way. Edgar believes that the new arrival will be a little sister but Jose Jr isn’t convinced.

Those four days Project Mexico volunteers built a new home were life-changing for her family. She still remembers volunteers by name, and Jose Jr still has the coloring books and toy cars that were given to him that week. Jose Sr now works in a factory, and Minerva makes pinatas while watching the kids. They have been able to save little by little and make improvements all over the house. She smiled and said, “We can’t do things as fast as you all did, but we are getting there, bit by bit. It was a great blessing that came to us.”

In Christ,

Anna Cunningham, Homebuilding Coordinator

Are you interested in volunteering to build homes for unhoused families? Every year our Homebuilding program welcomes hundreds of volunteers from around the world to build a home for a family in six days. To learn about our homebuilding program, tap the button below.

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.

We're Back! Project Mexico Homebuilding Returns! By Anna Cunningham

Project Mexico has welcomed Spring Break groups many times in the past, but this year stood out to me. The family chosen to receive this home waited two full years after being accepted to our program before we could build for them. To say they were excited to receive my call announcing the build date is an understatement.

I met with the wife numerous times prior to construction. The family of four has been living with her parents and siblings in a trailer, slowly making payments on their land each month. Like many of our families, their wages can cover monthly land payments and food, leaving no surplus to invest in building materials. This has been the situation for many low-income families in the area for as long as we have been here building homes in the community. With the price increase in construction materials in recent years, the need for secure housing is even more critical.

After the initial call and visit the family prepared the land so we could build. Throughout the build, dozens of people approached us inquiring about our homebuilding program. Project Mexico and other non-profit organizations have built many times in the area with as many as four of our volunteer-built homes visible from the site. Due to the pandemic and subsequent border closures our programs were put on hiatus as such the community was thrilled to see us back in action.

The last day on site was charged with a special energy. Various people drove by expressing their gratitude in a mix of English and Spanish. A blue pick-up truck parked across the street and the Driver had a contagious grin. His eyes lit up as we put on the first coat of paint and he said, “Wow, it’s so big!”

Then, I noticed the woman who we were building a home for exit the truck. The man was her husband. He was seeing his brand-new house for the first time!

Much to our satisfaction, the family chose our newest Project Mexico-made paint for their new home. We all secretly hoped it would be the color chosen. We are thrilled this beautiful family has a safe and secure home to raise their family.

Homebuilding is back and we can’t wait to welcome the first groups this summer.

A total of 18 families were accepted to our program in 2020. One-by-one we have been able to build for seven of them through our Community Build Program along with smaller groups over the course of the last two years. The remaining families will be first on our list for the upcoming summer and we will finally be able to complete our long-waited promise to them.

Over the past few years, I have worked in several different capacities. In some ways, this work for Project Mexico has become normal and routine. However, this week was a beautiful reminder that the only way this program and my job exist is through kindness, generosity, and God’s grace. I’d like to thank our donors, volunteers, and community family for your kindness, time, generosity, and for your prayers.

Anna Cunningham is an OCMC Missionary and is funded via donor support, if you would like to contribute towards her mission with Project Mexico follow the link to OCMC’s donor portal here https://secure.ocmc.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2182&2182.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T

Orthodox Christians for Life

Project Mexico and St. Innocent Orphanage

Has joined with 

Orthodox Christians for Life

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On the Border by Fr. Nicholas Andruchow

Christ is in our midst!

For over 13 years I have lived in Tijuana. Because of my work, I often travel back and forth from Mexico to the San Diego area. During the pandemic, the world became more isolated and closed off. In the spring of 2020, the southern border of our great country was closed to "non-essential" travel. It was clear that bringing relief to young abandoned children would be considered essential. Therefore the work of Project Mexico and the St. Innocent Orphanage seamlessly continued. The Lord was truly watching over our boys.

From the beginning of the pandemic, it was debated that if volunteers for the homebuilding program would be considered essential travelers. The Mexican families without hesitation considered the acts of mercy of receiving a home unmistakable labor of relief. For this reason, this past summer we began to bring down groups to help the families who are suffering. By implementing COVID protocols, we responsibly came together not letting worldly fear dictate our actions. Courageously the staff at Project Mexico has planned for the summer of 2022 to be a blessed season to build homes and live the Gospel. This is encouraging to so many of us. The Church continues to live and be a vessel of God’s love.

The reason I am writing to all of you is to remind you that faith without action is a faith that is dead. (James 2:17) With hopeful sobriety, I inform all of you that the border closure is being lifted. We, people who live on the North American continent, are finding relief to travel more freely. For American citizens vaccination for those traveling outside the U.S. is a personal choice. Similarly, leaving your comfort zone, traveling to a third-world country, and building a home for a suffering family is also your personal choice.

Hundreds of Orthodox Christians are already planning to make the trip just in nine months. I challenge you to truly live your faith and make the Christ sacrifice and be an example of compassion and love.

In Christ,

Rev. Fr. Nicholas L. Andruchow
Executive Director
Project Mexico and St Innocent Orphanage

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