HOUGHTON - Between going to school daily, being involved academically with clubs, soccer in the summer, volunteering at the Portage Lake District Library and dance classes after school, it's incredible Maria Sliva can find time for extra activities or even an interview.

But the one thing the 14-year-old - who has often been called "a remarkable girl" - will clear her busy schedule for is her work in Mexico.

Sitting at her kitchen table in Houghton, clutching a colorful handmade friendship bracelet in one hand and flipping the pages of a photo album with another, the freshman at Houghton High School reminisced about her first trip to Reynosa, Mexico, where dear friends she has made live among garbage pits and poverty.

Maria is still amazed that just five years ago, she was a little girl traveling to the large country where it all started as a family vacation.

The Sliva family usually spent their vacations in Florida, but decided to plan a trip to Mexico upon meeting with and getting to know Copper Country residents Eldon and Alice Kinnunen, who also travel to Mexico.

"A typical kid, I was like, 'What?' We're going to do mission work instead of a nice vacation in Florida," she said. "Going down there for the first time, I was excited but more reluctant like, 'OK, maybe we'll do it once and maybe we won't like it and we won't have to do it again.'"

It only took one trip for Maria - a chance to see children with a smile on their faces everyday yet living among poverty - and she was hooked for life.

"They showed me so much compassion that I wanted to give back to them," Maria said. "They gave me all their love and friendship and I wanted to give them more."

These days, after five trips to Mexico, Maria would pick going there over Florida any day.

"When we got back, we were psyched and we thought it was cool what we had done," she said. "We got to play soccer with the Mexican kids all day long."

Micki Sliva, Maria's mom, said they first heard of Eldon and Alice when they were looking for used and unwanted bikes in the area. Having a couple of old bikes of their own, Micki said she and her husband, Dennis, gave their kid's old bikes to the Kinnunens and began asking about their work in Mexico.

"We were really interested in what she was doing so we asked a lot of questions and we thought it would be cool to go see what they are doing," Micki said.

Since the first year, the Slivas have connected with different families, but a trip to Mexico isn't complete without spending time with Katia, a little girl the family has, in a way, taken on as a family member. The Slivas were looking for someone special who was in extra need of help, which happened to be Katia, who was also in need of schooling.

"Maria gives all of her old clothes and things to this little girl," Micki said. "We helped pay for her schooling and then we give money for that family for food and Maria collects whatever she can for this little girl."

Being about the same age, the kids in Mexico took to Maria immediately despite the language barrier.

"Maria is very fair and they're all darker," Micki said. "So, of course, she wishes she was darker and they wish they looked like she did."

Spending so much time with these kids and receiving gifts from the kids even though they have nothing has inspired Maria to want to do more to help the children, hence the idea of the friendship bracelet was born. Equipped with thread floss of all colors and a master plan, Maria decided to show the kids how to make handmade friendship bracelets with hopes they can sell their creations to earn a small living.

"One of the young girls has earned almost $500 just since February which is enough for a year and a half of high school," Micki said. "Their families don't even make that much in a year."

Running her fingers across the intricate braiding on the friendship bracelet, Maria pointed out the different shapes and colors, adding she only had to teach a handful of girls the trade and hopes to bring about new ideas at her next visit, which is usually during spring break time.

"I've been making these friendship bracelets for a long time and when I found out this magazine was coming to the house, I was thinking of how I can make a difference," Maria said.

Recently, Need Magazine came to interview Maria and take photographs for an article yet to be published. Being part of a bigger picture pushed Maria to discover to ways to reach out to the children besides giving them goods. Thinking back to an old Chinese proverb she learned in English class at school, Maria new the answer.

"Give a man a fish and he can eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he can eat for a lifetime," she said. "I was thinking, what can I teach them to do instead of just giving them things."

Maria said spending time with the kids in Mexico gives her a better understanding for people in need and a better appreciation for the life she lives.

"They do not have the privileges most of us have in America," Maria said. "Even a homeless person, in America, has the opportunity to go to a homeless shelter."

Because they cannot communicate with a lot of the people in Mexico on a regular basis because of the language barrier, Maria looks forward to each trip in different, special ways.

"I want to do Mexico for as long as I can," Maria said of the future. "I think I'd really like to do it through college and all through my life and when I have kids, take them."

Maria also hopes to influence others, much like another Copper Country family had an impact with hers.

Eldon and Alice Kinnunen have been traveling to Mexico for the last 18 years, in fact, the couple leave for Mexico soon.

The couple have built about 25 houses since the year 2000 as part of their mission trips to Mexico.

"We build houses, we bring goods, we bring food, we help with school expenses and medical situations and we have sponsorships of children and families," Alice said.

Upon arrival, Alice hits the streets with goods while her husband helps with construction and every day they are there, they distribute goods to the Mexican people.

On Nov. 5 at Zion Lutheran Church, a fundraiser will be held to thank the local people for all the help provided over the years and to raise funds for projects in Mexico.

"We plan to show them with pictures and testimonials of the changes that have been made in people's lives as a result of this helping," she said.

Alice said of all the help from people she has seen over the years, Maria's work with the kids in Mexico is the most outstanding act of compassion.

"That little girl is so remarkable," Alice said. "She's always thinking about what she can do next. She's one of my little heroes."

Stacey Kukkonen can be reached at skukkonen@mininggazette.com.