Lauren's reflection upon returning home!

Returning to Ecuador this year was amazing.  I was so excited to be back with my friends and our amazing group.  Time spent at Damien House was crazy...everything from cleaning the screens, to playing dominos with the patients was filled with laughter and learning for each one of us.  We were so happy to catch up with our old friends as well as meet new ones--both at Damien House and at Nuevo Mundo!  One of my favorite parts of the week was when we went to mass at Damien House.  The singing was incredible and everyone was truly having a wonderful time!  I can't wait to hopefully return next year!

Lauren (second from the right) playing Dominoes!

Day 6!

¡Buenos dias!

Hello from day six of this truly amazing mission trip. It is hard to believe that we are already leaving tomorrow. We have already grown so attached to this place.

Today was a very productive day. After breakfast we chose through Durán and stopped in AJS. There we visited the old Rostro de Cristo house, which now holds the daycare for the local children. They gave us a tour of the beautiful facility, which serves children from preschool to kindergarten.

Next we departed to Arbolito, where we stopped by to see the current Rostro de Cristo house. We were able to see, talk, and take pictures with Wellington and the Rostro volunteers. After, we were able to see a mural of some of the kids at Semillas and Manos (which Rostro runs in the afternoons) created by Jamie.

Then, we returned to Damien House and ate lunch. Once we were finished, we had to complete putting up the screens. After this long and laborious task was accomplished, we all felt very proud and satisfied.

We are extremely sad to be leaving tomorrow, but we are also very excited to be coming home and seeing you all.

Ya les vamos a ver,

Andrea and Chris

The next full day in Ecuador!

¡Hola! Welcome to day five of Ecuador! Our day was full of hard work, tours, and a group discussion with three special guests. When we first got to Damien House in the morning, we spent time talking with patients and playing Dominoes. But plans quickly changed, as always. 

We had three guest speakers (Wellington, Soraya and Marcos) share their stories about their past struggles with Hansen's disease. Wellington told an inspiring story about his journey with Hansen's disease at 21. 

The disease posed a problem. He had two children and his wife was pregnant with their third child. He struggled to support his family while living with Hansen's for seven years. Welly still struggles, but through his past, he has found faith, which brought him closer to God. 

We also had a busy day of work that consisted of cleaning the screens in the women's rooms. We got a laugh out of it because it took us forever to put the screens back where they belong. 

We hope to have another amazing adventure tomorrow filled with laughs and smiles. 

Amor,

Julianna and Carly

Day 3 in Ecuador!

We have reached the midpoint of our week long Ecuador trip! It's hard to think that in four days we will be leaving. 

When we first arrived at Damien House this morning, it was organized chaos as usual. The first thing we had to do was gather the recuperating patients from the nerve decompression surgeries for a picture. A few of them were leaving to go back home that morning. Sister Annie explained to them that they should be very thankful to God and the medical volunteers because the surgeries they received cost about $25,000 in the United States. She even said, "You should feel like you won the lottery!" Next, we did some cleaning and attended a lively Mass in the chapel. 

After lunch, we traveled to La Puntilla, a nicer area on the outskirts of Guayaquil. There we visited a private Catholic elementary and high school called Nuevo Mundo. Nuevo Mundo is cool because it is separated into two parts. For those who pay tuition and attend morning school, every class is in English and the curriculum is challenging. The other part of Nuevo Mundo is that in the afternoon children from one of the poorest parts of the Guayas province, Durán, are able to use the same facilities and receive an otherwise unattainable education, all for free. Once they reach tenth grade, several students are given scholarships to finish their high school careers in the morning school. 

Seeing the dedication of the teachers and the students' passion for success reminded our group how important our education is and has been. A quote on one wall of the school reminded us that "An education opens up doors that no one can close." We were also asked to ponder this question: "What is the point of an education?" 

Hasta mañana,

Mary Claire and Matt

Abel, one of the scholarship students, speaking to our group at Nuevo Mundo.

Day 2 in Ecuador!

¡Hola!

Welcome from day two of Ecuador. Ourfirst  day was considered a success; delicious meals, entertaining welcomes at Damien House, informational tours and an emotional reflection in the evening.

