Hello readers and welcome to the Merida 2018 ABST blog!

We are currently busy preparing for our trip in February through group meetings where we have learned a little about the Mission of Friendship, Mexico and each other. We are looking forward to learning even more about the Yucatan peninsula and the people who call Merida home.

Our group includes seven students, two student leaders and two adult accompaniers, all of whom have different strengths to bring to the Merida team. Look for an update in early January to learn more about the individuals making the trip to Merida this spring.

Thanks for reading!

Merida ABST 2018

American food

Hello everyone!

We are safe in Houston, ready to depart for Cleveland and make our way back to Erie. As you have read all week, these past seven days have been filled with so much love, generosity, and cultural diversity! The most exciting thing about sitting at this airport was filing our bellies with some cheeseburgers, French fries, and salads! YUM! We are feeling thankful to be back in the states and also for a long day of traveling to reflect on all of our experiences and memories! We are excited to share everything with you all, our loving families and friends! Thank you all for checking in on the blog all week and supporting our trip. Blessed for a super safe trip thus far!

Post ABST blog posts will be going up throughout the next week few weeks and months!

Love,

Merida Group :) 

Where's Alex?

Where do I begin? I'm pretty sure that I accidentally ate my weight in food this week, but in all honesty this has been a life changing week for me. Being able to meet everyone that we met was unbelievable. Padre Felix is truly an inspiration to me. He treats everyone as if they were his best friend from childhood. Padre Felix taught me a lot about how to treat people. This man that we had never met before gave up his own bed for us to sleep in. This man devoted his life to help others and bring others up. Padre Felix is one person I will never forget. These past couple days we spent some time at the Nueva Vida Program with the girls that are a part of it. The girls that go there spend the morning at school until about 1pm then the go to the Nueva Vida Program until around 7pm. While they are at the program they have chores that they have to get done, then there is time for their studying. While at the program they have English classes, computer classes, or life skills classes. This program is help these girls learn responsibility and other skills they will need for the future. While we there all of the girls touched all of our hearts. Leaving today was very difficult for all of us, but the girls made us promise to come back next year.

This group that came on this trip are all fantastic people. These people not only helped those we came to help, they also helped me. They showed me the goodness in everyone and even though we all come from different places, we can all still come together to help others in need. Erin L., Delaney, Taylor, Lydia, Sara, Emily, Joe, Erin B., Sam, Maria, and Parth all shared this special experience with me and with that they all hold a special place in my heart.

Don't worry I'm alive mom,
Alex Wood

Tag, you're it!

Hola!

Our day was filled with Roses!!! In the night we reflect on our roses and thorns of the day (highs and lows) and today roses were being thrown around left and right!! What a beautiful and joyous last day in Merida. We visited the nursing home, medical dispensary, and then returned to the girls after school program again. Bingo, or should we say Lotería, was a fun hit with the residents of the nursing home. Overall, we all felt a new sense of respect for our elders and enjoyed spending time with all of them! At the medical dispensary we received a better understanding of the Mexico health care system  and many of us took interest in that since a lot of us are health care majors! Finally, back to the Nueva  Vida was where we spent the majority of our day. Our main purpose as a group today was to give an English lesson. Using the book "Beautiful Hands", we read to the girls and then worked on colors, animals, numbers, and everyone's craft skills! In the end, we had created this wonderul rainbow of everyone's traced and cut out hands. The girls were so intelligent and bright. They most certainly are going to grow up to do amazing things in this world and be very successful women! Positive energy and love kept us going strong on this final day! These day have been filled with so much love, laugh, and lifd and the words we are writing down in this blog don't even begin to describe how amazing the experience really was. The goodbyes were the hardest part of the day, many tears were shed, and definitely was our group thorn of the day. We do not say goodbye though, we say see you soon!

We leave tomorrow morning bright and early with a 4 hour layover in Houston so there will be more thoughts and reflection to come!

Buenos Noche!

Girls rule, Alex drools

Hey guys!

Today was a beautiful and wonderful day!! We were up bright and early to head off to check out the specific programs ran by Tricia and the Mission of Friendship.  Our first stop was the daycare that is ran by the Mission.  The director of the daycare has been there from the start, Silvia.  The kids were very excited and willing to play with everyone.  We learned that they love sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and dancing!  We have never seen so many kids who love to hug and kiss as much as them (slobbery kisses)!  Next stop was the Amigos Program.  We learned how families from the states sponsor families here in Mexico.  It's nice to see the sponsors money really goes to a great cause and good hands.  The rest of our day was spent with school aged girls at Nueva Vida.  This is an after school program where the girls learn English and other subjects, responsibility, and friendship!  The girls were very intelligent and have big dreams!  This showed us how similar people are around the world, because once we got to talking we learned that the girl wanted to be doctors, teachers, engineers, and more... just like all of us!  Our service projects today included: repainting walls at the facility, clearing weeds, reorganizing supplies and different areas, and cleaning up the road and walk way between the daycare and the girls program.  Tricia has been our host and guide through this whole experience and today we got to see how big her job really is and how much of an impact she makes on these young girls lives, pushing and supporting them to be great!  She is an outstanding women and has been inspirational to us all!

