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.

Reflection on Serving - Jacob Harvey

The Colima Trip 

My memoir happened last week. Last week was spring break. Usually on spring break we go somewhere and have fun as a family. But last week me and my mom went to Colima, Mexico and helped at an orphanage. The kids there taught me alot. They had unconditional love. Accepting anybody that went there. My week there went like this.

We got off the plane in Guadalajara. We had to walk down the runway and onto a high tech bus and went through customs. After that we had drivers from the orphanage drive us down to the hotel, we took two 16 passenger vans. The next day was Sunday, we went to a Spanish Speaking church that had tortillas for communion. Then we went to the market where everybody was so nice I felt like I was at a family reunion. The market was like a large warehouse that they stripped and put fruit and meat stands in. After that we had a party at the orphanage. Our team made balloon swords and I took one and went off. I thought “well, here goes nothing.” Two kids were sword fighting together. One girl Diana, I would later get to know, was fighting against a boy with two swords and they decided to attack me too. The boy with two swords ran off to attack someone else. I thought that I should go easy on her. I didn’t have to, she was good. Her sword was unseen and at the end of the night I was hot and sweaty from sword fighting. Cool showers are great in Mexico!

Monday: We had a camp kinda like a summer camp. There were centers, one was sports, one was music and games, and one was crafts. I was in the sports group. Monday we had kids hold a water bottle on their heads and we would line up and run to a water bucket and fill up a six ounce cup and run back and pour it in the bottle. It was a relay. Then we repainted a house for the rest of the afternoon and it was a big house! We thankfully did not have to paint this all today but we had to get started (you can’t have a finish without a start.) The walls at the house were at least 20 feet high and there were a lot of nooks and crannies that had to be painted. It also had two colors, one lighter yellow one and one darker yellow. The house had two balconies. One was small and was very cramped and the other was a great big one that wrapped around the two story house. We had to paint the balconys and their overhanging roofs too. The house had lots of windows and the windows had screens that had to be removed to paint around them but before we could paint them we had to dust around the edges. The bars on the windows had to be repainted black. At the end of the day I had new yellow freckles, sprinkles in my hair (made of paint) and was so tired.

Tuesday: In sports we did water balloon catch. Each group had a towel and us leaders would launch water balloons in the air. Whoever caught the most won (without popping the balloon.) The kids were so funny, they would find out where the balloon would go and then do anything to get it. After a while they would start caching the water balloons every time. It was awesome! We would try to catch the balloons but they would pop and explode sending water everywhere. The kids were soaked head to toe and we had a big water balloon fight at the last 5 minutes of each rotation. It felt good in the Mexico heat! Later we went back to painting and me and my friend Cooper got extendables and painted the high walls. This is when we went up on the smaller balcony and painted from up there. Cooper got more done there than I did because I don’t like staying in a cramped high place for long. We painted the roof up there and had to let paint get in our eyes (it stung like crazy!). After lunch I had the biggest headache ever and I went to the quiet sewing room because my mom was there. I probably got too hot and dehydrated.

Wednesday: My group did nine square with a huge super bouncy ball. I kept getting out because someone would hit it to me and I would hit it and the ball would bounce around my square and I would get out. There was this one girl that during instructions she would try to hit the ball out of my hands and she was laughing so hard. After activity centers we went back to paint for a couple hours and then we went to the little kids home. Casa Cuna, where we had lunch, then held an easter egg hunt for the kids. I drank a Mexican coke and I started to paint the yellow house again. I got to swim in our hotel’s swimming pool to cool off and play. Then we went to Casa Matriz (the main home) for Taco dinner. The kids that live there range from 6 to12 years old. At 8pm we held another egg hunt for these kids. This one went for about an hour and in the dark. I helped some kids in the last 20 minutes to find the last eggs.

Thursday: Instead of activity centers me and Cooper went to help repair a large rock wall that prevents water from running into the houses in rainy season. We had to lift buckets of cement and we could not carry a full bucket so we had them half full. After that we went on a hike with the Teen girls and ran up a mountain to look at a volcano. Then walked through an avocado farm and back down to the vans at sunset. We drove to our tour guides coffee shop to have yummy burritos. I got car sick on the winding roads. We also played bamboozled with jelly beans after dinner. I think I went to bed at 11pm that night.

Friday: We did activity centers with the kids after breakfast. My group did sponge launing and we would catch the wet sponges with our hands. Me and this one girl Itsel would catch one and dump it on each other's head. After that I painted and took a COVID test to be able to fly back into the US. Then we went back to the hotel and me and Cooper played baseball with a beach ball with inflatable kickboards in the kiddie pool. We went back to the orphanage for dinner and song presentations by the kids. We said goodbye to all the kids and Itsel hugged me and didn’t want to let go. The kids never want us to leave. We are like family to them, some people were crying.

This week by far has been the most memorable week of my life. The kids there taught me alot. Writing these words on paper made the most exciting week of my life sound dull, to see it like I experienced it, you have to go experience it too! For 9 years, each year a group goes to Colima, Mexico to spend time with these kids.

Reflection on Serving - Kristel Lundberg

In Mexico, and Everywhere, My Hands are Enough

I have always struggled with the notion that I am enough.  Enough for my family, my job, my friends, my community, my church, my God.  Coming up on our trip to Hogar de Amor in Mexico I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to communicate enough in Spanish, that I wouldn’t be fit enough to offer the kind of help requested, that I wouldn’t be open or spritual enough to receive the lessons I could learn there.

Luckily, I AM ENOUGH!  God found a way to show me in Colima, Mexico, surrounded by His people, living life as He intended, that I am enough for his guidance and his love.

