Hero of the Little Mexican Girls

My name is steven, and contrary to Bianca's lies, the little girls thought I was quite funny. At the orphanage, we pushed each other around in little kid chairs...best time ever. Today at our service destination of a small, Mexican community, while Bianca was making unnecessary holes with the drill, we successfully drywalled [partially] two houses, which will be finished tomorrow. Our Mexican friend Salvador, a wonderful human being who introduced us to his family and took us to a Catholic Mass (yes, in Spanish). He has shown tremendous amounts of kindness that is overflowing from us in our work. It's been a pleasure to be part of this group on this trip. Adios.

My first day with Power Tools

Hola me llamo Bianca!! Today we had our first amazing day of Dry-walling, I have to say it was an experience, and i got to use power tools!! It really made me realize how lucky we are to live where and how we do, our horrible travel experience is nothing compared to how some people in mexico have to live. I am just thankful we have the opportunity to help at least a few people, although it may not change things for the country it makes a difference for a few families. We also got the opportunity to vist an orphanage, and I came very close to kidnapping a little girl Luchita (she is the cutest little girl i have ever seen!). I am pretty sure i'm coming back to adopt her. Oh and Steve did a very good job of scaring all the little girls hahah. Overall this has been a great experience and I can't wait to blog again tomorrow!! Thank you for all your support, you are helping make a difference for many families that need our help.

Dias en Tijuana

Hola amigos! This is Becky reporting live from Tijuana's internet cafe. My experience thus far has been awesome! Though no luggage was a bit of an issue the first night (airport difficulties), I could not ask for a better trip. I think we all fell in love with the beautiful ladies of our orphanage visit, (Rakhi tried to steal one). I also enjoyed hearing from the interesting migrants and smoking them in Texas Hold'em. Just showing them Michigan's mad poker skills :). Today we had a great day of dry walling and even though we only have two boys, the girls all used our massive muscles to get the job done. Anyways I just wanted to thank everyone supporting and contributing to our amazing experience. Hasta luego!

WE LOVE THE MEXICANS!!!

Hola como estas! Thats about the extent of Spanish that i knew before i came, and now i can ask various different questions to the Mexicans. You never really know how people live, until you have an eye opening experience. The wall that blocks the migrants from crossing the border brings tears to the eye. While you may think, there is no reason to allow immigrants to enter, it is only done under dire and drastic circumstances. Many men are trying to provide food for their familes. I was provided with the opportunity to mingle and converse with the migrants we are staying with. I was surprised to find that a grandpa was ever a part of the group. He and his son are going to try to make the journey across, and when you hear their reasoning you begin to understand that life is not so black and white. I was touched by their stories, and it only made me want to do all that i can to help, becuase their struggle is something that i am priviledged to help with. More stories and adventures to come!

Bienvenidos A Tijuana!

After all of our travel complications we finally made it to Tijuana and then to an Internet cafe! But we forgot our passwords for the blog (sorry!) so this is Katie. Yesterday we went to the orphanage and I wanted to adopt a little girl who looked like Dora the Explora! I didn't think child smuggling was the best thing to do so I opted to just play with her. Today we worked on homes on the poorer side of town. It really puts things into perspective; the travel issues seemed so trivial compared to what they live with everyday. The city is bigger than I thought and the Mexican food is great! I love the group we are with and am so glad I get to experience this with them. Adios for now!

Travel Troubles - an update!

For those who were looking for a blog on Sunday or Monday from the OU and Uof M students please be patient ... they spent most of those days in the airport and have just begun service experiences today.

Their difficulties started on Saturday afternoon when their American Airlines flight was cancelled due to bad weather in Dallas TX. So they were re-booked on a Delta flight leaving at 6:00 am on Sunday morning. All seemed well when they checked in their luggage - got their boarding passes and proceeded to the gate for seat assignments. At the gate the agent told them the flight was oversold and they had no seats. Of course they complained - less than 10 minutes before they were confirmed for seating. So the agent then had a great idea! She woud solve the problem re- booking them on a NWA flight that would get them to San Diego one hour earlier that morning. Good News - that is until they got to the NWA gate to find that no such flight existed ... the Delta agent had mistakenly read AM for what was clearly marked on NWA's schedule as PM. so they were sent back to Delta... their 6:00 am flight gone!

Yes - she did apologize for her mistake! Nice, except that the "mistakes" continued! She booked five of the nine on a 8:00 Delta flight in hopes they might make their connecting flight to San Diego... that did not happen and the five sat in Atlanta for hours finally arriving in San Diego at 6:30 p.m.
The other four were booked on a NWA flight to Phoenix then were to transfer to America West for the final flight to San Diego! Sounds good but it isn't... she failed to complete the entire re-booking transaction and they had no seats on the America West flight. Stranded in Phoenix!

