San Diego students Return From a Safe and Rewarding Spring Break Trip to Rancho Genesis in Ensenada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 2, 2010 --

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San Diego students Return From a Safe and Rewarding Spring Break Trip to Rancho Genesis in Ensenada

Welcome visit Our WebSite:

http://www.GenesisDiez.org

A group of 27 students and leaders from Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, California returned last night from a 5-day mission trip to Rancho Genesis in Ensenada – a non-profit organization which serves orphans, migrant, indigenous and disabled children in Baja. Recent travel warnings of increased crime and violence along the U.S./Mexico border (especially Ciudad Juarez, but also Tijuana and northern Baja) prompted the group to cross at the Tecate border, but otherwise did not impact the group’s travel to the Ranch, located in a rural setting south of Ensenada. The group spent mornings working on construction projects at the ranch, and the afternoons playing with local childen of Oaxacan field workers – making crafts, playing sports, learning Bible verses and going on field trips. Afterward, the students delivered food baskets to the families of these children as part of the Genesis “Food & Prayer” program.

Greg Amstutz, who co-founded Genesis Diez with his brother over 10 years ago, acknowledged that Genesis and its mission are hard to describe: “We’re not an orphanage. We don’t build homes. Our calling is to help youth. And not just the kids here in Mexico, but also those coming down to volunteer.” “The organization definitely has an impact on the Baja children it serves, who receive education, medical care and experiences they might never have otherwise had,” Amstutz said, “but the impact on the student volunteers is often just as profound. For some of the American students, the Genesis experience just gives them a sense of the importance of donating one’s time and makes them aware of the blessings we have in the United States that we often take for granted. But for some of them, the experience changes their choice of colleges, their major, or even their career ambitions.”

“It was an unforgettable and incredible experience,” said Amber Eck, a San Diego attorney with Zeldes & Haeggquist. “To watch these little kids laugh, play and have fun with us, when they’ve had such difficult lives was really moving.” Claire Anne Brand, a sophomore from High Tech High, agreed: “These kids have so little, and yet they wanted to share everything they had – their bracelets, their artwork; as soon as we met, they were hugging me and telling me they loved me.” Olivia Wilson, a sophomore at Point Loma High School who spent her mornings installing rain gutters on the roof of the kitchen and digging holes to post hand painted signs with Spanish Bible verses along a hiking trail up a nearby mountain, said “those posts felt like they weighed 100 pounds each, but it was all worthwhile when we hiked the trail that afternoon, and saw how meaningful the Bible verses were to those kids.”

At the end of each day, the “ninos” (the orphans and migrant children) and the “amigos” (the volunteer students and adults) stood in a circle, and talked about what they enjoyed most about day. The kids said (translated by Genesis staff): “I liked the monkey bars and sliding down the slide,” “I liked getting piggy back rides,” “I enjoyed learning the Bible verses;” “I had fun spending time with my amigo.” The “amigos” had similar responses: “I liked playing soccer with the kids,” “I had fun jumping rope with the ninos,” “I liked doing crafts with the kids,” “I enjoyed getting to know the children.”

Bob Lemke, who spends most of his summers at Genesis, and has been coming down for nearly 8 years, says people always ask him if he’s going down to do construction. He tells them that he is, but that “construction is just part of it – it’s really all about the kids.” Program director Amanda DeVries who came to Genesis from Canada for a one-year stint, but is still there four years later, echoed that sentiment. When asked about the most important aspect of Genesis, she answered without hesitation – “the relationships.” Although there are over 100 orphanages operating in Baja, one of the migrant workers she served told her, “you’re different from the other ministries out there --other programs build houses, but you keep coming back.” While acknowledging the importance of construction, Amanda explained that Genesis’ emphasis is on building lasting relationships with these children and their families, and providing educational opportunities, food, medical care, and other support on an on-going basis. By getting to intimately know the kids, they are in a better position to realize and serve their needs.

Genesis Diez offers opportunities for individuals, families and groups to come down to Ensenada and volunteer for a week, weekend, or even a day. And of course, contributions of funds or supplies are always welcome. Visit the Genesis Diez website, www.GenesisDiez.org, for more information.

Genesis Diez(www.GenesisDiez.org) is an educational non-profit ministry in Ensenada, Mexico which helps care for orphans, poor indigenous/migrant children, and disabled children in the Baja area by providing them with educational and spiritual experiences, food, and medical care.

For more information, contact:

Greg Amstutz, founder
Amanda DeVries, Program Director
Genesis Diez A.C.
P.O. Box 3883
Chula Vista, CA 91909
Cell: 619-997-7890
www.genesisdiez.org

Amber L. Eck, Genesis volunteer
Zeldes & Haeggquist, LLP
625 Broadway, Suite 906
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 342-8000
www.zhlaw.com
ambere@zhlaw.com

More information can be found online at http://www.GenesisDiez.org

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