Reflection on Serving - Scott Reinhart

Ah, what a wonderful time playing and interacting with the kids and doing LOTS of repairs!  Andy was a godsend - on our many trips to Home Depot, and replacing the vans battery .  Such fun, seeing that neither Andy nor I spoke a lick of Spanish!   

But, the folks were always so accommodating and helpful!  So, except for always getting lost many times, we still conquered all projects!

Andy was a great partner for all of our plumbing, furniture and electrical endeavors. We replaced 2 toilets and a zillion toilet seats.  So fun when we took the drains off one of the sinks, and the 2 ginormous cockroaches were unhappy about us messing with their home in the plumbing.   After squealing like a little girl (me, not Andy), we conquered the buggers and destroyed their home in the down tube for one of the many plumbing. repairs.  Anyway, we were fortunate to be able to help out and clean drains and faucets  and fix electrical issues, etc.

All of the kids we interacted with had so much fun and were very helpful.  We had a great time fixing lots of projects, 

One thing that always astounds me is how much everybody cared about all of us - it is so delightful being with a team willing to do everything needed.

Well done, all of us!

Reflection on Serving - Marcia Reinhart

Three words: TEAM, YOUTH, FUN.

This is “my” room at Hogar de Amor. It is a tutoring classroom on the second floor of the girl’s dorm at Casa Matriz. I’ve been part of the sewing team for nine of my ten trips to the orphanage, for which I am very grateful. The room has tiles which are one foot square, perfect for cutting yards and yards of material.

This year, TEAM sewing was awesome. Kristel and I worked through each project before we started cutting. Her suggestions were spot on. Caroline said she was not an experienced sewer, but she could cut and organize and anticipate our needs. They were a treasure sent from heaven.

One project was to sew 21 waterproof mattress covers for the under 5 kids at Casa Cuna. Black became the new infant color since that was the only material the store had in the quantity we needed. The fitted sheets were perfect and the mattresses are now protected for another 6 years. (A team 6 years ago made the mattress covers which were well worn). A quick explanation – the mattresses are not a standard size and sheets can no longer be purchased to fit them.

We also sewed curtains for 8 windows (the sun is so hot they appreciate sun block curtains), a tablecloth and repaired numerous articles of clothing.

Speaking of team, our YOUTHFUL craft team was such a joy. Jess and Kalista created interesting and easy crafts for the kids. Easy was important for me, as I’m not very crafty.  They let the grandmother have FUN with the kids while they attended to the details. Cassidy and I had a blast. I can see the ministry at Hogar de Amor continuing for years with the next generations having a heart for the kids. 

Did I say FUN? That was my goal this year, to enjoy each moment and not stress over the jobs. Check – mission accomplished!

Reflections on Serving - Sasha Morningstar

 This was my fifth year down to Mexico, and it was another amazing trip. Went down with a big and wonderful group this year. It was the first year that we brought down a small group from our highschool youth group, and that was a truly amazing experience to spend time with the people I love and care for from my youth group. It was amazing to show them the place that I love, and to show them it and enjoy a week with them in one of my homes away from home. Not only was our small youth group amazing to hang out with, but everyone on this trip was amazing. We had such a big range of ages, and personalities, and for me that made the trip so much fun. Because we got to experience so many different things, just being around a crew for a week almost 24/7 really impacts you. 

The biggest thing I took back from the trip this year that really struck me hard this year is: Be grateful for what you have. As a teenager there are so many things that I want that I don’t have. But there’s also stuff that I do have, and I’m very ungrateful that I have it. When I’m down in Mexico, I see the kids who either don’t have new clothes or don’t have toys or they don’t have shoes. I always feel really sad and I want to immediately give them a new toy or go take them out shopping or try and give them something I have that I don’t need. At that moment, I always have to take a step back and just watch. I realize that they're ok with the things they have. They make it work. When we're down there I always see the kids happy, and it’s always before we give out the donations. It’s when we were first there and they first met us. They don’t care about getting new clothes or toys, or anything. All they want at that moment is someone to hang out with and play, someone to talk to about things they like, and someone to love them. I realize I have so much of that love to share, and at no cost. And in the long run. That is going to be so much more helpful than a pair of shoes that are going to wear out in a week. 

For me Mexico, it’s not only a place to get away, but it’s also a place to learn and take back to America to apply to my life. This year, coming down as a highschool with three others from my youth group, really pushed me to learn and listen, and take back good and hard things from the trip, and to talk about it with people around me and to apply some of those new hard things I learned to help me become a better person in my home community.

I can’t wait to go again next year with another amazing crew and another lesson and story to bring back.