Go on a Mission Trip
“Giving can never mean primarily giving money, that goes without saying. Of course money is also often most necessary. But when money is the only thing that is given, that is often hurtful for the other person. I have seen that again and again in the Third World. If you send us nothing but money, people tell me, then you often do more harm than good. Money is very easily misused in some way and then makes things worse. You must give more than this. You must come yourselves; you must give of yourselves; and you must help, so that the material gifts you bring are used appropriately.”
—Cardinal
Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI)
God
and the World,
Ignatius Press, pp. 194-195, 2002
For
eight years parish groups, individuals, and families have
gone to Santísimo Sacramento to share in the daily work for
the poor and to also experience the heroic faith of the
people there. Everyday there is something valuable to do
for someone who has very basic needs. Sixty-three percent
of Piuranos live in poverty and twenty-two percent live in
extreme poverty (lacking their daily bread).
The large parish staff is skilled in carpentry, social
work, brick laying, etc. and, aided by pastoral workers
throughout the parish, enable visitors to do the work and
significantly contribute to the well being of the most
needy.
The parish provides lodging in a 13-bedroom facility
capable of sleeping over 40 people. There is also a village
retreat house that has 100 beds. To defray the cost of
water, gas, and electricity, a $10 per week donation is
suggested.
The food in Piura is very good and inexpensive. A broiled
chicken dinner with fries, salad and soda for four costs
less than $10.
Here
are some things to do while on mission
•
Pray: there
are daily prayer groups in the chapels, daily Eucharist
with the people, weddings, baptisms, and eucharistic
adoration
• Build a home, chapel, schoolroom. The home in the photo to the right is built from bamboo support poles and walls of grass mats.
• Deliver food packages, beds and blankets, clothing
• Gather children for activities and crafts, families for a picnic
• Heal while working with the parish health team, a medical or eye mission, speech therapy, wellness education. In the photo below Dentist Jim Murtaugh is working on a young child.
• Visit the elderly, the orphanage, your adopted family, the sick, families still unknown, a village at night, a bamboo home for a night’s sleep
• Play at fiestas, traditional dances, soccer, volleyball
• Teach English to the parish English group, at a local school, or teach other useful skills
• Help the parish lawyer, or at the drug rehab program
• Invite youth to the movies, a group to the ocean
• Serve at the breakfast kitchens, or through projects yet to be discovered
• Spend time with your sponsored family.
Various mission trips take place each year: individuals, couples, families, youth groups, medical/dental teams (doctors, nurses, workers), and construction teams requiring little skills.
The parish is spread out and has many neighborhoods and villages, which are visited daily. Visitors often go to the Pacific Ocean, an hour away. But, the spirit of the mission groups is to share in the work and pray with the people. Those who stay at the parish do not do a lot of traveling around on their own away from the city, but staff members make excellent guides for exploring the city and neighborhoods of Piura.
Flying to Piura from Lima is recommended. There is a morning and an evening flight each day. Most groups come for one or two weeks. Individuals come for months and rent an apartment. Parish groups visit Piura June through August. Most of the parish staff is either away or on vacation from mid-August to mid-September.
Experience the face of Christ in the many people you will meet.
For more mission photos, click here. Missionaries build and bless St. Monica Chapel in Piura, Peru
For more information, contact Deacon Lee Hunt at DeaconLee@cox.net or 405-348-9461.