Florida Catholic | World Mission Sunday

MISSION SUNDAY

Parish gets youths involved in mission work

St. Thomas More teens learn about life in the Third World.

LINDA REEVES and PRISCILLA GREEAR | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 10.19.07

Youth and adults from St. Thomas More Parish gather with villagers from around Las Moras, Honduras for a photo during one of the parish's mission trips.

Youths and adults from St. Thomas More Parish gather with villagers from around Las Moras, Honduras for a photo during one of the parish's mission trips.
COURTESY PHOTO

BOYNTON BEACH | Stephen Gonzalez, a student at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, has studied and read about poverty and social justice issues over the years, but this summer the 15-year-old had a personal encounter with economic despair and the poorest of the poor.

"I still really don't get it," said Stephen, about his weeklong trip in August to areas high in the mountains north of Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras in Central America. "If you fall behind producing economically, you can't really catch up. The rest of the world advances. How come there is so much poverty there?"

Stephen's remote excursion and eye-opening experience is part of a new St. Thomas More Parish initiative designed to involve young people in mission work and retreat experiences.

"The term 'cipotes' is Honduran Spanish for adolescent, and the name we have chosen for our youth missions and retreats," said St. Thomas More pastor Father Julian Harris. "We launched Cipotes Youth Mission with 17 young men and women, five adult counselors and two priests — about an even match, I would say."

Albert Krauza, known by acquaintances as A.J., began fundraising efforts for the parish's first major teen mission to Honduras shortly after he moved to the area and joined St. Thomas More two years ago. Proceeds made through various creative moneymaking endeavors, including a horse show in Wellington, helped make the early August trip possible for teens ages 13 to 17.

"God has given each a different gift for whatever purpose and you pray that the Holy Spirit helps you to direct those gifts to serve man and God," said Krauza, a local financial planner, who also helped coordinate and chaperone the youth trip.

Father Harris and Father Alex Vargas, parochial vicar, led the group to the rural areas of Honduras with beautiful waterfalls, views, mountaintops — and poverty.

"The center of our activity is the mountain village of Las Moras and the people who live in the surrounding areas," said Father Harris, who began ministering to the area 12 years ago with Honduras Amistad Medical Mission, an outreach he spearheaded with the help of volunteer efforts and medical professionals.

"There we have built a beautiful chapel and a community center, which becomes a clinic when the medical mission staff arrives.

"We also support the local elementary school and at this time are providing funding for the (one) teacher (there) and monthly support for the educational and nutritional benefit of all 53 children (enrolled). "We are blessed to enjoy the support of the archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez-Maradiaga, and the Most Rev. Maurus Muldoon, bishop of Juticalpa, Olancho."

St. Thomas More youths and adults stayed in a home in the small village of Zambrano about 20 miles north of Tegucigalpa.

"There were cold showers and they had to sleep on the floor," said Father Vargas. "Conditions were rough. They had to be careful about using a lot of water and food (which is in short supply)."

"It is our first youth mission. It was a success," he said. "It gave the youths an opportunity to see a completely different world, serve and meet other teenagers."

Father Vargas sees a change in the St. Thomas More youths.

"I do kind of feel like a new person," said Stephen.

"I'm not really sheltered anymore. I've seen other parts of the world. You always see pictures of poverty. ... It's kept away from you," reflected the teen, who plays trumpet in the school band and has a greater appreciation for personal gadgets such as his cell phone now, and has a new desire to understand more about the poor areas of the world.

In Honduras, the missionaries inhaled fresh mountain air, experienced a tribal dance by locals dressed in traditional clothing and celebrated Father Vargas' fifth anniversary of ordination to the priesthood with village people.

"A trip there changes you," said Father Vargas. "The people are happy to see you and they are so grateful. They bring food as gifts. They don't have anything, but they will donate food for the mission. It is very fulfilling to help them. It is a very powerful message to us."

The group ate with villagers and savored rich local coffee ground by hand, boiled, strained and sweetened with raw sugar.

"There were no hot showers and we ate rice and beans every meal," said Krauza. "It was a wonderful experience having witnessed the youths and how they experienced how little people have — seeing what they learned from it."

As part of the experience, participants structured days around communal prayer and Mass celebrated by the two Boynton Beach priests. The teens socialized with Honduran teens, exposing them to local customs, traditions and language.

"We sought to build the bonds of community and teamwork through physically challenging tasks," said Father Harris.

Activities included mountain hikes, climbing, soccer games with locals and hard work.

"We helped with a covered walkway and built a structure for a shower," said Krauza. "It was to teach them (the youths) to work together — to teach them about teamwork when working on a project."

Jerry Rendina, who previously went on a medical mission to Honduras as part of Amistad, accompanied his 14-year-old son Ryan this summer.

"It was a true testament for them (the youths) to understand how poor these people are," said Rendina, a general contractor. "It was good for them to see there are so many things we have that we take for granted. There are so many kids that don't have anything. The kids (there) take a rock and dig a hole in the ground and flick a rock in the ground and that is their game."

The people's simple faith and smiles, even in hard times, and struggles touched Rendina. "In my — quote, unquote — craziness, I like to sit back and see that light in their eyes and remind myself it's really not that bad (in my life)."

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. According to government statistics, nearly 97 percent of the population is Catholic. An estimated 53 percent of its more than 7 million people live in poverty and about 28 percent are unemployed.

The clergy there move about from one small town to another and among the widely scattered villages and the mountains, serving and bringing the word and Eucharist.

"It was great to be able to celebrate the faith with them and to see them really just be so appreciative of having the opportunity to celebrate Our Lord," said Krauza. "They just don't get that on a regular basis. They don't have the spiritual leadership we have. We can call the diocese and find someone in the Catholic Church. You don't realize how different life is just two hours south of us (by airplane)."

Heather Wisniewski, 14, was the only girl on the trip.

"I heard it is really poor (there) and I felt I needed to go and see that," she said.

She took her favorite white cotton dress with red flowers, and by the end of the trip decided to give it to a girl about her size living in the village.

"After my whole time in Honduras, I was more than happy to give it away."

Heather said she feels a new enthusiasm about mission work, youth ministry and life.

"We know each other more," she said about the youths participating in the mission. "Everybody was friends. We didn't have different cliques. It made me appreciate, when I got home, my beautiful house and all the things I have. It helped me become less selfish. I tell my friends (about the trip) all the time (and) they are thinking about going next year. I'd love to go back. I'm excited." n

To learn more about Cipotes Youth Mission, call St. Thomas More Parish at 561-737-3095.

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MISSION SUNDAY

Parish gets youths involved in mission work

St. Thomas More teens learn about life in the Third World.

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