Stories of Hope

Join Fr. Demetrios Swanson as he leads us through a new series on the sacraments. We begin with baptism, as it is the first Sacrament that Orthodox Chrisitan's participate in. He talks about the foundation of baptism and what it means to the Faith, as well as discusses the ways we live out this sacrament in everyday life.  In this podcast he will reference a couple resources which will be linked b...

Join host Julia Kasten and guest Zannos Grekos as they discuss Zanno's life before the ranch. As well as reflecting on religion in a college setting and how it translates to people's everyday lives. Zannos is a counselor at the Orphanage and is deeply involved in helping develop functional life skills for the boys at the ranch. Project Mexico's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/projectmexico Full linktr...

Join host Julia Kasten as she talks with longtime Project Mexico Religious Education Coordinator, Shannon Todd. Shannon entered the Orthodox church along with her family in 1997. She participated in various spiritual formation and fellowship programs including youth camps, CrossRoad, OCF and young adult gatherings. She also has served as an OCMC Ambassador, Sunday school teacher and choir member f...

Greetings everyone! This week we welcome 2024's St Innocent and Holy Cross Alumni, Alejandro Zendejas along with our new Stories of Hope host, Julia Kasten! Join us as we discuss how Alejandro grew up at St Innocent and his relationship with the Orthodox faith to this ministry and his plans to give back! Project Mexico's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/projectmexico Full linktree: https://linktr.ee/pr...

Greetings everyone! This week we welcome 2024's incoming Work Trip Coordinator, Boone Jenkins along with our new Stories of Hope host, Julia Kasten! Join us as we discuss how Boone came to this ministry and his plans for next summer's homebuilding season!

Join us for our ongoing Webinar Series The FOrCE (Forming Orthodox Christian Evangelists,) a collaboration with Hellenic College Holy Cross. Faeli Kathryn Heise is currently enrolled at Hellenic College Holy Cross, pursuing a BA in Literature & History and a minor in Childhood Education. Before this, she spent two years at St. Innocent Orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico while simultaneously enrolled...

Join us for the first of our ongoing Webinar Series The FOrCE (Forming Orthodox Christian Evangelists,) a collaboration with Hellenic College Holy Cross. In this episode, Pres. Merilynn Andruchow, a Graduate of Holy Cross School of Theology, and Missionary of 10+ years at Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage discusses her time at HCHC and spiritual warfare. Register for upcoming FOrCE event...

Join host Faeli Heise for episode #37 of Stories of Hope! We conclude our conversation with Padre and Presbytera Sosa in a more in-depth discussion about various outreach and ministry pursuits of the St. Innocent community and about the need for a place of community worship outside of the orphanage. Additionally, Padre and Presbytera reflect on the joys of being connected to the orphanage and the...

Welcome, everyone, to our latest episode! Today on Stories of Hope, we have two special guests who have been long overdue for their chance to share their stories with you. Padre Alejandro Sosa and his wife Presbytera Katerina (Carmen) are integral members of the St. Innocent Community and Orthodoxy in Mexico as a whole. In this episode, the first of two parts, we'll hear about their conversion to...

Join Faeli for episode 35 of Stories of Hope and a very special conversation with homebuilding 2022 intern, Nathan Liu. Are you thinking of applying for the Project Mexico internship? Listen to Nathan's thoughtful and insightful reflections from his experience this past summer for some inspiration! Read Nathan's blog posts: https://www.projectmexico.org/news Register for homebuilding 2023: https:/...

In this newest episode of Stories of Hope, we finish our conversation with Sophia and Deacon Demetrios Swanson. They share with us about St. Innocent Parish community life, the community parish project, and thoughts that they specifically want to share with you, the listeners! I wish to extend my gratitude to the Swanson family for their willingness to talk with me and be guests on the podcast. Pl...

Welcome back, everyone! Today, Faeli brings you the first of a very special two-part conversation with Deacon Demetrios and Sophia Swanson. The pair have recently relocated to St. Innocent Ranch to serve the Orphanage and the Orthodox Church in Northern Mexico. In this first part of our conversation, we learn how they made the decision to return to the Ranch and about Deacon Demetrios' ordination...