WE LOVE THE MISSION OF FRIENDSHIP!! :)

Goodnight family and friends, xoxo

Es un Día Bonita!

Buenos Dias! It's Sara! After a long night of rest I am feeling ready to tackle the day at the daycare and the after school program, Neuva Vida, with all the people and young girls of the Mission of Friendship! The days in the village were very humbling for me. We were so blessed to be brought into Father Felix's home and taken care of by all the people who had very little. Our days spent there were full of adventure, as we got to swim in a canote (a natural underground river), and full of cultural diversity, as we got to share our meals and days with all the people of village! Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives as Americans we forgot what is going on in other countries in the world; We are kind of in our own bubble. These people are open to so many visitors, they welcome many service and travel groups into their homes, and would give the shirts off their back. So much love for all the people here!! I will definitely bring back the lessons I have learned here in the Yucatán to my everyday life and be sure to wake up with a grateful heart each and every day! Missing my loved ones back home! Hola to my family and friends :)

Hola amigos! Spending time in the village was such an amazing experience. The people are the most generous and kind people that I've had the chance to meet. It just amazed me how much they were willing to give when they didn't have very much at all to begin with. It really puts things into perspective when thinking about it. We, in America, have so much that we take for granted each day, when there are people in other countries with barely anything and just enough to survive. In the village we had many opportunities to really experience the culture of Yucatán. We were provided with so much food, saw cultural dances, and really got to see how the people of these villages lived when going on a tour throughout the villages. In the one village, Yaxunah, we had the opportunity to swim in a cenote, which is an underground river. We all encouraged each other to join in the experience. For the few that were hesitant about going down the ladder, we all sang songs to distract them. The song of our trip has been "La Bamba", and we sang our first successful round through while encouraging Maria! The cenote was beautiful with crystal clear blue water and vines hanging down from the rocks. I am so happy that we got the chance to experience the cenote! I have learned so much from this trip and I can't wait to bring this back with me and apply it to my everyday life. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be on such an eye opening and inspirational trip. Sending much love to my friends and family!  :) - Taylor

Anybody there!?

Don't be afraid to comment any thoughts or kind words! We would love to hear from everyone reading and following our journey. :)

WE ARE BACK!

Hola amigos,

We are back and have SO MUCH to share from our amazing 3 days in the village! Hope you enjoy all of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences :)

Hola amigos! It's Erin Behe! We have just returned from our trip to the inspiring Pueblo of Yaxcaba. Tuesday, we were graciously invited to serve the people of Kancabdzonot, a small Pueblo near Yaxcaba. We were able to paint, weed, play, and most importantly, learn from the people of Kancabdzonot about what selfless love truly is. Through love, we are called to serve; through service, God opens doors to new experiences, opportunities, and relationships. Tuesday, I was shown what true selfless giving is composed of: giving out of pure love and will, regardless of ones own economic status. Through extreme poverty and loss, the people of  Kancabdzonot remain faithful to serving God and others. Sitting down, surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ, I was served by those rooted in humility. The people of  Kancabdzonot were living through conditions that one can not possibly fathom, however, there is not a doubt in my mind they would have given us the sole shirts off their backs if it was needed. I arrived to Kancabdzonot to serve, but in contrast, I was served by those who I thought needed it most.
Could this be applied to all of our lives? It is often the wisdom that we all need is found in the most unexpected of places. I leave you with this, " For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:35. Above all, love and serve. This is what I have learned. 

Hola! It's Sam Griswold! I can't believe it's been four days since we arrived in Merida, Mexico. It's been a fantastic couple of days filled with generous people, beautiful sights and tons of delicious food. I was blown away by the generousity of Padre Felix and the people of his parish who so graciously took care of us while we were in Yaxcabá. On the last day of our stay, we had four meals because the people of Kankabdzonot, one of the villages near Merida, prepared lunch for us without being asked. These people have so little, in the economical sense, but they have so much love and generosity in their hearts that they shared what they did have. When we returned to Yaxcabá, we were able to gather with some of the people from the village who prepared dinner for us. We all sat in a circle and Padre Felix surprised us with a couple who were dressed in traditional Yucatecan garb and performed a few traditional Yucatecan dances. Padre Felix explained their outfits and some of the history behind the items of clothing. Then we were invited to dance for the people in our traditional American style, which ended up being a dance routine from Taylor and Erin. We were able to eat with the people from the village and converse with them in Spanish, which was amazing. They are such friendly, open and loving people with so much compassion in their hearts. The experience that we have had so far has truly been humbling and I can't wait to see what the last few days in Merida bring.

