Mission Work

Building A Camper

When my parents were starting out, they initially considered getting a hardshell camper. However, they soon realized that it wouldn't be suitable for navigating the challenging mountain roads leading to Guatemala. Instead, they embarked on the ambitious project of creating their own camper. We would be like a turtle taking our shell with us.

This unique camper was designed to provide comfort in various conditions. During the day, it stayed cool, and at night, it remained warm, thanks to a clever insulation quilt. It took them a few attempts to perfect the design, but once they did, it became our home for years.

The camper's base structure was crafted from metal, but its most remarkable feature was its ability to fold down to half its size, making it incredibly portable for travel. Additionally, it was equipped with adaptable legs that could adjust to different terrains, ensuring maximum versatility and stability.

Building A Second Camper

When I was around 14, my older sister decided she wanted her own camper. While saving up funds for another trip in Texas, we set out to make it a reality. I was somehow chosen to do most of the welding while my dad cut the steel. Little by little, we pieced the trailer together and painted it to prevent rusting.

I remember the day we painted it vividly because my sister and I woke up at 2 am to start painting. We had to return the painting compressor by a certain time, so we worked diligently to finish on schedule. It was incredibly satisfying to see the final trailer completed. If people wondered what that strange-looking trailer was, they definitely found it curious to see two of these on the highway.

Projects With The Locals

When we would get to a town my sister and I were usually pretty quick to make friends with the kids, so as you might imagine, we would find ourselves helping them with all kinds of different projects. We would jump at the opportunity to go with them to help get wood or make cheese. A lot of times we would finish with our homework and then go around the village trying to find something interesting to do. In most of the villages we would visit they wouldn't have electric or anything. They would share a phone or two with the whole community and mostly used for emergencies. This one village we stayed in was around two hours from any hospital or medical facility so my parents were definitely appreciated while we were there.

Orchestra Work

After my parents did medical work in Mexico and Guatemala for a few  years they decided it was time to move on to a different idea. My parents had to deal with people dying in their car as they drove to the hospital and sometimes people just ignoring their advice for their children to go to the hospital as soon as possible just for them to die later because they didn't get the right medical attention. As you can imagine, that took a toll. At that point in time we had all been playing instruments for a while so my parents thought it would be a good idea to help others learn to play violin. This was definitely a cool project to be part of and blessed many people. We did Symphonies of Hope for several years, but as life happens, my dad ended up having a medical problem that couldn't be resolved in Guatemala.  Without someone leading the project and without funding the project had almost disappeared. My brother in law and sister still keep the project going to this day but to manage a project like this it requires a lot of funding and time.