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Mission trip spreads love
•andieDIEMER
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pproaching
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Casa Hogar Sion, a small orphanage in an underdevel-
Aoped region in Tijuana, Mexico, senior Alyssa Van Camp is greeted
Van Camp said. “It took a long time to get down to it, but the reason we
were there, the reason we were doing it, was because we loved them.”
by wide grins and embraces. Th ough a throng of children immerse her, a Barger said most of Casa Hogar Sion’s volunteers come from Califor-
small girl named Gayla tails behind and catches Van Camp’s att ention. nia for a day; FCC’s trip is unusual since do not live locally and stay for a
With an English accent and broken Spanish, Van Camp introduces her- week, creating a service experience at the heart of student leadership.
self, eventually picking up Gayla and cuddling her in her arms. Meeting Diff ering from the spring trip, he said it is still equally as important.
and intera� ing with other children for a few minutes, Van Camp glances “Th ough there is few tangi�le results [compared to building houses],
down at Gayla, realizing not fi ve minutes has
the biggest was est a�lishing relationships
ensued since her arrival, and she is already UAHS Casa Hogar Sion 2005 trip participants:
with kids to show them they are loved, they
asleep in her arms.
Ryan Harer (12)
Dana Skaggs (12)
do have a place in this world, and they deserve
Even though this is only her third visit to
Casa Hogar Sion, her smile widens for her
impact is already apparent.
Megan Huneck (12)
Emily Kennedy (12)
Megan Maghie (12)
Clara Parks (12)
Alyssa Van Camp (12)
Molly Kiefaber (11)
Mary Hinga (11)
Chloe Tarrier (11)
the att ention we’re giving,” Van Camp said.
Van Camp said rewards come in various
forms. Besides intera� ing with kids dur-
Many UAHS students are familiar with
ing the day, the group att ended a variety of
First Community Church’s (FCC) annual
church services at night to learn diff erent
spring break Mexico Mission Trip, where
faiths and become immersed in their culture.
kids construct a house for impoverished
“I � eak litt le Spanish, but everywhere we
families, but Casa Hogar Sion is a newer trip
went the words ‘Gloria a Dios’ were used,” Van
off ered by the church.
Camp said. “Th at means ‘Glory to God.’”
Jason Barger, director of High School
Th at phrase chara� erized her time � ent
Ministry at FCC, met the orphanage’s own-
at the orphanage.
ers, Jorge and Carmen Gonzalez following
“We all admire Carmen and Jorge,” Van
a 2002 mission trip. He said the Gonzalez’s
Camp said. “Everything they do, all their ac-
are great people, so the concept of an annual
tions in life, is glory for God; they are thankful
small-group mission trip naturally arose.
for everything and don’t ask for it; we all strive
“Th ey ask for nothing, so most of our giv-
to live our lives similarly.”
ing is suggestion,” Barger said. “I made sure we
photo courtesy • danaSKAGGS Van Camp said Gonzalez’s example makes
were helpful with what they truly needed.” Senior Alyssa Van Camp holds Gayla, a Mexican or- the orphanage so rare.
Barger’s idea of bringing students to the
orphanage was well received.
phan. To learn more or make a donation, visit www.
casahogarsion.com.
“Th e kids follow the example Carmen and
Jorge give out, just thinking and giving though
On Oct. 31 Barger, three leaders and 12 a� ive FCC high school stu- they don’t have to,” Van Camp said. “Th ey realize the place they’re in and
dents fl ew to San Diego, and then drove two miles across the border. make the best of what’s around them; in all their a� ions they’re always
“When presented with the opportunity to go to the orphanage, I knew loving towards each other.”
nothing was really going to stop me from going,” Van Camp said.
Barger said the second annual seven-day mission trip was � ent ex-
Even though she missed a successive week of school and paid the • entire
trip fee of $475 herself, Van Camp has no regrets.
ploring what it meant to be a servant leader in the world.
“I made every sacrifi ce because I knew it would be an experience that
“Unlike the [spring break] Mexico trip, we didn’t take a huge group so was totally worthwhile,” Van Camp said. “And it was.”
we wouldn’t overwhelm them,” Barger said. “We just wanted to help.” Barger said since his fi rst meeting with the Gonzalez’s he sensed a
Van Camp said waking up at 6:30 a.m. was followed by devotional, strong feeling that something positive could come of their relationship.
journal time and refl ecting as a group. Aft er eating with the kids (all meals “It’s such a great opportunity for everybody to live in their community
were consumed at the orphanage), their morning work projects consisted of love and compassion,” Barger said. “It’s just the beginning of a relation-
of repainting and cleaning the entire property.
ship and discovering how to continue to help.”
Barger was also hoping to tile a soup kitchen the Gonzalez’s support, He said the tight community makes Casa Hogar Sion so powerful.
but time ran out; they left their materials in the hope that other groups “Th e spirit is just alive at this place,” Barger said. “It’s just the most in-
would continue to construct it in their place.
fecting, loving spirit.”
Van Camp said even though all their physical morning labor was a As the group gave their last hugs and solemnly walked away from Casa
large “material” priority, intera� ing with the kids was even more vital and Hogar Sion, the words “no adios!” echoed in Van Camps mind.
consumed most of their aft ernoon time.
“Th ey didn’t want us to leave,” Van Camp said. “And neither did we.”
“We were there to help out and see what we could do,” Van Camp said. As Van Camp say goodbye to Gayla, Barger was reminded of the awe-
“A big way was to be a�le to give them 16 more hands for their 120 kids fi lled conversation that had followed the discovery of the dozing child.
besides their usual six adults; we were just there to love them.”
“[Th at’s when] we realized that was the real reason we were there,”
She said the message to work in love was prevalent with all they did. Barger said. “To hold kids that don’t get to be held as much as they should
“One morning we talked about painting and why we were doing it,” be; to spread love and compassion.”
DECEMBER 16, 2005 Arlingtonian
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