This morning, we met Sister Annie, the "heart" behind Damien House. Like normal at Damien House, nothing goes as planned. We originally planned a surprise party with signs, balloons, cards and a gift. But that quickly got changed when Sister Annie traveled on the bus with us to Damien House. So with quick improvisation and with the help of Ms. Ann Marie's distraction, we were able to pull off a great warm welcome back to Damien House and birthday party. Quickly our small crowd of fifteen turned into at least 40, with workers and patients of Damien House joining in.

Later in the day, we celebrated with cake (la torta) and lots of dancing and music. 

The meal at Damien House today consisted of fried fish and rice (arroz con pescado frito). We are looking forward to the rest of the week's meals, reflections and adventures in Ecuador.

Peace and love,

Lizzie and Carolyn

Day 1: ¡Hola de Ecuador!

After many months of planning, we are finally here-- we can't believe it!

Last night, we arrived around 7:00pm and effortlessly made our way trough customs. All our luggage made it safe and sound! Outside, we had a surprise waiting for us-- Germania (Sister Annie's go-to girl), Abel (our dear friend) and Manuel (our driver) were waiting for us! In addition to Jhonny, a Tangara employee, they welcomed us with open arms. We then loaded a giant private bus and were off!

This morning, after a delicious breakfast at Tangara, we visited Damien House for the first time. The patients warmly greeted us at the gate with balloons and a "Bienvenidos St Joseph Parish" sign. We were instantly fully immersed in Ecuadorian culture, overwhelmed with besos and abrazos. 

After our mini celebration, Jhonatan, a former Damien House patient and current employee, gave us a tour of the beautiful facilities. Cesar inspired us to share love and be the love, the women introduced themselves and shared with us words of wisdom, and the men happily showed us their paintings and hammocks (all handmade by them!). 

While there were many familiar faces, there were also several new faces. Jhonatan, our tour guide, explained that a medical mission team had recently visited Damien House and had performed countless essential nerve decompression surgeries on Hansen's patients. Many of the surgery patients are temporarily living at Damien while they recuperate -- so it's a full house!

After lunch, we split up andspent time   conversing and playing with the patients. Although speaking Spanish was a challenge, the patients explained that everyone understands the language of love. We were smiling and laughing loudly as we loaded the van to return to Tangara. 

Sister Annie arrives late tonight and we are all super excited to see her tomorrow. We are planning a big surprise, so say tuned for more details tomorrow!

Abrazos ("hugs"),

Lauren and Jane

We are here!!

Welcome to Ecuador! Our group arrived safely last night, with the most effortless international travel that most of us have ever seen. We were blessed to not have any plane delays, and the flights were smooth and fast. We found Mitchell right away in Miami (he met us there, since his family recently moved to California). 

We were warmly greeted by Jhonny, an employee from Tangara hostel, at the airport. He led us to a huge coach-style bus-- which we piled onto for the ten-minute ride. Then, to our surprise, out comes Germania (Sister Annie's right-hand woman), Manuel (Damien House driver) and Abel (a Nuevo Mundo student). It was great to have such a big welcome party!

At Tangara, Anny, Antonio and Lucia greeted us enthusiastically. After settling into the rooms, we went up onto the roof for our first nightly reflection. Group consensus is that it still hasn't hit us that we are finally here, but now being here gets us very excited!! We shared for a little bit and then headed to bed.

Thanks again for all your prayers; you are in our prayers, too!

Our shared space at Tangara. 

Almost There!

15 days and counting!  That's right, our trip to Ecuador is only 15 days away.  Everyone is getting excited and we have 2 more events coming up.  On Sunday, July 21, the entire group will be attending 10:30 mass for a Commissioning Mass.  Then on Monday, July 22 at 6 pm we will be having a Potluck dinner.  This is a time for the families and friends to interact and get to know everyone going on the trip.  Please feel free to stop by, talk to some the people going, and enjoy some good food/company.  We hope you all can make it... and remember, 15 days!

Info, Info, and more Info

Hello all!

Just a quick update on fundraising and our next event.  We are at $25,000 (only 5,000 more to go)!  Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our trip whether through coffee sales, different dinners we held, or even just donating.  All of these funds would not have been possible if it wasn't for all of you, so THANK YOU.

Just a reminder: this weekend (June 1-2) is our last major fundraiser.  We are having a Bake Sale at church after every mass both Saturday and Sunday.  We will also be selling our coffee and tea.  There is going to be lots of goodies so get hungry :) .  Members of the Ecuador team will be selling the items and speaking at masses so don't hesitate on asking/talking to us about the trip.

