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Fall 2009
Mission Service Experiences
Fall 2009 Habitat for Humanity Sites
Winter 2009 Mission Service Experiences
Spring 2010 Service Site Listing Coming Soon!
Winter 2010 Mission Experiences
San Salvador, El Salvador
Volunteer Work
Volunteers will be working with the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and their Project FIAT (Faith in Action Together) in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Project FIAT began many years ago with Handmaids volunteering some summer free
time for service projects to reach out to needy communities and has now been
able to accept volunteers throughout the year. Volunteers will help build houses
and roads with the local communities, aid in the nurturing of malnourished
children, help to distribute food to those in need at a soup kitchen, and share
their hearts in a home for abandoned children. During Project Fiat International
(PFI), volunteers leave the comfort, efficiency, and competitiveness of their
culture, t enter to some extent into the experiences, and limiting
circumstances with which billions of the world’s people live. PFI accepts
volunteers from any religious affiliation who desire to collaborate in making
our world more genuinely human.
Volunteers will live in Casa Voluntariado Santa Rafaela Maria volunteer house
which is in a safe part of the capital city, San Salvador. The house is
surrounded by an iron gate and also has a gate keeper 24 hours a day. The house
has running water, plumbing and electricity. There are 4 large rooms that
contain 10 bunk beds. The men and women have separate sleeping quarters as well
as bathrooms. Volunteers will pack a lunch every morning and fill up water
bottles to take on the jobs. No food is eaten or bought off the street. Safety
is the number one priority for all volunteers. Vans are rented to take
volunteers back and forth to their destinations. No one is allowed to travel
alone or use public transportation. The US dollar is the monetary unit of El
Salvador.
Volunteers will learn about the cultural and political situation of the
country. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to visit the Romero Center,
Universidad Centroamericana in San Salvador, Puerta de Diablo and tour the
scenic countryside. Volunteers will be able to experience cultural presentation
of traditional songs, dances and folklore throughout their time in El Salvador.
Dates: December 29, 2009-January 9, 2010
Approximate Cost: $1,100 which includes airfare, accommodations in the
volunteer center, food, transportation within El Salvador, program fees, group
guide and weekend excursions.
Website: http://www.acjusa.org/volunteer/index.html
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Volunteer Work
Volunteers will be working with an organization called New Hope for Cambodian
Children (NHCC). NHCC is a Cambodian non- governmental organization (NGO)
registered with the Royal Government of Cambodia and provides assistance to
children with HIV/AIDS living in Cambodia.
NHCC has built a special village for 200 children on the outskirts of Phnom
Penh. The Village provides a safe and loving environment for orphans with
HIV/AIDS. In the village, 8 children live together with a care giving couple as
a family. The children attend the local schools all of which are within walking
distance. The Village has special classes in computers, English, and Cambodian
culture. Special tutoring is offered to all children as needed. The Village has
a nursery School and pre-school for the younger children.
Volunteers will be serving with many of the established ministries run by
NHCC. Volunteers will be spending most of the day doing a variety of work:
teaching, playing with the children, sports, shopping at the local market, etc.
The group will experience the Cambodian culture and history throughout the
experience. You may spend a weekend in the Siem Reap province visiting the
magnificent ancient temples of Angkor Wat. You will take a river tour of the
Mekong River and visit the “killing fields” of the Khmer Rouge. Volunteers will
have the opportunity to visit the Cambodian markets and talk with many of the
locals. Volunteers will be staying in dormitories at the Village. All meals will
be prepared and eaten with the children.
Dates: December 27, 2009-January 8, 2010
Approximate Cost: ~$2,000 which includes airfare, accommodations in a
guest house, food, transportation within Cambodia, program fees, group guide and
weekend excursions.
Website: http://www.newhopeforcambodianchildren.com
Fall 2009 Mission Service Experiences
Bethlehem Farm, West Virginia
Located in central Appalachia, Bethlehem Farm is a Catholic intentional
community that strives to transform lives through serving the local community
and teaching sustainability. During the week at the Farm, volunteers serve the
surrounding community, pray together, learn about and from the people of
Appalachia, and experience ways of practicing and living a sustainable life.
Volunteers may find themselves doing a variety of work with the local community
– from working alongside a family in repairing their home to learning about
sustainable living. This is a great domestic mission experience focused on
social justice and community.
The cost is about $300 for 15 people
Website:
http://www.bethlehemfarm.net/main/
Tohatchi, New Mexico
Native American Reservation This is a cultural immersion experience into the
Native American culture. Volunteers will live with host families on the Navajo
Indian reservation. During the day, volunteers work on various service projects
determined by the needs of the community – mostly home repair. Volunteers will
learn about the Navajo culture which includes spirituality, family and history
of the Navajo Nation. You will experience the beauty of the nature while
exploring the reservation and the spirituality of the Navajo’s by participating
in a sweat lodge. This experience provides a nice balance between working on
extensive service projects and taking part in cultural immersion and exchange.