March 1st, 2017 was a very interesting day. As we say goodbye to our friends in Yaxcabá, we, as young adults, saw how we can make such strong bonds with the people we spend time with. Not only did our group get closer, but our relationship with the sister parish, the people of the village, and Father Felix got closer as well. Father Felix took us in with open arms and took care of us as if we were family. We were humbled. He inspired us to be more caring. He inspired us to be better people, for my school, for my community, and for the world. We will all keep him close to our hearts. In addition to all of this, it was my birthday! The night before, Father Felix had a surprise for me. In mass, towards the end, he announced it was my birthday and told the group he had a surprise waiting for me. It was an honor to hear my name to be broadcasted in church. As we head over to dinner, I notice we're sitting around in an open space. Father Felix had invited 2 members of the local dance group to perform a traditional Yucatecan dance! It was fantastic! The intricate footwork, the intense eye contact, the fast pace moves, it was all great! And of course he invited me to take a stroll around the circle in the man's position. I thought it was over after they finished but then he brought over a cake that fed over 30 people and he gathered everyone around the table to sing happy birthday to me. It was a very special moment for me. People from the village, in addition to our group, were present for my "birthday party." I couldn't thank Father enough for this once in a lifetime birthday experience.

¡Hola amigos! This is Lydia. Life is beautiful. When I sit and reflect about the past three days in Yaxcabá, that is the phrase that keeps running through my mind. I don't think I can adequately express how amazing this experience in Mexico has been thus far. The people we have encountered have inspired me so much. The most inspiring and humbling part of our time in the village was eating lunch (well, our FIRST lunch of the day) prepared for us by some of the women of the parish. The lunch was delicious and we later learned that the women prepared it for us without being asked, simply because they knew we were coming. These women had very little, yet they gave to us what little they had. The love they have for God and for their fellow humans was so evident. After lunch, some of the women sang to us in Mayan (their first language). Sharing in this time together is something I will surely never forget. Another very moving moment from the village came during Fr. Felix's homily. Though I did not understand all of it, I did notice that he mentioned our group during it. He told his parish all about each of us and then included a message for all of us. He told us that we would be in his heart forever. That sentiment really spoke to me. Though we were only in the village for three days, we made an impact in Fr. Felix's life. And he sure made an immense impact in mine. While there is so much more I have to say about our time in Yaxcabá, I don't think I could do it justice in words right now. All I know is that my life has been made better by meeting these beautiful people. ¡Gracías a Dios por todo! 

Hello family and friends!! Thanks for checking into the blog it's Erin Lipnicky.  I am both filled with sorrow and joy to be back at the Mission of Friendship from our beautiful stay in a neighboring village, Yaxcabá.  Spending 3 days in the village was beyond amazing, filled with community, friendship, food, and rich rich culture!  The people of Yaxcaba have the most beautiful light in their hearts and I hope that I picked up at least one ray during our stay with them.  Everywhere we went we were filled with their wisdom, spirituality and of course delicious food. Saying goodbye to our new family in Yaxcabá, Padre Felix and so many other loving people was hard, but as the Yucatecan culture goes, it's not goodbye it's "Hasta luego," meaning see you later! I am joyous to be back at the Mission, to spend the days tomorrow and Friday with the girls at Nueva Vida, the children at the daycare and the wise individuals of the Reyna da Paz nursing home.  

The people of the Yuckatan are even more beautiful and gracious than I remember from last year (shout out to my wonderful Merida 2016 ABST group)!  Sorry mom and dad but I'm never coming back (just kidding, I miss you!). 

Please keep us all in your prayers for our next few days of service, reflection and community! 

God bless and peace! 

That's all for tonight folks! Missing our families and friends but so thankful for this amazing and wonderful opportunity to grow in love and faith with one another and the people here. Stay tuned for more reflection from the group in the morning! Buenos Noche! 

Off to the village we go!

Hola!

We are heading to the village of Yaxcaba! It's a sister parish within the Mission of Friendship. We may or may not have access to the blog and wifi there, so stay tuned later in the week to read about our experience! We will return on Wednesday afternoon/evening. If you don't hear from us, we are in good hands at the village, and surrounded by people with great hearts! We are all very excited!

