Reece M. Krantz ’16
THE ROUNDUP 

Brophy students are called upon to do justice for others and to put themselves behind others, especially the poor.

Any student can take this call and enforce it with his own personal justifications.

Ethan Klein ’14 is a prime example of this.

He recently spent a week in the island nation of Haiti, helping orphans move from their previous home to a brand new orphanage, which Klein and his family helped fund and build.

Klein said his initial reactions when presented with this opportunity were not good.

“I didn’t want to go initially, I would be missing school and friends,” he said.

“This is definitely the first time I’ve ever been to a third world country,” Klein said

Klein said he remembers two cities he visited.

“I went to Haiti, two cities which were Port-au-Prince and Jackmel,” he said. “It didn’t seem real almost, but to be there makes you appreciate what you have; yet the people were happy, they understood their place and were content with it.”

Klein said the temperature in Haiti was noticeable.

“Weather-wise it is very similar to Florida,” Klein said. “Except hotter so humidity is really, really there, you can feel it everywhere.”

“Its really beautiful,” he said. “It’s disappointing when you see these run down cities in basically the middle of the jungle.”

Klein said he got to see first hand the orphans conditions.

“We did actually get to see the old orphanage, it’s right in the middle of Port-au-Prince and its basically a shed, it’s very crowded,” Klein said. “Tin roof and no air circulation, not very clean. I believe the organization leader said they slept three to a single bed.”

Klein said he helped moving the orphans to their new home, the one that he and his family helped construct.

“The kids were very shocked when we came to move them, they were very intrigued at the new orphanage,” he said. “We moved into the cafeteria area, and they started singing and they all looked up and saw the fans and they were all just staring at them because they had never seen one before.”

Klein said he hopes to be remembered there and by the kids.

“I hope they remember me, as the kid who played soccer with them or just played rocks with them, the kid who was good at thumb wars.”

Mr. Christopher Calderon, S.J., assistant principal for ministry commonly participates in school led immersion trips.

“It’s never about the destination, what drives our trips are the relationships we hope to build,” Mr. Calderon said.

Mr. Calderon said that trips to third world countries help spiritually.

“What’s most important is that it creates an opportunity for you to connect with another human being, maybe in a different language, certainly in a different culture, even the local ones and immerse yourself,” Mr. Calderon said. “With the hope you can make a difference, that you can realize you can connect with that person and that they can connect with you.”

Mr. Calderon said the connections you make during a trip to any area, local or international, are key.

“When you get to know someone, what makes then laugh, their hopes and dreams,what makes them cry, what makes them hurt. If you get to know them you can be apart of their lives,” Mr. Calderon said. “Hopefully when come back you remember the name you remember the story and remember you are apart of that.”