I was on the “sewing team” on our mission trip.  Lucky for me it wasn’t painting, that was some hard work, but I was also a bit apprehensive.  I really don’t sew much.  I learned in junior high and have probably only pulled out my sewing machine once or twice each year since I have been an adult.  

 Our team started with waterproof mattress covers.  All straight lines, pretty straight forward.  The thing is, I have never in my life started a sewing project without struggling with the bobbin, sewing a bit and then having to rip out what I just did because I had missed a step, or started inside out or backwards.  Monday, our first day working in Mexcio, I didn’t have to undo, rip out, or start over on a single thing.  When that continued on Tuesday, I started thinking, maybe God has a hand in this sewing thing.  He could be guiding my hands, helping me to be as productive as possible.  I also kept thinking, yeah right.  My sewing project is the last thing on His mind and I’m just reaching for ways to feel connected to Him.  By Wednesday, I really did feel his presence with me.  I was connected to him.  I was sewing with his Spirit, I was praying for His guidance, I was enough for his help.  

Our week was simply amazing!  In Colima, we took communion and heard a beautiful sermon on unity, we prayed together, we played together, we laughed and we cried together.  I learned more about how to have a relationship with God than I have learned in the rest of my life combined.  I learned about gratitude.  I learned about joy and love.  I made life long friends.  I received and gave more hugs from the cutest kiddos in all the land than I ever thought possible.  

In one of our team devotionals, Kristin Smith asked us to think of something, a memory, something physical, something written down, that we could take with us to remember the week by.  I will always carry with me a bobbin.  With it, I hope I will always remember the fact that I am enough for God.  I am enough for his help, for his guidance, for his love and support.  We are all enough.  These orphans at Hogar de Amor and the caregivers there are enough.  I feel so genuinely blessed to have had this opportunity, and I am so grateful that I am enough!

Reflection on Serving - Kristin Smith

Hogar de Amor is a special place. I've been on lots of mission trips before, but I've never been anywhere quite like this. 

After spending a week with some truly beautiful people, I came home with so many stories and having learned so much.

However, there is one moment that stands out above the rest for me. Although it was a seemingly small and insignificant moment, to me, it was something I'll never forget. 

One of the days we were there, we got to spend a little bit of time with the littles in Casa Cuna, where babies through 6 years old live. Cutest. Kids. Ever. 

Anyway, it was just a couple of weeks before Easter so we brought bags that they could decorate and then they got to do an Easter egg hunt. Before the hunt, we sat on the floor and helped them decorate their bags. I sat and helped these cute little twin girls and a handsome little guy. Then we all went outside and each child was told they could collect just 5 eggs each, so things would be fair among them. Each egg contained 2 small pieces of candy. They came back in and opened all the eggs and most started stuffing the candy in their mouths. I was walking around, taking a few photos, when the little boy I had helped walked up to me and handed me one of his pieces of candy. Then he handed my daughter one, too. We gave him a big thank you for sharing and off he went. 

But I was stopped in my tracks. That little boy only had about 10 pieces of candy, and he had just given 2 away. Immediately I was reminded of Mark 12:41-44 where Jesus highlights the faith of a widow who gave out of her poverty. This 3 year old didn't have much, yet out of his limited resources, he gave, and he gave freely and joyfully. 

It was the perfect picture of how my attitude should be about giving, whether that's giving directly back to God through tithing, or through my time or other resources to others. It showed his perfect trust that his needs would be met, so he could freely share what he had.

I struggle with giving sometimes and I want to hold on to what I have. But I desire to have a giving heart like that little boy, and to have the faith of a child. I pray that now when it comes to giving, I will remember him, and I will give with a cheerful heart.

Friday, our last day

By the Smiths

Friday was our final day in Colima. It was filled with a lot of hard work to finish our projects, and a lot of emotions. It's incredible to look back over just 6 days and see just how much happened. 

It was our final day with the kids doing our activities.

The coloring books and crayons that the people of CenterPoint Church generously donated were distributed to the children, and they were so excited to receive them! During craft time, they just sat and colored, so perfectly content.

During music time, they played games with the giant parachute. 

During sports time, they played a game where they had to hold hands and get a couple of hula hoops all the way around the circle. Then they went out to the field and launched wet sponges in the air while the kids tried to catch them. It made for some amusing photos. ;) 

After the children's activities, we all went right to work, trying to finish as much as we could before we left. 

The guys doing concrete continued working hard on the backside of the retaining wall, to prevent flooding during the rainy season. That is some hard work!

The sewing team finished up their projects, including curtains for the Senoritas' house.

The rest of the team was all hands on deck, desperately trying to finish painting Casa Leonel. We got just about all of it completed, and we're amazed that so much got done in just 5 days! It was a huge project and took many hands to get it done. 

Later that evening, we went back to Casa Matriz for a huge party. It was a super fun celebration, complete with pinatas, balloon animals, dinner and special choreographed dances by the kids. It was such a special time to all be together and just have fun. Then they gathered our group together in the center while they surrounded us and laid hands on us while they prayed for us. Then what followed was a bit of a blur - literally - because there were so many tears we could hardly see as we said our goodbyes and gave our last hugs. It's unreal how we can become so close to the caregivers and the children in just a few days, so much that it literally hurts to say goodbye. 

Hogar de Amor is such a special place, filled with the most selfless caregivers and strong and loving children. We will miss them all terribly and we all hope to return again some day.

 So instead of saying "adios" (goodbye) to them, we said "hasta luego" (see you later). 

Thank you for joining along with us on our journey. We coveted your prayers and your support!