My first trip to Tijuana working for Esperanza was in 1992. I was 15 and it was the first time St. John Vianney partnered with Esperanza. We built Alma's house. Her husband was a baker and was very ill. Alma supported her family running the bakery and kept everyone together like a true matriarch. Alma's house was at the bottom of an extremely steep hill and the cement mixing equipment stayed at the top of the hill. Temperatures were extreme as well, especially for a crew from the Northwest. It was a very tough couple of weeks, but what we quickly realized was that the difficulties we were having were just a small taste of what Alma's family faced every day. A 12 year-old girl that lived across the dirt road from Alma befriended me. Her name was Patty and she came out and worked and (tried) speaking with us every day that we were there. We shared our work gloves and cold cokes.
The next year we went back and worked in the same neighborhood, building another house and working on a community center. Patty came out and worked and horsed around with us as much as she could. The weather was cooler and the workload easier, but the families we were helping were just as amazing.
Patty and I remained friends over the years, writing letters and sending cards. When my friend's and I graduated high school we decided we still wanted to work with Esperanza so we started the St. John's college-aged mission trek. We actually stayed with Alma and Patty's families in "our" neighborhood- even though Esperanza was building in other areas of Tijuana that summer. The hospitality we were shown remains unrivaled to this day.
In total I have made around 15 trips to Tijuana to work with Esperanza and even spent a few months my Senior year in college working for Esperanza full time as a student intern. Every family I've worked with was as amazing as the last, striving to give their children a better life than they had with love and humor. I remember being told by a gal that worked for Esperanza years ago that she also considered herself "an American" as Mexico is after all a major part of the North American continent. We joked around about her statement, but when I paused I realized that it was not only technically true, but true in spirit as well. What we in the United States like to think of as "The American Dream" - to work as hard as you can, to make a better life for your family, to give them opportunities that you didn't have, and to encourage them to make the most of those opportunities- it doesn't stop at the U.S. border. Esperanza helps these hardworking families realize their dreams.
I've seen Esperanza evolve over the years, always remaining relevant and staying true to its core value: helping people to help themselves. I've seen incredible staff members come and go, I've learned everything from the intricacies of Mexican politics to where to find the best tacos de birra from these amazing people. Esperanza
has played a major role in the formation of my views on global politics.
Patty went to culinary school, I went to law school. I fancy myself a hot-shot lawyer and I know for a fact she's a hot-shot chef. We write emails and make facebook posts now instead of sending letters and cards- a sign of the times. Esperanza continues to better the lives of both the families it helps and the people who volunteer to work with them. I could go on and on about my experiences with Esperanza and the things I've learned, but my advice is to go and see for yourself.
The next year we went back and worked in the same neighborhood, building another house and working on a community center. Patty came out and worked and horsed around with us as much as she could. The weather was cooler and the workload easier, but the families we were helping were just as amazing.
Patty and I remained friends over the years, writing letters and sending cards. When my friend's and I graduated high school we decided we still wanted to work with Esperanza so we started the St. John's college-aged mission trek. We actually stayed with Alma and Patty's families in "our" neighborhood- even though Esperanza was building in other areas of Tijuana that summer. The hospitality we were shown remains unrivaled to this day.
In total I have made around 15 trips to Tijuana to work with Esperanza and even spent a few months my Senior year in college working for Esperanza full time as a student intern. Every family I've worked with was as amazing as the last, striving to give their children a better life than they had with love and humor. I remember being told by a gal that worked for Esperanza years ago that she also considered herself "an American" as Mexico is after all a major part of the North American continent. We joked around about her statement, but when I paused I realized that it was not only technically true, but true in spirit as well. What we in the United States like to think of as "The American Dream" - to work as hard as you can, to make a better life for your family, to give them opportunities that you didn't have, and to encourage them to make the most of those opportunities- it doesn't stop at the U.S. border. Esperanza helps these hardworking families realize their dreams.
I've seen Esperanza evolve over the years, always remaining relevant and staying true to its core value: helping people to help themselves. I've seen incredible staff members come and go, I've learned everything from the intricacies of Mexican politics to where to find the best tacos de birra from these amazing people. Esperanza
has played a major role in the formation of my views on global politics.Patty went to culinary school, I went to law school. I fancy myself a hot-shot lawyer and I know for a fact she's a hot-shot chef. We write emails and make facebook posts now instead of sending letters and cards- a sign of the times. Esperanza continues to better the lives of both the families it helps and the people who volunteer to work with them. I could go on and on about my experiences with Esperanza and the things I've learned, but my advice is to go and see for yourself.