Each of the airlines involved sent the four from desk to desk claiming it was the other Airlines responsibility..... America West offered to fly them to LA with no provisions of getting them to San Diego....

In the end, AOD Campus Ministry bought them new tickets on Southwest - the only airline going to San Diego with available seats. They joined the other five around 6:30 p.m. only to wait a few hours for luggage that "might be on the next flight". It wasn't, so they left and went on their way to Casa Del Migrante! Their luggage arrived in San Diego around 1:30 p.m. Monday!

All participants in the first Tijuana Service Trip are safe at Casa Del Migrante and have their luggage. they will begin their service program this morning and will share it with you a little later!

Keep them in your prayers for their flight back on March 3, 2007 ... and consider giving Delta and American Airlines a call about the poor service given to these students! Believe it or not all of the airlines have strict rules about oversold flights ...none of which were followed! Their initial delay on Saturday was due to weather which is understandable ..... the saga on Sunday was due to an oversold flight, incompetence and poor customer service!

Mi Casa es Su Casa!

Hi, my name is Megan Maloney and I'm a campus minister at UMDearborn and Henry Ford Community College. Together with Rakhi Roy, I'll be taking a group of 10 wonderful students from UMD and OU to Tijuana, Feb 24-Mar 3, for a spring break service trip. "Mi Casa es Su Casa" means "My House is Your House." We are grateful for the hospitality of the Scalabriano Fathers, whose Casa del Migrante (House of the Migrants) is where we will be staying. The Casa del Migrante is a place of hospitality for many Latin American migrants who seek better paying jobs to support their families. We'll be helping to reinforce the houses of the poor in Tijuana whose homes are barely liveable. This project started a few years ago when a little baby died in her own home of exposure because the houses are so poorly insulated. For me, "Mi Casa es Su Casa" expresses both the hospitality of the Scalabriano Fathers at the Casa del Migrante, and the solidarity of our students and donors with the poor of Tijuana whose houses need some TLC. My House is Your House...and Your House is My House!

Katie

Hello, my name is Katie. I am a freshman at Oakland University and will be a member of the Tijuana Service Trip. I am a Spanish major, and am reasonably fluent, so with any luck I will be of some assistance on the trip! My whole life I have been called to service opportunities, including the program my family and I founded and run for the mentally impaired adults in our community called “Ortonville Specials.” My long-term goal is to graduate, join the Peace Corps, and be placed in South America. I am exceptionally appreciative of those who are sponsoring us, and I am looking forward to keeping everyone updated as our journey advances.

Jill

Hello, my name is Jill, and I am one of the OU students serving on the missions team leaving Saturday, February 24th. I'm really excited about this trip and the ability to be of service to the Scalabrini Fathers’ ministry in Tijuana. God has called me to long term missionary work in the future and look forward to this opportunity to serve in Mexico. This is not my first overseas missions trip, but this will be my first time in Mexico! I know that God will bless this trip and I can't wait to see what He has in store. I'm extremely thankful to those who are sponsoring us so we are able to bless others. I look forward to sharing more with you as our trip progresses.

Erik

erikcoules said...
Hello, My name is Erik Coules and I am a recent edition to the Archdiocese of Detriot as a Campus Minister for the Blue Water Region. I am very excited about the upcoming alternative spring break. I was happy to accept the invitation to attend and hopefully will be able to take students from my area next year. I work in Port Huron and the students in that area do not have much for spring break options. I am looking forward to the time spent working down there for a number of reasons. To name just a few, I will have a chance to work side by side other young adults who are interested in serving others. I will also be able to experience first hand another culture which seems to be radically different than my own. Furthermore I must say that I am grateful for the opportunity to inform others about programs like this one that offers college students the ability to put to use their God given time and talents to serve people who are living in such poverty. If you are going on the trip with me I am looking forward to meeting you. And if you have donated money helping the Archdiocese make this trip possible I thank you for your generosity.
Sincerely, Erik Coules

Donor Information

All Donors:

Please send checks to
Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry
305 Michigan Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226

Make checks payable to: Archdiocese of Detroit
Student Service Outreach in the memo

For more information on our Spring Break Trip link to:

http://www.aodonline.org/aodonline-sqlimages/CampusMinistry/070207GOL.pps


We thank you for your donation!

Check back next week - we will introduce ourselves!

Beginning the last week of February we will begin a blog of our daily experiences.