This week broadened my view not only of Mexico, but people in general. Coming on the trip, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered new friends and experiences that I will never forget. This trip helped me look deeper into the lives of those who are less fortunate and how giving and serving opens up more opportunities in life. I am so glad I came on this journey with Be2Live and hope I can come again next year!
Melissa French
This week has blessed me in so many different ways. I’ve made amazing new friends, I’ve met incredible people with incredible testimonies, and I’ve experienced new ways of life that have made me realize how privileged I really am. I’m so happy I decided to come on this trip, and I can’t wait to see how my experiences here change the way I live my life back home.
Chloe Renken
This week showed me how to put aside my fears and really discover Christ and open my eyes to what people in other cultures are experiencing. Before I came here, I was a different person and I don’t think that I really thought about how blessed we all are to be living where we live. This trip opened my eyes to the number of things we could do to help the community in Mexico and our own community. Also – Hi Mommy and Daddy, I miss you!
Madeline Crowley
I came on this trip hoping to gain a newfound appreciation for what I have at home. I live in Marin County and have a good education, however I sometimes get caught up in what I do not have. Telling myself that I am lucky only resonates so much in my mind. When I arrived at the orphanage, I was greeted by waving children who immediately came up and hugged me. They came to the orphanage for different reasons, and many were abused. The fact that they were so filled with joy automatically helped me gain appreciation for my own home. I continued to meet children and adults throughout the week who lived in immense poverty, but they all had in common their joy and love for others. This trip I learned that through service, we can gain happiness and appreciation for what we have.
Katie Held
I had a great time making new friends and working to help a man build his house after being deported from the US. It was a life changing experience as I appreciate the things I have after seeing how little some of the people in Mexico have. It is fantastic and I felt safe the whole time.
-Luca Giovanni Stallone, Marin Catholic
After the “informational meeting” I was pretty nervous about going on the trip. At the meeting I learned that me and my only friend on the trip were not only the oldest in the group but the only kids from our school, SI. However the work that I did throughout the first day required all of my focus due to the fact that I was working with people from a background that I had never encountered before, which completely distracted me from my pre-trip nerves.The work we continued to do throughout the next few days opened my eyes to an aspect of poverty that I had never been exposed to. The moving work days and fun, comfortable campground activities combined for a great week which will have an impact on me for the rest of my life.
-Jafer Snipes, St. Ignatius
Before the trip, I had no idea what to expect. I had heard that it was a fun trip but only knew one person going and wasn’t even really sure what we were going to be doing. After we got to Mexico, I immediately saw the poverty that many Mexicans dealt with, and I knew we were in the right place to help. I had an amazing week doing work with different people and hearing their different stories of how they ended up where they were. They all ended with these people getting clean with the help of God. I was helping these people, but they were also helping me to recognize how fortunate I am and to look for God in my life. I got to build relationships with fellow students while working for people in need. Phil also helped us to slow down from our busy lives and think about ourselves and how we can change our lives for the better. I had a really good week and was very glad I worked with Be2live.
-Danny Ryan, St. Ignatius