Just a little something to entice you :)

Can't wait to see everyone out there!  Only 58 days until take-off!

Mitchell's Feelings

      Words cannot express how blessed I feel to be a part of this amazing journey. Not just the physical journey to Ecuador, but also the spiritual journey to find myself. I absolutely love hearing the stories of those who have already gone because I know that I too will be able to experience that soon. My biggest worry is that I won’t make a good impression on the patients at Damien House. I also worry that people will think that I’m the “obnoxious American”, and so I’m trying to be more conservative while we’re there. 

      “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”. And although this trip is most definitely about the destination, getting there with the help of all these wonderful people has been incredible. Sometimes maybe a little too incredible ? You know those people that are so morally amazing, you feel bad about yourself? Yeah, that’s this group. A better team to do something like this could not have been chosen. 
With Jesus as our guide, we are led down an amazing path of greater fulfillment.

Carlo's Thoughts

In just over two months I will be heading to Guayaquil, Ecuador with 11 teenagers and three adults on a mission trip. But I am not only going as a team member but as a leader.  Being a leader of the group is both exciting and scary at the same time.

Exciting because I didn’t have the chance to go last year on the trip, but watching the preparation from afar and then hearing about the experience from those that went stirred in me a desire to make sure I could be a part of the Ecuador mission trip this summer.  It has been an absolute joy getting to know each of the team members and working with them on our fundraising efforts. Each of the teens and adults bring something beautiful to the group that makes evident the mystery of the Body of Christ. This body is preparing itself to go and share Jesus with the residents at Damien House. It’s exciting because of the people involved.

Scary because this will be my first mission trip outside the United States, my first time to South America, and my first experience in a Spanish speaking country. But I hear in my soul Jesus saying “Be not afraid”, so I trust. The entire experience so far has been a lesson in learning to trust God.  The biggest area of trust has been with our fundraising. I am happy to announce that we are over $22000; almost to our goal of $30000. God is good!

 I ask for your continued prayers and if possible financial support for the 2013 Ecuador Mission Team. We thank you so very much for all your prayers and support. You are making it possible for this team, this body to go and reach out to those in need. God Bless you!

Look what we Found!

Snippets is an inspirational column for women, and just recently, Jane Lorenzi submitted an article about our Ecuador trip and it got posted!  Scroll down a bit (under SNIPPETS handy helper) and see what was said about the trip :)

