Unbeknownst to each other, local student groups from two Catholic schools trekked to Tijuana, Mexico, last month on the same day to build shelters, and solidarity, across borders.

On May 22, 15 junior high students along with 12 adults from St. Didacus Church in Sylmar, plus 45 high school students accompanied by 40 parents from Alverno High School in Sierra Madre, traveled to neighborhoods surrounding Tijuana.

The population in these neighborhoods has skyrocketed in the past 10 years with the establishment of "maquiladoras," manufacturing enterprises from around the world seeking cheaper labor and production costs. Many of the residents live in makeshift homes constructed from garage doors and the walls of mobile homes. Most residents live without running water, electricity or insulation from the weather.

The destination for the St. Didacus group of eighth graders was the San Eugenio Mission in La Morita, an older "new" neighborhood in existence for 10 years on the outskirts of the Tijuana border. On their two-day mission, the students helped to construct a lattice sunshade for the Casa Misionera volunteer center, painted buildings at the center and played with the local children.

The neighborhood of Nuevo Milenio in Tijuana, which sprang up around four years ago, was the site of the Alverno mission project where the students constructed a home on a hilltop in one day for the five-member Torres Ruiz family. Part of the labor involved lugging supplies and materials up the hill.

Bridging borders
Planning for the trips began months ago at the respective schools as St. Didacus youth minister Mike Gonzales and Alverno campus minister Chris McGuiness began to organize the mission service trips. Gonzales collaborated with the Crossing Borders Program of the archdiocesan Mission Office while McGuiness worked with Corazon, an Orange County organization that helps build homes, schools and community centers in Mexico.

According to Jennifer Neil, archdiocesan Crossing Borders director, the goal of the program's mission trips is to encourage students to reflect on issues of global, economic and social justice and to be aware that concern for these issues are an integrated part of a balanced lifestyle of Christian service.

"It's important to show young people that a commitment to service and a concern for economic and social justice do not restrict life choices but rather are an integrated part of a balanced lifestyle of Christian service and awareness," explained Neil.

"The trip provided a lot of education to the students," said St. Didacus parent Moises Carrillo, who accompanied his son, Erik, 14, to Tijuana. "They were surprised at the amount of poverty and the lack of utilities, roads and phones. It did shock them a little bit."

Alverno senior Jessica Bakkers, agreed that seeing the poverty first-hand was sobering. "You don't really know a place until you see it with your own eyes," she said. "I know this trip has really opened a lot of our eyes."

Christina Nunez, 14, who celebrated her birthday on the trip, said she came home and realized how much she has in comparison to those in La Morita. "I don't complain anymore," said Nunez.

Participants from both trips said they enjoyed the experience of helping others. "The highlight for me was knowing I was working for the people there," said St. Didacus' Danielle Gelbrecht, 13. "I was happy to make a difference for the kids."

Classmate Donald Pierce, 14, said the trip changed him because "I was interacting with other people and treating them equally."

"I think everyone should have an experience to make people's lives better," declared Pierce.