At 14 years old, Engineering Aide 2nd Class Gabriel Jimenez and his family left Bogota, Colombia to find safety and more promising opportunities.

"When we made it to the States, I saw how big the world really is in comparison to what I thought back in Colombia," said Jimenez, who is a Seabee attached to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202 and participating in Continuing Promise 2017 (CP-17). "Seeing people from all over the world really exposed me to a whole new reality."

Also supporting CP-17 is Hospitalman Mateo CastanoGalindo, who joined the Navy out of Waterbury, Connecticut.

Originally from Medellin, Colombia, he was a toddler when his mother made the tough decision to move him and his preteen brother from the place they called home to pursue the "American Dream."

"My mother paid a family to bring me to the States a couple of years after she arrived," said CastanoGalindo, a dental corpsman who works at Naval Branch Health Clinic Mayport, Florida "Because she worked as a dishwasher, it took her a while to make enough money to send for me, but she constantly checked on me and made sure I was well taken care of."

Both Sailors are now in their native homeland providing humanitarian assistance with CP-17.

"When I found out I was going to Colombia, I was very excited," said CastanoGalindo. "Knowing that I am part of a force greater than myself and going to the place where I was born was amazing news."

CastanoGalindo added he saw CP-17 as a way for him to work with fellow Colombians to help the local population of Mayapo.

"There are a lot of crime and poverty issues in Colombia that I may not be able to fix, but I have the chance to come back and do something. I can give something back to my own people," he said.

CastanoGalindo said because of his Navy training, he has not only his passion, but also the talents to help the people of Colombia. As the designated dental X-ray technician for CP-17, he has become the link between patients and providers, bridging lingual and cultural gaps.

"I am the middleman," said CastanoGalindo, adding his role allows him to soothe any concerns host nation patients might have.

"I explain to them what we will be doing, which they appreciate," he said. "The looks on their faces are priceless when I start to speak Spanish. They react so happily; I can tell they feel less tense."

Jimenez was able to build a lasting impression in his nation of origin.

With help from fellow Seabees and Colombian service members, he helped build an eight by 16 foot kitchen for a school that will feed 105 students in a village of indigenous Wayuu.

"They were using a small shack for a school and a tribe member's kitchen for food. It was too small and not always available for use. This new kitchen will help out a lot," Jimenez said.

CP-17 is Jimenez's first trip back to Colombia since his father's death in 2009, which has triggered an array of emotions.

"I volunteered for this deployment, and I was excited to come back to Colombia," he said. "This is still exciting for me, but it is also humbling to know that we came together as Americans to help other nations."

His visit also gave him a greater appreciation of what it means to help people.

"Before CP-17, I had never seen the native tribes of Colombia before, but I still felt connected to them. We are all human beings and we care for one another regardless of our cultural differences. That is the most humbling sentiment of it all."

Being deployed with CP-17 has played a vital role in his personal journey, Jimenez said.

"Giving back to Colombia is a way of giving back to myself. Being born here, I experienced great things and also had the bad experiences of living in a nation with inner conflict. Leaving made me wonder if I could've helped make Colombia better," he said, adding his visit to Mayapo has had a therapeutic effect on a personal level.

Those feelings left a void in me," Jimenez said. "It might sound kind of selfish, but CP-17 is also helping me. It is helping fill that void."

For CastanoGalindo, working with patients during CP-17 has been both a rewarding and enlightening experience.

One had a gum infection that was causing a lot of pain as he was performing his duties.

"I felt bad because it is never my goal to hurt my people. I explained the procedure is meant to help." said CastanoGalindo.

After finding out the patient couldn't sleep and required medication, he realized the issue could be something serious.

"I realized that an infection this bad could've traveled from the gums to the rest of the body and over time lead to further health problems," he said. "If we weren't here, then they would have never had any help because they don't have access to it. That made me more proud of what we're doing here."

CastanoGalindo said he is also able to savor simple pleasures during his time in Colombia. Moments brought to him because of his deployment with CP-17.

"Almost every day after work I can communicate with the Colombian military and locals. They ask me questions about the States, and we talk and laugh for hours," said CastanoGalindo, whose time with the locals also reminds him of his earlier days in Colombia.

"Our mannerisms are so funny and it feels very nostalgic. It makes me feel very happy. I am able to free myself and be myself around my own people. I try to enjoy every moment I have before the mission is over."

The kitchen Jimenez helped build was completed March 30, and CP-17 ended a day later. But, Jimenez said Colombia will always have a prominent place in his heart.

"The Seabees have always been ambassadors of good will, not just for the Navy, but for the U.S.," Jimenez said. "When I joined the Seabees, I knew I would have a chance to complete a mission like this. I never thought I would be able to do this for Colombia. That is the cherry on top of the ice cream for me. Even though I don't live in Colombia, and America is my home now, Colombia is with me everywhere I go."

Colombia is the mission's final scheduled stop. CP-17 also visited Guatemala and Honduras.

CP-17 is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern/U.S. 4th Fleet-conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian assistance, training engagements and medical, dental, and veterinary support in an effort to show U.S. support and commitment to Central and South America.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.