Christian Service at St. John's Jesuit

International Service Experiences

Program Overview The international service experiences organized by Central American Ministries in Guatemala & Mexico are designed to raise the consciousness and the levels of compassion, care, and empathy in the participants through direct interaction with the poor and suffering people of these countries. Individual / communal reflection and prayer on the new experiences challenge individuals to serve the poor and to commit to working for a peace and justice that is grounded in faith in Jesus Christ.

Selection Process

Juniors are eligible to participate in the international service experiences. First, interested students are given a synopsis of the program in October. Second, those interested may request an extensive application that must be returned, with a $25.00 non-refundable application fee, to the Central American Ministry (CAM) office before leaving for Christmas vacation. Third, in late January a committee comprised of CAM’s Consciousness-raising Coordinator and St. John’s Jesuit faculty members interview all of the applicants. The committee typically looks for a student who demonstrates a level of spiritual maturity, openness to new and challenging experiences, a history of service during their years at St. John’s Jesuit, and a willingness to commit to serving Hispanic children in Toledo during the first semester of senior year.

Orientation Programs

The students selected for the two service teams will begin separate, weekly meetings in February for the 15-day experiences scheduled for June and July. Under the direction of CAM’s U.S Project Coordinator and faculty chaperones, the students will practice / improve Spanish language skills while studying the history, culture, and customs of Guatemala and Mexico. Furthermore, the students will be briefed on the history of the nurseries, schools, and social service centers where they will be serving.

In addition, one parent meeting will be held on a Sunday afternoon in May in order to explain details and answer questions regarding both experiences. However, the coordinator maintains communication with parents throughout the entire orientation process and is available to answer questions as they arise.

Funding

The cost for each participant in the international experiences ranges from $1,000 - $1,700, and each student is expected to secure the funds necessary to pay for his participation. However, students will be encouraged to organize both in-school and out-of-school fund-raising activities in order to cover costs for all participants. Partial scholarships are available for qualified students.

1) The Miguel Pro, S.J. Mexican Service Experience

The Casa de Los Pobres was founded and has been staffed by the Franciscan Missionaries Sisters of Our Lady Queen of Peace for over 30 years. Because of its history of direct service to the poor, the Casa de los Pobres has served as a house of formation and ministerial experience for not only young Franciscan sisters, but also for young Jesuits from across the United States. A personal friend of Mother Teresa founded the Franciscan Missionaries community in Tijuana and modeled the community’s lifestyle and dedication to the Mexican poor after the Missionaries of Charity – the religious order founded by Mother Teresa.

During the two-week Pro Service Experience, the students and chaperone will live simply in the Casa de Los Pobres. The service team will sleep in sleeping bags on the floor of a large meeting room, have access to a bathroom with shower, and will eat a simple, traditional, Mexican breakfast and lunch prepared daily in the soup-kitchen of the Casa de los Pobres. Service team members will prepare dinner on a rotational basis.

During the two-weeks, students will have an opportunity to assist in a variety of services provided by the Casa de Los Pobres: picking-up donations of food and clothing in San Diego, serving meals or washing dishes in the soup-kitchen, assisting in the medical clinic, distributing clothes, organizing and distributing food in the food-bank, tutoring / playing with children, and volunteering at the St. Ignatius Hospital sponsored by the sisters. The weekend will provide an opportunity for the students to enjoy the cultural richness of Tijuana and San Diego.

Students will also have an excellent opportunity to improve their Spanish skills since, each day, they will be interacting directly with the staff and serving the Mexican men, women, and children in need of the services provided by the Casa de Los Pobres. One hour each evening will be dedicated to either personal or group reflection, and each student is expected to keep a daily journal. In addition, students will have the opportunity to attend daily mass with the Franciscan community if they wish.

2) The Rutilio Grande, S.J. International Service Experience

During the two-week Grande Service Experience, the students and chaperones will be lodged at the Casa Claret Retreat House (Claretian priests) in Guatemala City. In San Salvador, El Salvador, students will lodge at the Centro Loyola Retreat House (Jesuits). Breakfast and dinner will be provided at the retreat house, while a picnic lunch will be shared each day at the service sites. One hour each evening will be dedicated to either personal or group reflection, and each student is expected to keep a daily journal. A free day in Antigua, Guatemala, will provide an opportunity for the participants to sight-see and to shop in the traditional markets.

While in Central America, students will work in the Francisco Coll Elementary School and the Santa Clara Nursery that serve the families living on the rim of the Guatemala City Dump. Students will tutor and assist teachers and child-care workers each morning, and the afternoon will be dedicated to more physical projects such as painting, cleaning, or landscaping at the school and/or nursery. Students will also help to organize and host the second annual “Christmas in July” celebration for the students of the Coll School. On Saturday, the Grande Service Team will work with a Guatemalan parish youth group on a service project to benefit poor parishioners. An evening social will also be scheduled.

The Grande Service Team will also visit CAM’s Precious Angel’s Nursery near the city dump in Santa Ana, El Salvador and the Jesuit Martyrs’ Shrine and Archbishop Romero Center Museum located at the Jesuit run University of Central America in San Salvador.

After Returning Home

Upon arriving home and beginning senior year, the students are able to continue processing the emotions undoubtedly stirred by their international service experiences and channel newfound energy through a variety of activities. First, all participants and chaperones will meet for reflection and to share pictures / stories / memories of the experience. Secondly, each student is expected to give at least one witness talk and to share pictures / stories with one junior class. Thirdly, all students are expected to organize one in-school fundraising activity during the first and third quarters to benefit programs in Guatemala and El Salvador. Finally, students are invited to serve needy Hispanic children in Toledo one morning a week for one semester.

IMPORTANT: Both international service experiences, as described above, are subject to change if issues pertaining to security, health, weather, or living accommodations arise that would pose any unnecessary risks to all participants.