2008 Woodie Awards
Chi Alpha volunteers help children at Mexican orphanage
Judith Mikes
Issue date: 2/24/06 Section: Diversions
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The ERAU chapter of Chi Alpha went on their annual Missions trip to an orphanage in Mexico over the Presidents' Day weekend in February. The Bethel Orphanage in San Luis, Mexico is the home of approximately thirty children right now, with ages ranging from toddlers to teenagers.
Chi Alpha, which stands for Christ's Ambassadors, is a nationwide campus support group associated with the Assemblies of God church. Its members come from all backgrounds, though, and were united on this trip with one goal in mind: "First and foremost, our purpose of going there is for the kids, and just to show them that they are loved, and that there is someone out there who does love them. And that the way we love them, God loves them so much more. And then we take care of the physical needs they have. We donate money just for the physical needs they have to survive, and then we do work," said Suwilanji Pilula, a Junior in Space Physics and one of the student leaders of the ERAU branch of Chi Alpha.
The contingent from Prescott was joined by members of the ASU chapter of Chi Alpha. No problems were encountered at the Mexican border, either coming or going, except with traffic: it took two or more hours to clear the border on the return trip.
Once in Mexico, the students got right to work, putting a new roof on a pavilion which provided shelter from the burning sun for children playing underneath. Once the roof was affixed, the underside of the pavilion was freshly painted.
The nearby Boys' Home, for boys 13 and older, also came under the ministrations of the Chi Alpha workers, who helped set up a hostel for people to stay in. Apart from that, students devoted time to playing with the children, giving them attention and affection that they might not normally receive in such large quantities at the orphanage.
"I think my favorite [part of the trip] had to be watching the kids eat ice cream. They lined up and we were just serving them different kinds of ice cream in different colored cones, and their eyes were just so wide. They were looking up to us with this expectation and joy and love, and it just made me think 'When did I lose that?' It reminded me of the simplicity of life, and how we overcomplicate it most of the time," said Pilula.
Chi Alpha, which stands for Christ's Ambassadors, is a nationwide campus support group associated with the Assemblies of God church. Its members come from all backgrounds, though, and were united on this trip with one goal in mind: "First and foremost, our purpose of going there is for the kids, and just to show them that they are loved, and that there is someone out there who does love them. And that the way we love them, God loves them so much more. And then we take care of the physical needs they have. We donate money just for the physical needs they have to survive, and then we do work," said Suwilanji Pilula, a Junior in Space Physics and one of the student leaders of the ERAU branch of Chi Alpha.
The contingent from Prescott was joined by members of the ASU chapter of Chi Alpha. No problems were encountered at the Mexican border, either coming or going, except with traffic: it took two or more hours to clear the border on the return trip.
Once in Mexico, the students got right to work, putting a new roof on a pavilion which provided shelter from the burning sun for children playing underneath. Once the roof was affixed, the underside of the pavilion was freshly painted.
The nearby Boys' Home, for boys 13 and older, also came under the ministrations of the Chi Alpha workers, who helped set up a hostel for people to stay in. Apart from that, students devoted time to playing with the children, giving them attention and affection that they might not normally receive in such large quantities at the orphanage.
"I think my favorite [part of the trip] had to be watching the kids eat ice cream. They lined up and we were just serving them different kinds of ice cream in different colored cones, and their eyes were just so wide. They were looking up to us with this expectation and joy and love, and it just made me think 'When did I lose that?' It reminded me of the simplicity of life, and how we overcomplicate it most of the time," said Pilula.