friday april 26  2013 SNIPPETS is formatted with photos, graphics and in color. If you see TEXT ONLY, adjust your email settings to "display/download images" when opening this email. Or visitSNIPPETSinspiration.com to view in its full glory. snippeteer backtalk SNIPPETS e-mailbox was quiet this week!        Email your snippetful thoughts and  reactions here (include first name, town and state). Please mention if you prefer NOTto have your comment published in the next issue.    new snippeteer welcome! ANN!   "Everybody dances. We've all got a drum inside of us. We're all full of rhythm. Now get out and express yourself. Find your dance." Len on Dancing With The Stars  a giggle Bob opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend Larry.    "Did you see the paper?" asked Bob. "It says that I died!"   "Yes, I saw it!" replied Larry. "Where are you calling from?!?!?"   prayer flares  FOR Luci in NY to feel good and be regulated as she deals daily with Crohn's disease FOR Papa Felice in MD to get better and get out of rehab FOR Dawn's sadness (MD) FOR Rachel's safety and growth as she travels the country for an unspecified time FOR the victims still in the hospital after the Boston Marathon bombing, may they heal emotionally and physically FOR Sue M (MD) in getting her blood pressure regulated what's your happy little something?  DARLENE in Florida talks about her happy little something ... "Friends and family, that's what it's all about in life. Sharing time with them. Time with the ones I love. We all get so caught up with daily activities and work that we rush through our meals or get them on the run, not taking the time to enjoy the important moments. Now that my kids are older and rushing through their own lives, we have made it a date on Friday evenings to have dinner together at a restaurant and enjoy the food and the company with the ones we love. Knowing that this can't last forever, this is my most happy time now.  Thanks for even asking the question so that I can bring a smile to my face even thinking about the fun we have together."  What's YOUR happy little something? Tell us here.     inspiration station   not the time for worry   I read 'worry' across my friend Joe's face as I watched him from across the restaurant table at his family member's birthday dinner last weekend. Joe is a giant worrier by nature (aren't most of us?). I asked him what he was thinking about - and he shared.  I said, "Joe. What if for RIGHT NOW you shelved that worry? Just for this dinner. Just for this afternoon. Will it be there tomorrow?" He laughed and said, "Oh yes."  I reminded Joe of the enjoyment surrounding him in his family. There was good food set before us, and our families were in each other's company (always a bonus, since we live four states apart).    Joe chuckled.   I don't know if Joe used my suggestion and stopped worrying temporarily, but I do know that I can use that advice sometimes myself.  We all have worries - large and tiny - things sitting on our brains driving us nutty as we focus on them way too much. We carry worry around. We fret. We waste energy on it. We are human. Yet does that mean we have to SIT on the worry 24/7? Could we "take 5?" Shelve the worry to enjoy THE MOMENT. Could we set aside the worry and pick it up again later? Deal with it another time? It will be there (well actually - only if we allow it to remain). Everything has a yin and yang side to it. We can enjoy white in the middle of the black ... a high in the middle of the low ... light in the middle of dark ... a peak in the middle of a valley ... the good in the middle of evil. What if for RIGHT NOW you shelved your worry? "Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight." Benjamin Franklin SNIPPETS handy helper I would like to share these profound and elegant words written by my friend Jane in Maryland, a 17-year-old high school student who will be returning to Guayaquil, Ecuador for a week this summer on a mission trip. About her trip last summer, Jane wrote that it was the "most wonderful experience of my life." This is an excerpt from her trip reflection:  "I can still hear Mercedes singing. I can still feel the warm embrace of Pedro's hugs. I can still smell Sister Annie's famous aroz con pollo. I can still see the sadness on Juan's face when he told us his story. Almost eight months later and Ecuador is still very much alive. In my mind. In my heart. In my words. In my actions. I still get chills every time I think about it. That is the power of Ecuador. That is the beauty of Ecuador. It changes your life forever.   As a result of the trip, I am stronger, braver, more thoughtful, more intentional, more simplistic, more grateful, more inspired ... and most importantly, happier - happier thanI have ever been in my life.   There is something magical about that charming country - and I think it's the people. Although they might be materialistically poor, the Ecuadoreans are rich in spirituality - perhaps the richest people I have ever met. Through their selfless actions, devout faith, and immense gratitude, they have taught me more than any book ever could. They see us, the volunteers, as an extraordinary gift from God, but I see them as the truly extraordinary gift. I never realized how much of an impact these people would have on my life - and in such a short amount of time. It was only after looking at things in retrospect that I discovered their true influence. I think about Abel and Pedro and Esther and Wellington every day. I think about their struggles, their sorrows, and their joys. And I think of all of the wonderful little moments we shared. And I can't decide if I should cry or smile. Cry because I miss them so much my heart hurts or smile because I was blessed to get to know such amazing people. How can I ever repay someone who changed my life?" Jane and the others in her youth group will volunteer with the U.S. based nonprofitDAMIEN HOUSE, a residential hospital for over 60 patients with Hansen's disease (formerly leprosy) and 700 outpatients. Patients receive dental care, physical therapy, medication, and three hot meals daily. The group is busy fundraising to cover the trip costs and support Damien House. Once there, they will work with patients and live simply to reflect on the experience. Donations are being accepted at the address below. Payable to St. Joseph Parish with "JANE L, ECUADOR 2013" in memo line:  St. Joseph Parish Youth Ministry c/o Carlo Stebbings 100 Church Lane Cockeysville MD 21030     sometimes when things are falling apart they are actually falling into place CIAO ...  and thanks for snippeting    Suzanne Molino Singleton SNIPPETS creator (talk to me here)  empowering women  (and some men!) every Friday since 2006 SNIPPETSinspiration.com         Perhaps a friend forwarded SNIPPETS to you? Join the free list ... snippet with us! Inspiration is contagious. Please provide your first name so SNIPPETS can welcome you as a  new splendid snippeteer in the next issue! gift SNIPPETS to a friend ... always free!      click logo for more SNIPPETS online since 2006 ...   7 years of Friday-filled inspiration!

