Project Mexico - Amazing Experience
By Allie Evangelopoulos

When I think about the week I spent in Mexico, I can honestly say I don’t have a single bad memory. You can listen to people talk about how great it was, and how many new friends they made, but I don’t believe you can understand the feeling of absolute unity that the people who participated in Project Mexico had. Everyone was connected, not only by what we were doing for people less fortunate than us, but also by a bond that can only be defined as spiritual. God was with us that week to guide us in the right path, and to open our eyes to what the world was really like.

While it was amazing seeing Moises and Maria Guadalupe get a home at the end of the week, the people who had the most impact on me were the orphan boys at St. Innocents. For the first time, I have role models. All of these boys are amazing people that have been through so much. These boys have had to live and see things that children should never be put through. But however bad their situation is, they still have the will to smile, and keep going with their lives. To me, that’s the strongest thing I have seen in a long time.

To anyone thinking about going on the trip to Mexico next year, I strongly suggest that you do. Sure, it was cold at night, and yes, there were earwigs everywhere. There was also no heated water, and when you go, you are taking the chance of getting your tent ripped open by a bull, but it was honestly the best week of my life. As an Orthodox Christian I believe everyone should have the opportunity to go on this mission trip, and experience it for themselves.