The cost is about $600 for 16 people.
Miguel Aleman, Mexico
Faith Ministry Volunteers will be working with the organization Faith
Ministry along the Texas/Mexico border to construct a new home for a family in
need. Faith Ministry is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the
poorest of the poor in the colonias of Reynosa and Miguel Aleman in Mexico with
their housing, medical, spiritual, educational, and other immediate needs. Aside
from working about six hours per day to completely finish this home, volunteers
will also be fully interacting with the surrounding community to learn about
their circumstances and the issues that most affect them. Members of the family
receiving the home will participate in the construction. Volunteers will be
staying in a secure, volunteer dormitory in Miguel Aleman or Reynosa, Mexico.
The cost is about $1000 and is open to 15 people.
Website: www.faithministry.org
Antigua, Guatemala
God’s Child Program Volunteers will be working with the God’s Child Program
and the Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados to help thousands of Guatemala’s poor. Part
of your trip will be spent working on life-changing projects such as pouring
concrete floors in shacks (to reduce illness and infection), constructing
houses, distributing clothing and other needed items to the poor, and visiting
and assisting malnourished children. Another part of your trip will be spent at
The DREAMER Center, an educational and health facility being built by the
Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados on the edge of the San Felipe, spending time with
the children. You will also have the opportunity to learn about Guatemala with
its unique Mayan-Latina culture and breath-taking nature, its history, and its
government.
The cost is about $1200 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.gcpnc.org and
http://www.godschild.org
Belize City, Belize
Hand in Hand Ministries Volunteers will be working with the organization Hand
in Hand Ministries in Belize City which is a faith-based international service
organization that provides life’s essentials to the poorest of the poor, giving
them dignity today and hope for tomorrow. Volunteers’ main project will be with
the “Building for Change” program. This program provides housing for the poorest
of the poor in Belize City. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work
alongside the new homeowner while making a modest 16x16 foot home from start to
finish. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to work in Hand in Hand
Ministries Outreach Center which provides medical care and hope for 15 children
and 38 families affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS, work with children at a
local elementary school that is funded by Hand in Hand and also talk with local
adults affected by HIV/AIDS.
The cost is about $1200 and is open to 14 people.
Website: http://www.hhministries.com/
San Salvador, El Salvador
Volunteers will be working with the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and their Project FIAT (Faith in Action Together) in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Volunteers will help build houses and roads with the local communities, aid in
the nurturing of malnourished children, help to distribute food to those in
need, and share their hearts in a home for abandoned children. Volunteers will
live in Casa Voluntariado Santa Rafaela Maria volunteer house which is in a safe
part of the capital city, San Salvador. Volunteers will learn about the cultural
and political situation of the country. Volunteers will also have the
opportunity to visit the Romero Center, Universidad Centroamericana in San
Salvador, Puerta de Diablo and tour the scenic countryside. Volunteers will be
able to experience cultural presentation of traditional songs, dances and
folklore throughout their time in El Salvador.
The cost is about $1100 and is open to 15 people.
Website:
http://www.acjusa.org/volunteer/index.html
Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica Volunteers Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with many
different service programs offered through the organization Jamaica Volunteers.
Volunteers work at several Catholic social service sites that provide services
for the destitute, the sick, the disadvantaged and the economically displaced in
Kingston. Service projects include a home for the elderly and homeless run by
Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity, a community center with a school for
at-risk children, a health clinic and a home for elderly and victims of Hanson's
disease.
The cost is about $900 and is open to 15 people.
Website:
http://www.jamaicavolunteers.com/
Puebla, Mexico
Community Links International Community Links is a volunteer and
international educational organization. Through cross-border, cross-cultural
immersion experiences they provide volunteers the chance to learn about the
interconnectedness of our global communities. Volunteers will experience a
combination of community service, reflection time, family stays in indigenous
communities, visits to local cultural sites and discussions on relevant
political issues (ex: NAFTA, indigenous land rights). Work projects include
hands-on labor in agricultural projects as well as playing with children’s
groups.
The cost is about $1000 and is open to 20 people.