Mary Claire's Ponderings

I have mixed feelings about the upcoming trip to Ecuador. Hearing about everyone’s experience from last year has put things in perspective. From all of the stories and memories brought up by last year’s group, it seems as though Ecuador is a totally different world. A month or two ago, I was not nervous about the trip. Now, as I am sitting with all of my windows open and the sun shining at 85 degrees, I know that time is ticking and that the last week of July will be arriving shortly. This makes me worry, but in a good way. I wonder if the people will see me as a burden, rather than a blessing. I wonder how I will be able to deal with everything that Ecuador has that America does not and vice versa. However, being the perfectionist that I am, I am afraid that I will not be able to sufficiently help everyone who will be put into my care. What if I accidently say something in Spanish that offends them? What if I hurt them and tear their bandages when I help them try on new shoes?

Despite all of these reservations, I am genuinely excited about the trip. I know that it will be an incredible new experience. From the meetings that have taken place, I feel more prepared to go to Ecuador than I felt a few months ago. I think above all, I am curious. I wonder about what my life will be like after I return from Ecuador. I wonder if I will be fully immersed in the culture of Ecuador, and whether or not I will be overwhelmed. I am excited to meet the people who live at Damien House, and I am curious to know their stories and experiences.

Sometimes when I am worried, or when I am just in the mood, I will get my Bible, close my eyes, flip it open to a random page, and point my finger on a page. I felt that it was fitting that when I did so today, I landed upon this, as it reflects how I will trust in God when I am uncertain:

Psalm 25

In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.

I trust in you;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.

Jane's Reflection

In the back of my head, I can still hear Mercedes singing.

I can still feel the warm embrace of Pedro’s hugs.

I can still smell Sister Annie’s famous arroz con pollo.

I can still see the sadness on Juan’s face when he told us his story.

Almost eight months later and Ecuador is still very much alive.

In my mind. In my heart. In my words. In my actions.

I still get chills every time I think about it.

And at some moments, all I can do is cry because I miss it so much.

That is the power of Ecuador.

That is the beauty of Ecuador.

It changes your life forever.

I am grateful that this year I have an opportunity to return to Ecuador. It will be a different experience – being a “veteran” – but I am nonetheless excited for the adventure. Another trip means another week with beloved Sister Annie, another round of singing with the women, another game of dominoes with the men, another stay at Tangara… so much wonderful familiarity. But at the same time, despite familiar faces and familiar places, the shock of witnessing such extreme destitution and suffering will never fade. I know my heart will break over and over again – as it did last year – until it feels like there is nothing left to break.

Lizzie and I with our buddy León, a patient at Damien House

Sometimes I wonder why. Why do I want to return to Ecuador?

Well, simply said, Ecuador changed my life. As a result of the trip, I am stronger, braver, more thoughtful, more intentional, more simplistic, more grateful, more inspired… and most importantly, happier – happier than I have ever been in my life. There is something magical about that beautiful country… and I think it’s the people.  The people are magical. Although they might be materialistically poor, the Ecuadoreans are rich in spirituality – perhaps the richest people I have ever met. I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by love and compassion when I am around them. And the best part is, the feeling is mutual. We share our love with each other – it is the most beautiful, life-giving relationship. The Ecuadoreans, through their selfless actions, devout faith, and immense gratitude, have taught me more than any book ever could. They see us, the volunteers, as an extraordinary gift from God, but I see them as the truly extraordinary gift. In simple ways, they showed me the meaning of life and what is really important.

With Sister Annie, the foundress of Damien House

You see, while I was in Ecuador, I never realized how much of an impact these people would have on my life – and it such a short amount of time. It was only after taking a step back and looking at things in retrospect that I discovered their true influence. I think about Abel and Pedro and Esther and Wellington every day. I think about their struggles, their sorrows, and their joys. And I think of the all the wonderful little moments we shared. And sometimes I can’t decide if I should cry or I should smile. Cry because I miss them so much my heart hurts or smile because I was blessed to get to know such amazing people. How can I ever repay someone who changed my life? I want to return to Ecuador to express my immense gratitude for these people and remind them how much they are loved and cherished.

