Servant Leadership in Action: MorningStar Mission Trip to Mexico

At MorningStar, our desire is to be a company full of servant-minded, purpose-driven leaders in our senior communities and throughout the world.

When we look at the world around us, it’s not hard to notice the immense need. Some of the most glaring need lies right across our southern border, where in the Colonias of Juarez, Mexico, hundreds of impoverished families are living in makeshift shelters with no real home to call their own.

As part of the MorningStar Foundation’s “Home Builds in Mexico” initiative, MorningStar began bringing teams to northern Mexico in 2024 to build homes for families in desperate need. By doing so, we can truly put our servant leadership into action, living out our conviction that loves knows no bounds and providing a gift that will change families’ lives for generations to come.

This past February, 30 of our Executive Directors and Home Office leaders embarked on a mission trip to Juarez, partnering with the organization Missions Ministries to build three homes for three deserving families. In the months leading up to the trip, 37 MorningStar communities came together to raise over $78,000 – funds that provided the building materials, furnishings, food, and gifts that would turn empty plots of land into life-transforming blessings.

In just two days, our teams worked side-by-side with the families, building a home that would provide, safety, warmth, and hope for a better future. While building the homes, our teams also built relationships with each member of the family, learning from them moment by moment.

“I learned by watching the family that we served how much joy they had even before they got their home,” said Monique Larkin, Executive Director of MorningStar of Beaverton. “My takeaway is that joy and happiness don’t come from stuff, it comes from love.”

As our teams watched the love flow out of each family, the prospect of them walking into their new, safe space grew all the more exciting. “To see how much more at peace they’re going to be with this beautiful home speaks volumes to me,” said Danny Vera, Executive Director of MorningStar of Mission Viejo.

At the end of the build, our teams gathered for a special home dedication. Keys were passed from hand to hand as each team member shared a word of encouragement, gratitude or blessing. When the families received their keys and stepped inside, there was not a dry eye in the room.

“You could see an immense weight lifted off of the parents,” said Christine Jaeger, Director of Philanthropy. “Going from living in a one-room shelter, sharing one mattress on a dirt floor, to having their own home complete with a kitchen, appliances, beds and blankets, the relief and gratitude was overflowing.”

While these families’ lives were transformed, the experience also left a profound impact on our team members. “This experience has been absolutely incredible for me,” said Larkin. “From the moment we got here, I got to see how truly blessed we are to serve others and to impact lives for generations.”

For Cris Stevens, Executive Director of MorningStar at Holly Park, the trip embodied what service is truly about: “It's hard to summarize everything, but what I saw was that there’s no better way to show God’s love than when you are serving somebody…being Christ’s hands and feet, there’s no better way.”

Those two days of service were a powerful reminder that when we come together with a common purpose, the impact we can make is nothing short of life-changing. Through the MorningStar Foundation, these mission trips continue to be an extension of who we are—a commitment to serve beyond our walls and to live out our calling in meaningful, tangible ways.

MorningStar Gives Back to the World Through Philanthropy and Volunteering

Interested in learning more about how MorningStar team members and residents impact the world for good? From volunteering with local nonprofits, to raising funds for the poor and most vulnerable around the world, MorningStar Senior Living is full of servant-hearts looking for ways to shine our light and make a difference in lives near and far. Curious? Learn how you or your loved one can be a part of it today.