Expo Esperanza 2013

EXPO Esperanza (Hope Expo) was held August 15-17, 2013 at Casa Vida y Esperanza (CVE) in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, Mexico. This project of The Fatted Calf is in its fourth year and keeps getting bigger and better each year. This year we had 64 children participate and exhibit over 300 projects in 25 project areas. Thirty-four of these participants were children from CVE and 30 were children from the Magdalena area. The mission of EXPO Esperanza is “To develop leadership, responsibility, and technical skills in today's youth through experiential learning programs that encourage proactive involvement at community and personal levels.”

Improvements and additions for this year included: EXPO Esperanza Committee, new projects (scrapbooking, tortillas, salsa, small species, horse for young children), age categories, renovated stage and new bleachers at CVE, project training classes, community service projects, multi-year wall plaques, food stands, carnival, and awards banquet.

As EXPO Esperanza continues to grow and become a tradition in Magdalena, it has been very rewarding to watch the children grow from year to year in their work ethic, courage, persistence, confidence, communication, and technical skills. EXPO is definitely having a big impact on the children. One mother related this story – “(my son) Diego battles with reading. However, he really wanted to participate in Oral Interpretation and practiced and practiced -- and he won! It was great for him to experience that! And as a mom, I am so proud of him!!!”

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all of the 33 volunteers that came from the U.S. throughout the year to help with project training and the execution of EXPO. The Fatted Calf would also like to thank the 36 volunteers from CVE and the Magdalena area that contributed to training, planning, judging, and working at EXPO. As one CVE caregiver put it, EXPO is “LOTS of work, but so worth it!” A special thanks goes to the EXPO Esperanza Committee of: Jonathan Aupperle, Joel Leman, Enrique Ochoa, Stephanie Rinkenberger, Katie Schick, Ann Wullf, and Duane Wulf.

To see many more photos from EXPO Esperanza 2013, click on the slide show below or go to www.facebook/EXPO.Esperanza.

2013 Interns

The Fatted Calf continues to grow in impact towards its mission of glorifying and obeying God by providing training and career development to the fatherless and less-privileged of Mexico. We have had one intern per year for each of the past two summers, but this year we are blessed to have three college students spending their summer in Magdalena serving the people here.

My name is Andrea English, I’m from Sapulpa, Oklahoma. I recently received my bachelors from Oklahoma State University in Food Science; I will be starting my masters in Meat Science at OSU this coming fall. Some priorities and responsibilities of mine during the summer are to assist the children at Casa Vida y Esperanza with their cattle and sheep for the EXPO, along with any other support needed during my experience. I will also be assisting Carnisimo in developing HACCP plans. My hope for this summer is to grow stronger in my relationship with Christ while helping others.

Hello from Mexico! I am Andrew Steiner and my hometown is Hancock, a small town in west-central Minnesota. I will be a junior next fall at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, pursuing a degree in Agriculture Education. This summer, my main responsibility with The Fatted Calf is EXPO Esperanza. I am coordinating and teaching classes to prepare the children for the different project areas – from drawing to livestock showing to assisting in other areas of EXPO. I am looking forward to further developing my teaching and leadership skills, while expanding my knowledge of the Spanish language and Mexican culture. God has blessed me with this opportunity to help serve those in need and a huge thank you goes to the supporters that helped make it possible!

Hello, my name is Joseph Klotzle. I am from Southern California and am currently attending Biola University as a Junior. My studies are focused towards degrees in International Business and Biblical Studies. While at The Fatted Calf, my specific role includes assisting local businesses throughout the community of Magdalena de Kino, Mexico. My responsibilities vary from developing marketing techniques to assisting in market analyses. Sometimes I’m out on the road with a sales team and other times I am in the office creating a logo/label for a local business. My goal for this internship is to develop a firm foundation in my business endeavors and to serve others by any means necessary. I believe in the mindset where all business is mission and is focused on serving employees and consumers, and most importantly serving the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.