This past June, Hidalgo journeyed on a mission trip to Kansas City where he spent a week volunteering at a local school. Hidalgo and about 20 other members of his church, but those weren’t the only people that participated. Altogether there were a couple hundred other students from places ranging from New Orleans, to Chicago, and everywhere inbetween. After they arrived at the school, they were all assigned a worksite as well as a buddy.

Hidalgo spent a week bonding and connecting with his buddy, whose name escaped him at the time of this interview. Hidalgo and his buddy quickly developed a strong bond, so close in fact, that they developed a secret handshake and even shared with Hidalgo the location of his secret stash of tattoos buried in his backyard.

“The best part was making relationships with people you already know in your church as well as making relationships with new people there.” said Hidalgo, “It was hard spending a whole week with the kids and bonding with them then leaving in almost an instant. That was the hardest part.”

Though the kids didn’t have the best homelife or family situation, they didn’t let it affect them.

“These kids were so full of life and energy,” said Hidalgo, “It was hard to think that these kids didn’t get everything they needed.”