When it comes to what I want to get out of this return mission trip… I would say it is three main things. One, I hope to once again see the face of Christ in everyone I meet. Last July was the first time I experienced that tingling feeling inside my heart, thinking, “Wow, I just saw the face of God today.” In Ecuador, God’s presence seemed so alive and apparent. I saw His face in the sad and the weary, but also in the happy and the innocent. I loved how seeing God in His people had the power to take my breath away.

Second, I hope to become even stronger, more courageous, and more faithful. We as humans are constantly growing and changing, and I hope to continue to grow into a more loving person who trusts the Lord at all times. I crave an even stronger relationship with God. I also hope to more clearly discern God’s calling for me – what he wants me to do now in high school, soon in college, and later in the future.  I believe that when you travel to different places, you learn about yourself. You discover your passions, what you want, what makes you happy, and what doesn’t.

Finally, I want to learn and recognize new things. I want to notice the little things that I missed that first time, the things I missed because I was partially consumed by fear. I know that during those first few days, (at times) I was not fully focused on living in the moment. I was worrying (irrationally) about being bitten by a mosquito or drinking unclean water. It was not until the third or fourth day, when I set aside my fears, that I truly lived in the moment and experienced an incredible peace. I know that a second experience in Ecuador will not be as raw and fresh as the first time, but that’s okay.  It will be a different experience, but an awesome one – I can look at things in a new light.

Lizzie and I with our friend Abel

There’s a saying, “Yo dejé mi corazón en Ecuador” (I left my heart in Ecuador) – and it couldn’t be truer.

I am beyond ecstatic to return with such a beautiful group of young people.

Paz y amor,

Talia (Jane)

Simply said, I feel like I am the best version of myself when I am there. Something about being outside of your comfort zone and embracing a world so different from your own really brings out your true character. The people love you simply for being you. They don’t judge or criticize, only love and give thanks. They choose to see the good in you instead of focusing on any flaws. They love in that moment, exactly as you are, unconditionally. I remember at our despedida (goodbye) party we offered words of gratitude to the Damien House patients, and I said that they taught me to love with an open heart. 

Lauren's Thoughts

My experience in Ecuador last year was an amazing one, which I’ll never forget!  I had so much fun spending time with the patients at Damien House and the children at the after school programs.  Even though the language barrier was a challenge, it was a fun one; it required each of us to reach beyond our comfort zone and to use other methods of communication to get to know each person we met.  Our charades games always resulted in good laughs! 

One of my favorite experiences at Damien House was the clothing drive.  We took tons of clothes, shoes, and accessories with us to Ecuador for the patients and volunteers at Damien House.  I had so much fun finding clothes and shoes to fit each patient and it was really cool to see where our donations went.  I’ve always heard the saying, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure,” but that took on a whole new meaning in Ecuador.  It was a very special moment to see one of the patients trying on my used tennis shoes and then jumping up and down and clapping their hands when they fit! 

I also enjoyed singing and dancing for the ladies at Damien House.  Even though we weren’t the most talented singers and they probably had no idea what the English lyrics meant, we could tell that the ladies thoroughly and genuinely enjoyed the entertainment as they clapped along! 

The after school programs were lots of fun, too!  I loved coloring, playing, and singing with the children and their bright smiling faces are images I will never forget.

                This year, I am so excited to go back to Ecuador!  Even though I frequently communicate via Facebook to some of the people I met, I can’t wait to be back at Damien House with Sr. Annie!  I am really looking forward to sharing new stories and experiences with the ladies and to hear theirs—and I can’t wait to give them each a big hug!  While it will be a different experience for me than it was last time, I know it will be a good one and I’m really excited for the adventures awaiting us!  Only 121 more days!!

Catching Up

Hey everyone, sorry for the wait on another post!  We have had a lot of success over the past month and it couldn't have happened without the help of all of you.  First off, the Spaghetti Dinner was a huge success!  We had a lot of participation from the parish and SJS community.  We would like to thank everyone who donated food or their time.  We would especially like to thank the parents who came out and helped either cook the pasta, or hand out the food.  It was great to see everyone out and supporting our trip.  Below are some pictures from our Dinner!

