2023 Mexico Mission Trip (Part 2)

Each year, our Mexico mission trip in partnership with Amor Ministries creates new and exciting opportunities for our church family — and immediate families — to grow stronger in faith and closer in their relationships. This year was no exception. Among the many travelers who made the long trek to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, was the father-son duo of Chris and Caden Haire. 

The Haires had heard stories about the Mexico mission trip over the years, but had not experienced it themselves. Some of their friends had participated in past trips and had brought back positive, transformative stories. Still, by late 2022, the Haires hadn’t quite decided to take the leap.

Finally, the time to make a definitive decision arrived. According to Chris, his wife, Jenny, gave him a gentle nudge to jump in. His 13-year-old son, Caden, was immediately interested. 

“Caden is at that age where he’s very interested and eager to explore different experiences in the world,” Chris says. “He was jumping in with both feet, eager to go.” 

Originally, the Haires intended for their entire family to go: Chris, Jenny, Caden, and Brianna (11). However, they decided to send Chris and Caden together first to get a feel for the experience. 

Over President’s Day weekend 2023, the father-son team embarked on our Mexico mission trip with a crew of over 50 travelers.

Working Hard, Playing Hard, and Making Lifelong Memories

One of the most unique aspects of the Mexico mission trip we embark on with Amor Ministries is that they are truly work trips. Everyone who attends will have one or more roles to play, depending on the team’s needs. The days are long, but rewarding, and at the end of the experience, you’ve helped to build a home for a family in need. 

In this case, the Haires helped to build a new home for a family with four children, who had been living with relatives in Puerto Peñasco. (You can read more about their story in part one!) 

“I’ve done different kinds of volunteer work where you’re standing around, not really feeling like you’re contributing,” says Chris, “I’ve done construction before and enjoy it, but I wanted to stay busy.” 

Chris also wondered how Caden would take to the long, hot days of construction work. At home, Caden is responsible for household chores just like any 13-year-old, but those pale in comparison to the work they’d be asked to do in Mexico. But it turns out there was nothing to worry about; Caden thrived on the experience. 

“One of the surprising things about the trip was just how dedicated and focused Caden was,” Chris says. “He worked diligently and with purpose.” 

According to Caden, the pace and scale of the work helped the time fly by. He also got the opportunity to connect with the family and play soccer with their kids.

“The days sometimes got pretty long,” Caden says, “but with everything we were doing, it went by pretty fast.” 

Caden says that before the trip, he worried that the mission team might not receive clear instructions on what to do. Instead, everything was clear-cut when they arrived.

“I was thinking it might be more confusing,” Caden says, “but once we actually got down there, it was really easy to know what to do. We had really great people there to explain things to us. It was really well organized.” 

Growing Closer as Father and Son

For so many families, friends, and acquaintances who attend the Mexico mission trip together, the experience forges stronger relationships. The same is true for Chris and Caden. According to Caden, this year’s mission trip was an incredible bonding experience for him and his dad.

“We were able to share funny moments--good moments,” Caden says. “It was great to get to know everyone, and great talking and laughing with people around the campfire at night.” 

Getting away from the distractions of everyday life and immersing themselves in the work and purpose of the trip not only helped them bond more deeply as father and son. It also helped them to get to know their fellow travelers better. Before departing, they were only on a first-name basis with most of the people on the trip and continue to build on those new friendships back in Omaha. 

A Reminder of How Similar We Truly Are

For many people, traveling abroad--especially for a mission trip--highlights the blessing we have here at home, and the stark contrast of the realities many other people live in all over the world. It opens their eyes to the needs of people who may not have access to the same resources and comforts as we do in the States. But for Chris, traveling to Mexico this year highlighted the similarities of people from different cultures. 

“Knowing how big the world is and yet how similar people are is a good reminder,” he says. “I’ve traveled internationally a little bit, and it always reminds me that people are not that different, even though our cultures might be very different. It’s important to get out of your bubble.”  

According to Chris, watching Caden interact with the children of the family they were building for was incredibly profound. 

“My son doesn’t speak any Spanish,” he says, “but just to watch them interact, they were able to connect, find joy and play together.”

Chris says it was especially touching to be part of the ceremony to present house keys to the family they’d served. 

“I think you go down there thinking you’re going to make an impact in someone else’s life, and it’s easy to dismiss how impactful it’s going to be in your own life and journey,” Chris says. 

Although they had limited resources, the family insisted on serving a meal to the mission team on the final day. They grilled fish, shrimp, and ham for our team. This incredible generosity came after members of the family, including the father, had spent time working alongside the missions team to build their new home. 

Interested in Joining the 2024 Mexico Mission Trip? 

For those who might be uncertain about jumping into an international mission trip like Mexico, Chris says the experience was impactful in ways he didn’t expect. Initially, he says he struggled with the idea of going to Mexico in light of community needs right here in Omaha. But taking time to travel with Christian brothers and sisters to an entirely different country, unplugged from our usual noise at home, created unique opportunities to bond and grow in faith. 

“You’re investing in the time and expense of the trip,” he says. “I know there’s a lot of need here, but looking back at it, I’m glad we went to a different country, away from distractions. I completely underestimated the benefit of doing something like this versus spending a short couple of hours in your own community.”

Investing time and hard work into helping others also helps to deepen your connection with Jesus, according to Caden. 

“I really had a good time,” he says. “Once we were done, I felt so much better and so much more connected with Christ. I would definitely recommend it.” 

If you’d like to join us for next year’s trip, it’s time to start preparing! Anyone from 6th grade and up can participate. Get in touch with Lyndsey by email to learn more. You can sign up for the interest by clicking the button below!