Website: http://www.commlinks.org/
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
Environmental Service Experience Volunteers will work and stay at the Playa
Hermosa Turtle Reserve on the west coast of Costa Rica. The primary focus of
this trip is global conservation. The reserve's main purpose is to protect the
Olive Ridley sea turtles, which are poached in Costa Rica. Volunteers will be
involved in everything from finding nests, digging up eggs, relocating them to a
hatchery, and bringing hatched baby sea turtles to the sea. Most of the work is
done at night when turtles lay their eggs. The days will be spent learning about
protecting the environment, miscellaneous work around the reserve, and cleaning
beaches. This is an educational site that employs hands on experiential learning
techniques using the coast as the classroom. You will also have the opportunity
to work with Costa Rican high-school students from La Gloria Colegio. It will
involve one night of home stay with a student. Almost all work is outdoors,
experiencing firsthand the environment of Costa Rica, and working to protect it.
The cost is about $950 and is open to 15 people.
Website: http://www.ranchomastatal.com
Chulucanas, Peru
Augustinian Volunteers and Mission: Volunteers will work at an Augustinian
Mission in a small village of northern Peru. Volunteers will have the
opportunity to meet the local people in their homes while working on projects
necessary for the community (building, tutoring, and experiencing the Peruvian
culture.) Your hosts, the Augustinian Volunteers, will guide you through various
service projects, cultural experiences, and conversations with local Peruvians.
Students may also spend a day touring Lima, Peru.
The cost is about $1200 and is open to 20 people.
Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic: Orphanage Outreach
Volunteers will be working with the organization Orphanage Outreach whose
mission is to provide opportunities for the orphaned, abandoned and
disadvantaged children of the northwest coast of the Dominican Republic. Much of
your focus will be on teaching/tutoring the children and teaching English. In
the morning, volunteers teach English at a local school in Monte Cristi. In the
afternoons, volunteers teach at the English Instire coordinated by Orphanage
Outreach. You will live on-site at the orphanage in a safe and simple
environment. In addition to the service, you will also have an opportunity to
explore a part of the island for additional cultural experiences by visiting a
farmer’s marker, some historical locations and a national park beach.
The cost is about $1000 and is open to 15 people
Website:
http://www.orphanage-outreach.org/
Duran, Ecuador: Rostro de Cristo
Rostro de Cristo is a Catholic program whose mission is to provide spiritual
and educational opportunities for young people from the United States to live
out the Gospel together with the people of Ecuador. The program invites
participants to lead a very simple lifestyle, build an intentional Christian
community, be in relationship with the Ecuadorian people and reflect on the face
of Christ in their joys and struggles and work with the Ecuadorian people.
Volunteers explore long term solutions to the problems of poverty and together
seek opportunities to improve the lives of the people. Group members will
dedicate several hours of each day doing home visits, playing with and teaching
young children at various after-school programs, visiting clinics, and
experiencing what it means to live as an Ecuadorian.
*** This experience is recommended for those
that have already participated in at least one Villanova sponsored service break
experience.
The cost is about $1050 and is open to 14 people
Website: http://www.rostrodecristo.org
Fall 2009 Habitat for Humanity Sites
The leading cause of homelessness and a major reason for hunger is the high
cost of the U.S. housing. The average hourly wage needed to rent a two-bedroom
dwelling in the U.S. is $12.47 per hour while the federal minimum wage is only
$6.65. Housing is considered affordable if it consumes less than 30% of a
family’s income.
If you choose to participate in Habitat for Humanity site you will be helping
to build low-income, affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity is an
international organization that builds homes or rehabilitates homes for the
working poor. HFH relies on volunteer labor and donations to sustain its
services. Each family who applies for a house must commit to hundreds of hours
of labor and will receive a home with a no-interest mortgage that is adjusted to
the family’s income. You will be building for 4 ½ - 5 days and building skills
are not necessary. Hopefully you will get to know the family for whom you are
building, but this is not guaranteed. When you are not building, the week is
focused on spending time with your group as well as reflecting on the culture,
work and experiences you encounter. Reflection times provide an opportunity to
discuss the moments that raise questions, touch your heart, and challenge or
confirm your beliefs about the world, the poor and yourself. The cost of the
trip includes airfare (if applicable), van rental, room and board, donation to
the Habitat affiliate, transportation to and from the airport and a T-shirt. The
total will depend on the location of the affiliate. Cost ranges from $300-800
depending on airfare and affiliate donation.
There will be 8 sites this fall:
- Sea Island, South Carolina:
www.seaislandhabitat.org
- Charleston, South Carolina:
www.charlestonhabitat.org
- Lexington, Kentucky:
www.lexhabitat.org
- Franklin, West Virginia:
www.almostheavenhabitat.org
- Taos, New Mexico:
www.taoshabitat.org/
- Fort Smith, Arkansas: www.avhfh.org
- Eagle Butte, South Dakota:
http://www.othabitat.org/
- Tutwiler, Mississippi:
www.wthabitat.org
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