Hasta la vista!
Merida Group :)

A birthday away from home!

I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday on our first full day in Mexico!  I was a crazy day.  I counldn't have asked for a better way to spend the day.  I got to learn about Mayan history, which was awesome.  I have always loved Central and South American history, so learning more about it, not from a borrowed library book, just amazed me.  We got to go the a beautiful church (the oldest cathedral in Latin American) for mass in the morning.  I have never celebrated a birthday away from my home and my family, but I wouldn't have wanted to celebrate with any other group of people than I do here in Merida.  At lunch (pictured above) I was sarenaded with the traditional Spanish "happy birthday" song and some others like "La Bamba".  After metting students from a local English school, we got to shop around.  The three girls that accompanied a small group of us became fast friends, even connecting on social media to keep in touch!  After a long day of the town we came back to the mission house to settle in for the night.  We got to meet two amazing, and super entergentic women who also work for the Mission of Friendship.  I got to meet so many interesting and amazing people on my birthday, which only added to the hype of it all.  To finish the night I was surprised with another (and the most special) round of the American "happy birthday" song with a Spanish twist and some delicious cake from our lovely hosts and the rest of the group.  I was a little upset at first that I wouldn't be with my family on my birthday,  but celebrating in Merida was beyond amazing! The people here truly made this birthday I will remember forever. I thank all of the people here again for this truly amazing experience!

Forever and always I'll be,
Delaney McMeekin

Street fairs, and birthdays, and Merida, oh my!

Hola amigos! Happy Birthday to Delaney today!

Waking up to the sun shining and the birds chirping was a great way to start our long day! Today was spent in downtown Merida! We attended mass at the oldest Cathedral in all of Latin America, and what a breathtaking experience it was! Some of the best parts of lunch were watching Parth and Alex order an entire chicken between the two of them (they ate it all!) and then a trio serenading Delaney for her birthday. They finished their performance with the song "La Bamba" as we all clapped and sang along. Delaney got a SWEET piece of cinnamon cake :) What an awesome way to celebrate a 19th birthday!

My favorite moments today took place at the street fair while we were exploring and purchasing some Yucatecán goods, including earrings, blankets, hammocks, backpacks, dresses, hats, and corn ice cream! My first moment, that should give everyone a good laugh, was when I tried on a traditional dress. The dress got stuck around my hips and Erin L. had to help pull it off of me while the market man just stood there and laughed at me. Needless to say, it may have been a few sizes too small! The market man and I may come from different places on this earth, but our humor was all the same! The next moment was when I was walking from one stand to another and I felt a small tap on my thigh. When I turned around, a beautiful young girl was smiling at me, holding a bundle of homemade bracelets! As we sat aside from the hustle of the street fair, she picked out some of her favorite bracelets for me to purchase and in that moment my heart was filled with so much joy and love. She couldn't speak English and I could barely speak any Spanish to her, but we were able to communicate with our smiles, our eyes, and touch! Those five minutes with that young girl completely made my day and touched my heart. It's the simple things that make life worth while.

Mucho amor,
Sara

Safe and sound

Hola! We are coming to you from Merida, Mexico!! We had a long day of traveling, with no problems.  We were greeted by the two lovely ladies, Tricia and Lenora from the Mission of Friendship.  We hit the town to see some of the great night life full of singing and dancing.  Followed by our first taste of traditional Mexican food.  What an amazing first night to start our adventure!  Everyone is tired out and safe here at the mission house.  We are all resting up for a big day tomorrow.  

Be sure to check in tomorrow! :)

Up up and away!

Bienvenidos!

We are off on our first leg of our journey! After receiving a short blessing this morning under the Gannon arch, we departed from our campus with our sights set on Cleveland. Our excitement is out of the roof!! Stay tuned :)

Hasta la vista!

All about us!

Maria C. Flores

Secretary for the Global Admissions office

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and currently student of the MBA program at Gannon University.

I have worked for 5 years at Gannon University originally as an accounting assistant at the Finance Office and right now being the secretary for the Global Admission’s office for 2 years.