Greetings, everyone! We invite you to join Faeli and this week's guest, Fr. Luke Veronis, for another Summer 2022 episode special. Fr. Luke shares his personal perspective on the impact Project Mexico has had on his parish, why he brings groups down every single year, and what made this homebuilding week particularly special. We hope you enjoy! Register for homebuilding 2022: https://www.projectme...

Hello, listeners! Welcome back to Stories of Hope. Join Faeli Heise, one our co-hosts for a series of episodes revolving around Summer 2022. We start off with a very special conversation with the wonderful Fr. Jacob Saylor of Holy Assumption of Phoenix, Arizona & a guest appearance by Fr. Pete Sotiras of Stockton, California! We hope you enjoy the beautiful reflection that they have to share o...

Greetings everyone! We have a very special episode for you all this week. Firstly, we are answering the question YOU all sent in! And secondly, we are joined by the past host of the podcast, Faeli Heise! It's a blast of an episode, answering questions such as what are some of the favorite foods of the boys, how to become an intern, and what our favorite shirt is! So sit back, plug in some headphon...

Howdy y'all! This week we welcome a Project Mexico athlete, Daniel Kroll! We chat about what it was like swimming in the open ocean for Swim for Hope, his experience in ministry in the United States and Mexico, and rat aortas! (Yes you read that right) So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Find out more about Project Mexico at: www.projectmexico.org If you have a question you w...

Greetings everyone! This week we welcome 2022's upcoming Work Trip Coordinator, Justin Frigerio! Join us as we talk to him about how he came to this position, the flavor he wants to put on the role, and the recent house they just build with only six people! So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Find out more about Project Mexico at: www.projectmexico.org If you have a question...

Hello everyone! This week we have on the wonderful work trip coordinator, Anna Cunningham! Join us as we chat about her brand new Project Mexico initiative, the Community Build Initiative, how it came to be and what it is, and what else she's been up to while living at the orphanage. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! More about the Community Build Initiative: https://www.pr...

Hi everyone! This week we welcome the ranch educational director to the show, Noelle Robaidek! Join us as we chat about what school is like in Mexico for the boys at the orphanage, the responsibilities she has as educational director, and the impact going to school will have on these boys' lives. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Learn more about school buddies: www.project...

Bonjour everyone! Welcome to a very special episode featuring Eric Swanson, coming back to relive the acclaimed podcast, Two Dudes in Mexico! Join us as we chat about being and having an apprentice as work trip coordinator, what it was like getting married and having the reception in Mexico, and the Project Mexico curse. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy a trip down memory lane with...

Howdy everyone! This week we welcome Niko Deffigos to the show! Join us as we chat about his experience as the sole intern at the ranch in 2021, how not knowing Spanish was not a huge issue in his time there, and how important offseasons trips are if you want to be an intern. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Find out more about Project Mexico at: www.projectmexico.org If y...

Greetings everyone! This week we welcome back Fr. Nicholas Andruchow with his new role as executive director of Project Mexico & St. Innocent Orphanage! Join us as father and son chat about what this means for the organization, what homebuilding 2022 will look like, and what you should do if you want to spend time at the Orphanage. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Find...

Welcome back to the podcast everyone! This week we have our first two for one episode, with our guests Zach and Sophia Swanson! Join us as we chat about their experience being a work trip coordinator duo, living at the orphanage for the first 2 years of their marriage, and how important that communal life is. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Find out more about Project Mex...

HEY EVERYONE, LUKE’S BACK! That's right, Luke Andruchow is back hosting the podcast once again! And this time, he’s brought a very special guest, Tony Machnee! Join us as Luke and Tony reminisce about the ranch of days past, some of the biggest ranch projects he worked on, and how the ranch of olden days compares to what it is like now. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Fin...

In this episode, we talk with Sam Williams, someone whose life changed forever after coming down to Project Mexico years ago. Join us as we talk about how important missionary work is, how to be one no matter where you are, and being able to do it all in light of a global pandemic. So sit back, plug in some headphones, and enjoy the show! Find out more about Project Mexico at: www.projectmexico.or...