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While most students enjoyed their extra day off last weekend by relaxing at the beach or spending time with their families, a group of about 80 undergraduates packed their bags and headed to San Felipe, Mexico, for three days of service. These students carried on a Pepperdine tradition that began 43 years ago when now-retired professor Bill Stivers initiated a relationship with the San Felipe Church of Christ.
The purpose of the trip was to build a house for a San Felipe family in need of shelter. Some students left Wednesday evening to begin pouring the foundation for the house Thursday morning. The rest of the group left Malibu Thursday evening and began their work early Friday morning. Together, the group PHOTO COURTESTY TIM ROCKEY
built a one-bedroom brick home that measured approximately 18 feet by 24 feet.
Junior Matt Bush is a campus ministry intern in charge of service teams. He and junior Campus Ministry intern Tiffany Bailey planned the excursion.
“It’s a great way to help out families in Mexico,” Bush said, “and to incorporate people all over campus into campus ministry and service.”
Every semester a team of students travels to San Felipe with the same mission: to provide families with a place to call home. This semester marked the fourth such trip for senior Kelika Ragragola.
“It seems to get better every time I go,” Ragragola said.
In addition to their time, each student donated $30 to help cover the cost of building materials and food. The University Church of Christ paid the remainder of the approximate $5,000 cost of the trip. The church works with the mayor of San Felipe, who donates the land to build on and selects a family in need to receive the house.
Some students performed other types of service work while the house was being constructed. These few hosted a party for the children in the neighborhood, handed out food in the community, painted existing homes and cleaned the campground where the group stayed. This camp, which serves as an outreach for the children of San Felipe during the summer, was recently named Camp Stivers, in honor of Bill Stivers.
Linda Truschke, campus minister of the University Church of Christ, has been involved in San Felipe mission work since she went as a student in 1989. She said that this time was just as meaningful to her as her very first.
“It changes students’ lives,” she said. “Being able to give of yourself and see poverty in San Felipe makes a huge impact on people and makes the sacrifice of one weekend worth it when you see what you are giving for.”
Junior Daniel Serraon agrees. This weekend was his second service trip to San Felipe.
“Every time I go it’s a humbling experience,” he said. “It really makes me appreciate what I have.”
Submitted October 23, 2003
MALIBU, CA