Born in El Paso Texas

Mexican-American bilingual Spanish-English

I enjoy my work since it gives me the opportunity to interact with students from all backgrounds. I like being the first contact when our international students are looking for information about the university and then when they decide to come, being the one that welcomes them to our country and our university. It is so rewarding <3

(Not Pictured)

Hola! My name is Emily Muntean and I am the Resident Campus Minister for Finegan Hall at Gannon. This is my second year here and this will be my second ABST. Last year I was lucky enough to accompany an amazing group to L’Arche Ontario. I am so excited to accompany another equally amazing group to Merida, Mexico this year! While I developed a great appreciation for Mexican cultural during my undergraduate studies “next door” in Austin, Texas, this will be my first time traveling to Mexico. One of the things I’m most looking forward to on the trip is celebrating Ash Wednesday while we are there. This will be the second time observing Ash Wednesday in Central America. Overall, I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be a part of another wonderful ABST experience and can’t wait to see what happens!

My name is Joe Tokasz.  I am 21 years old senior philosophy major at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.  My home town is Elma, New York which is a small town East of Buffalo, New York.  I am also a Minor or college seminarian for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo in formation to the Roman Catholic priesthood assigned to formation at St. Mark Seminary in Erie, PA and academic studies at Gannon.  I am one of the co-leaders of the 2017 ABST to Merida, Mexico.  This is my second time participating in an ABST, my first time leading one.  Last spring I participated in the El Arca de Mexico (L’arshe Mexico) ABST and traveled to Mexico City.  I have found a great learning experience and came back from last my ABST experience last year with many insights into our shared dignity and love of life with our Mexican brothers and sisters.  I hope that this year’s trip to Merida will give the twelve of us insights into the unique culture and life of the Yucatan region of Mexico.

Erin Lipnicky

Merida 2017 Co-leader
Junior Physician Assistant major
Gannon Dance Team junior captain
I am so excited to go back to Merida this year; I was also a member of the 2016 group.  :)   I can't wait to facilitate this experience for a new group of my peers! 

(Not pictured)

Name: Lydia Fennessy

Hometown: Monroeville, PA

Major: Physician Assistant

Hobbies: I am the copy editor of the Gannon Knight, I play the clarinet in the concert band, and I sing in the church choir at the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel. I love to read novels and to write (though my writing is mostly of the non-fiction variety). My passion for helping others was instilled in me at a very young age by my two wonderful parents who met through their involvement with the youth group at my home parish.

I am very excited to go to Merida, Mexico to serve the people at the Mission of Friendship! This will be my first experience traveling out of the country, so I am looking forward to taking that leap out of my comfort zone. I am also really looking forward to working with the children while in Merida. I have always had a very special place in my heart for the little ones of the world. Their joy for life and pure innocence always inspires me to be a better person. I know this experience will help me to be a more well-rounded person and I am hoping I will be able to take something from this trip and apply it to my future career as a PA.

Hi, my name is Taylor Beggan and I am a sophomore PA major here at Gannon University. I am a member of Gannon’s dance team as well as Phi Sigma Sigma. I am very excited to travel to Merida with such a wonderful group of people! I am very interested in helping the community and immersing myself in a culture that is different than my own.

Hello friends! My name is Samantha Griswold, but everybody calls me Sam. I’m a senior journalism communication major and I live in Erie, PA, though I’m not technically from there. My dad was in the military when I was growing up, so we lived in a lot of different places, like California, Alaska, Mississippi, and South Carolina. I consider myself a feminist, a ferocious reader, an avid, thought-provoking writer and somewhat of a self-proclaimed music connoisseur. I enjoy traveling, as well as baking, making people laugh and watching Disney movies. I am super excited to go on this journey to Merida, Mexico and interact with the girls at Nueva Vida. My only other trips outside of the country were to Canada, so I am looking forward to gaining these new experiences in Mexico.

Sara Crandall

Hometown: Cattaraugus, New York

Major: Occupational Therapy

I enjoy reading, traveling, playing volleyball, going out to eat at new restaurants, playing with my dog, and spending quality time with family and friends.

I am looking forward to learning a lot from the people and their culture in Merida, Mexico and I am excited to experience the simplicity of an ABST trip!

(Not Pictured)

Hiya! I'm Delaney McMeekin, and I am a freshman, Early Childhood and Special Education major here at Gannon. Im from Brockway Pa.  I like to travel, try new things, and play with my puppy back home.  I am super excited to travel to Mexico!  I love working with people and learning from them.  I hope to learn lots from not only the people we are going to connect with but the people I'm traveling with as well!  I can't wait to learn more about this new culture and new friends!   

Erin Behe

Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Major: Physicians Assistant 

Hobbies: Running, singing, and dance.

I am excited to go to Merida to learn about a new culture and expand my appreciation for diversity!

Parth

Alex

It's almost time...

The Merida, Mexico ABST group is hurriedly packing, organizing and preparing for our departure from campus tomorrow morning at 10:00am! We can't wait to share our adventures with you through our blog! Please check in everyday! :)