Freedom, Mexican Sailors Help Local Orphanage

By Lt. Ed Early and Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class AC Rainey, USS Freedom Public Affairs

MANZNILLO, Mexico (NNS) -- Sailors from the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) provided repairs and painted a Manzanillo orphanage April 12 during their first port visit in Mexico.The community relations (COMREL) project at Casa Hogar Liborio Espinoza teamed Freedom's Sailors with some of their counterparts from the Mexican Navy. Both groups of Sailors spent the morning painting the orphanage's exterior walls, trimming trees and bushes, and fixing fences.

They also entertained the young residents of Casa Hogar – one of whom even tried his hand at painting a wall along with the visitors.

"I was an orphan," said Engineman 2nd Class (SW) Francis Janis. "I was adopted as a child; I came from an orphanage in Colombia and then a foster home in the U.S. Every chance I see to actually get to be involved with an orphanage or help people out, help a community out, I always take some kind of interest in it."

The first ship in the littoral combat ship program, Freedom arrived in Manzanillo April 10 to begin its first theater security cooperation (TSC) port visit in the U.S. 3rd Fleet Area of Responsibility.

During their stay at Casa Hogar, Freedom's Sailors went high and low to pitch in, from mending a chain-link fence to pruning overgrown bushes. Culinary Specialist 1st Class (SW) Kevon Henry even went up into a coconut tree to clear away low-hanging fronds.

The extra effort was much appreciated, said orphanage director Susan Lopez.

"Most of our staff here are volunteers – I am a volunteer," Lopez said. "And we take care of 22 children with very little help. Any time we can receive assistance, we appreciate it, because we only can afford so much. Our children need help, and we are very thankful for all the work they are doing here today."

As part of the COMREL, Freedom also turned over four pallets of medical and hygiene supplies donated by Project Handclasp.

For Janis, who had the opportunity to visit his native Colombia earlier in Freedom's deployment, COMRELs like the one at Casa Hogar have provided him with an opportunity to give back.

"There's opportunity in COMRELs, especially when dealing with children," he said. "I have a daughter of my own and I love to play and interact with kids and to help them out in their lives."

Freedom began its maiden deployment Feb. 16, more than two years ahead of schedule, and will complete the deployment when it arrives in its homeport of San Diego in late April.

Freedom will help provide deterrence, promote peace and security, preserve freedom of the sea and humanitarian/disaster response within 3rd Fleet's 50-million square mile area of responsibility in the Eastern Pacific, as well as supporting the nation's Maritime Strategy when forward deployed.