Beth with some of the the people from the Hispanic Community

Julianna, Chris, and Lizzie helping serve pasta

Mrs. Kathy talking to some of the guests    

Father Paul enjoying his pasta

Beth with MaryLou Jefferson
(who helped bake many of the delicious desserts)

Meet the Chef! (Carly's dad)

Now on to more information.  First off, we are having a Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast at Applebee’s on Sunday, April 7, from 8:00 – 10:00.  Tickets are $8.00 per person.  If you like to go, please let any of the kids or chaperons know, and we can give you a ticket.  You can also show up that day to Applebee’s and get a ticket then.  The fundraiser is at the Applebee’s on York Rd. and Padonia Rd.  And the best part of the breakfast is that the kids will be your servers!

Next off is a Panera Fundraiser we are having.  We are selling a strip of Panera coupons for $10.00.  There are 2 different kinds of coupon strips: the first on consists of 6 coupons for 3 bagels each, totaling up to 18 bagels.  The second strip contains 6 coupons: 1 sourdough baguette, 1 asiago cheese mini-baguette, 1 focaccio round, 3 bagels, 1 muffin, and 2 cookies.  Both strips cost $10.00 and you can buy more than 1 strip!  If you would like to buy some of these strips, let any of the people going know and we will make sure you get the coupons. 

As with everything we do, we couldn't have this opportunity without the support of the community.  As you know, we are always accepting donations, but we are also collecting other donations.  Below is posted a list of donations we are willing to take down to Damien House.  If you have any of these things, please feel free to start collecting for us.  We will be sending out further information about a good time to bring in the donations.

Soon we will be posting the thoughts of the kids and chaperons going; what they are excited/fearful about and how they are reflecting on the months leading up to the trip.  This way, just like last year, you all can see how each of the individuals going is responding to our trip.  We would like to ask one last thing of everyone, and that is for your constant prayers.  We are extremely grateful for all of the support we have and we love hearing that we also have your prayers.

Upcoming Events

Hey all!  We have quite a lot of news to share with you and some important events we want you to mark your calendars for.  First off, let me introduce you to this year’s Ecuador Team.  We have the amazing opportunity of having 4 chaperones and 11 students going on the trip.  Our 4 chaperones are:

Beth Awalt

Ann Marie Labin

Carlo Stebbings

Steve Pomplon

And our 11 students are:

Jane Lorenzi

Lizzie Piet

Lauren Tomasic

Julianna Rak

Carly Sniffen

Mary Claire Connor

Andrea Ruano

Carolyn Rutishauser

Chris Thommen

Matt Kokoska

Mitchell Claussen

Well under way with preparations and meetings, we just wanted to take a minute to again thank all of you for your support and prayers.  It means a great to deal us that we have the support of our Church and community.  Switching gears, we have several important fundraisers coming up and we would love for everybody to come out.  The following is the most recent list of fundraisers and dates:

February 16-17: Spaghetti Dinner Ticket Sales

February 17: Coffee Sale after Life After Sunday

February 22: SPAGHETTI DINNER!!!!!!!

March 1: Letter writing begins

April 7: Pancake Breakfast from 8-10 am at Applebees

May 6: Chick-fil-a Night

June 1-2: Bake Sale

Also, just as a side note, Coffee sales will be going on throughout the time leading up to Ecuador.  If you would like to put in an order, you can contact any of the people going and they will make sure your order gets in.  Below is the flyer for the Spaghetti Dinner, so mark your calendars!

Thank you once again for all your support!

Coffee and Tea Sales, and World Leprosy Day!

Hey folks!

GREAT news -- we have samples of tea and coffee available this weekend for your tasting pleasure! The coffee and tea are from His Coffee, a fair-trade Catholic coffee company. Check out a photo of Mass last night -- Jane and Beth spoke at the 7pm Spanish Mass, and over 60 people came to try our coffee! Hope to see you for Fellowship Sunday in the Parish Center today. Be sure to try some coffee, or purchase a bag to take home!

Participants Jane, Beth and Ann Marie after the 7pm Mass. Thanks also to the Awalts and Lorenzis for coming to support, and for the priest and his kind words about the need for missionaries!

The reviews are in -- the coffee is extraordinary!

On another front, Pope Benedict XVI marked the 60th World Leprosy Day this Sunday, calling on people to entrust their prayers for those suffering from Hansen’s disease to the intercession of St. Damien de Veuster and the recently canonised St. Marianna Cope. Read more in this article.

Saint Damien, Saint Marianna - pray for us!