Every
year members of the Catholic Campus Ministry go on a mission trip, either
during spring break or in May after the semester is over. We usually
bring about 15 students and travel to places that need light
maintenance/construction and/or painting. We fundraise throughout the
year by having a bagel sale and dinner at the Church, and by writing to our
home parishes and other organizations asking for donations.
The trip is a wonderful chance to put our faith in action. We can
concretely help those in need and witness to the faith. It also helps us
to understand how blessed we are.
2009 Mission Trip
We will be returning once again to Jarabacoa
2008 Mission Trip
We
returned to Jarabacoa to help complete the chapel and fix up the homes of the
poorest residents.
2007 Mission Trip
March 17- March 24
For
Spring 2007 sixteen of us went to Jarabacoa in the Dominican Republic. We built
a chapel in the campos (countryside) called Las Guasaras, near Jarabacoa.
This is the area where one of our former members Maritza lived as a
child. She wanted to go back and help her community, so she helped set up
the mission trip.
Our trip had a lot of difficulties, including flight delays from bad weather
and lost luggage, but despite this we tried to give our all to the project.
The money we raised was used to construct a small church in the
community. It will also serve as a storm shelter. We helped mix
cement, move concrete blocks, and generally assist the masons in their work.
By the time we left the main walls were complete, and we even had Mass
there with no roof. Of course it started raining!
2006 Mission Trip
March 18-26
The Mission
We went to Queretaro, Mexico, to the El Puente de Esperanza, I.A.P. (Bridge of
Hope) mission. The mission cares for 24 youth between the ages of
15-22. These young people come from very poor home conditions with a low
level of education. The home helps them to acquire skills that will
enable them to go on to higher education. Since their parents are not
able to afford to pay for this program, the youth and parents sign a contract
to come to El Puente. Each youth has to work at the house to help pay for
room and board.
We stayed at El Puente, shared out cultures with the students through some
delicious meals, and helped them move their computer room and library so they
can rent out part of the building.
We also worked at the San Idelfonso mission (also part of the ministry of
Puente de Esperanza). San Idelfonso is a small town located about an hour
from Queretaro. It is an outreach to the indigenous Otomi Indians.
They offer after school programs to help children with their homework, learn
life and decision-making skills, Christian values and self discipline.
Many of the children come from homes with alcoholism and spousal abuse and
where there is no father figure. Many of these people are so poor that
they lack any type of routine or schedule to eat, bathe, etc. They eat
when they have food. Children, who qualify, would be able to go from this
program to El Puente in Queretaro.
We painted the houses of three mothers who had been abandoned by their
husbands. The houses are made of cement, so until we came the walls were
bare and gray. We also bought the supplies to paint two more houses.
We sent almost $3000 of extra fundraising money to help both missions,
including paying for one woman to have a water pipe come to her house so she
doesn't have to walk down a hill to the well.
Fundraising
Writing to our home parishes and organizations for
donations.
Bagel sale at St. Joseph's: Had 800 bagels and
sold out, raised about $1800.
Latino Night: Had a good crowd, good food,
and meringue lessons.
In
2005 we went to Montana where we worked on the Cheyenne Indian
Reservation. We cleaned the Church, moving around all the chairs and
statues so we could vacuum and shampoo the rug. We washed windows and dusted
everything. Then we primed and painted three offices, a hallway, a kitchen, a
meeting room, and two bathrooms. Whew!
We also got to go to Mt. Rushmore, hike up Bear Butte, see the Deer Medicine
Rocks, go to the Battle of Little Bighorn, go to a sweat lodge, and go to the
school prom.
So we were very busy.
In
2004 we went to Banica, a little town in the Dominican Republic. We
helped build little chapels so the priests could say Mass in the countryside.
Check out our PowerPoint for more info.
Annual Mission Trip