On Sunday, October 28, 2007 Kyle and Darryl left O'Hare International Airport for a 10 day mission trip to the state of Oaxaca, Mexico to help with construction at an orphanage, Casa Hogar Alfa. They went with most of the members of the School of Ministry which Dennis and Sue Olla lead. It was the first time for Kyle and Darryl to fly on an airplane and to travel out of the Midwest. They returned with a heart eager to return there again soon.
While they were there, the young men worked in the hot sun digging water cisterns with pick-axes and shovels, and mixed and hauled literally tons of concrete to help expand the orphanage and provide space for a mission dentist clinic. The young women did lots of painting.
The orphanage was started by Freddie and his wife Berta who had been taking local cast-off children into their home in Huajuapan. Then just 3 years ago, they were given a piece of vacant land outside of town at the foot of a mountain.
All of the facilities you see here were built since then, mostly with the help of mission groups, many led by the Olla Family.
In their off-hours the crew ate Mexican food and worked on learning Spanish, while making close friendships with the children living there, as the photos clearly attest to.
The time went very quickly but the memories, of course, will last a lifetime.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in..." Matthew 25:35
