INTRODUCTION
This package has arrived at your home because your son/daughter has expressed an interest in participating in our next mission trip to Guatemala. The Wellington Catholic District School Board, and St. James Catholic High School in particular, has a long history of involvement with Guatemala, going back to 1994. In 2000 St. James sent students to Guatemala for the first time. This was followed by mission trips in 2002, 2004, and 2007, the last two involving students from all three Catholic high schools in Guelph.
The following is a series of questions that are typically asked at various points in the process of preparing for this mission and working on behalf of the children of NPH Guatemala. It is by no means all-inlcusive and additional questions should be directed to one of the adults listed.
What is the intent of this mission trip?
This mission is undertaken for many reasons but primarily it is an opportunity for our students to put their faith into action. We are called by Christ to work on behalf of those less fortunate.
“Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you
hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it o one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25
This mission is meant for our students to help provide the necessities for almost 400 children that make NPH Guatemala their home, family, and school.
What is NPH Guatemala?
NPH (Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos) Guatemala is an orphanage located in San Andres Itzapa, about a one hour drive from Guatemala City. It is one of a family of orphanages in the Caribbean, Central, and South America which care for 3 000 to 4 000 orphaned, abandoned, and underprivileged children. This family of orphanages is supported and funded solely through the work of an umbrella international organization, NPH International (www.nph.org). NPH Guatemala has been constructed over the past six year with much of the fundraising being done here in Southern Ontario by Friends of the Orphans Canada (FOTOCAN), www.fotocan.org. At present the orphanage consists of a school building, kitchen and dining hall, four workshops, eight volunteer houses, and eight thousand foot medical clinic, administrative offices and twenty-five acres of cultivated land.
Who organizes the mission?
Friends of the Orphans Canada is the sponsoring and organizing group. They make all travel arrangements between Canada and Guatemala, organize excursions for us while in Guatemala, organize our work days at the orphanage, and make arrangements for us to be fed and transported while in Guatemala. Organization of meetings, fundraising activities, and the collection of required documents is done by Mr. Ingram and Mr. Donaghy.
Who are Friends of the Orphans Canada?
Friends of the Orphans Canada are a registered Canadian charity that works to raise funds in Canada that are used to support NPH Guatemala and to support construction of the an additional orphanage in Peru. As a registered Canadian charity, this organization will issue a tax receipt for the cost of participation.
What is the cost of student participation?
The last mission in 2007 cost each student $2 000. It is assumed that the cost of the 2009 mission will be similar but given the increased cost of air travel it may be slightly higher.
What is included in this cost?
The $2 000 covers all travel costs to and from, and within Guatemala, and most meals. Additional expenses would include comprehensive travel insurance, vaccinations, and spending money. The travel insurance included with the flight covers cancellation for medically accepted reasons only.
Do we fundraise to help reduce the cost of student participation?
All of our fundraising efforts are done on behalf of NPH Guatemala. The money raised is used to purchase construction materials if there a construction project at that time, to hire local skilled workers, or to assist with the day-to-day costs associated with feeding, educating, clothing, and caring for the four hundred children at NPH Guatemala.
What can students do to cover their cost of participation?
Students and/or their families are expected to cover the cost of their participation. In the past students have obtained part-time employment, asked for money for birthdays and Christmas, and solicited donations from extended family members. Remember that all money contributed toward the total cost is tax deductible, anyone that contributes to the student cost will receive a tax receipt.
What is expected of student participants?
Students are expected to be actively involved in the planning and preparation for the mission, they are members of a team. The mission is multi-faceted, involving attendance at weekly or biweekly meetings, organizing and participating in fundraising activities, soliciting community support, helping with homeroom drives, meeting deadlines, participating in a variety of opportunities at the orphanage, following our code of conduct at all times, fulfilling their academic responsibilities, communicating information to parents.
How long is the mission?
The mission is nine days in length with students missing, at most, 6 school days. We usually depart from Toronto early on a Sunday morning and return late in the evening two Mondays later. We depart by bus from St. James to Pearson international airport and ask that parents pick up students at the airport on our return.
What is the mission itinerary?
Previous missions have followed this itinerary:
Day 1- Travel from Canada to Guatemala; arrival and set up at the orphanage
Day 2-6 Service to the orphanage. This can take a variety of forms; construction, general labour, cleanup, landscaping, assisting in the medical clinic, assisting in the school (teaching English), working in the fields, cooking for the children. Within this wee there is usually a half-day excursion; this could be a trip to the former capital of Guatemala, Antigua (a UNESCO World Heritage Centre)
Day 7-8 Visit to tourist area, Lake Atitlan
Day 9 Travel; Guatemala to Canada
What medical precautions are necessary?
Students must obtain immunization for Hepatitis and Typhoid. There is also the option to obtain Dukoral, an oral vaccine that helps prevent Traveller’s Diarrhea. A travel clinic will be arranged at the Guelph-Wellington Public Health building beside the Guelph General Hospital. The cost of the first two vaccines is about $120, which is not included in the payment made to Friends of the Orphans Canada.
What happens if students become ill or require medical treatment?
Students will have access to staff at the orphanage medical clinic. If further medical attention is needed we are about one hour from the capital city, which has fully equipped hospitals. Comprehensive travel insurance will cover these costs including medically necessary transportation back to Canada.
What do students need to bring with them?
A comprehensive list of personal items will be provided at a later date. This will be provided in plenty of time for the items to be obtained prior to departure.
Where do students sleep? Who prepares their meals?
While at the orphanage students sleep in tents that they bring themselves. In the event of poor weather we have access to indoors. Meals are prepared by local women who are trained in preparing and cooking food in a manner that meets our standards. Special diets have been accommodated in the past.
We have read newspaper articles and visited websites that advise against traveling to Guatemala. Are our children safe?
It is true that Guatemala is a third world country and North Americans are seen as targets for property crimes. The orphanage itself is secure, with locked gates and an overnight security officer on duty. The areas that we visit beyond the orphanage are tourist attractions. Due to the number of tourists at these locations, theft of personal items is not uncommon. To this date we have not had any issues with this type of incident. Students are educated about reducing personal risk, and supervisors accompany students on excursions. No student is allowed to wander off on his/her own, to ensure safety students are always in groups. There is no one hundred percent guarantee against incidents of this nature but all possible precautions are taken to reduce risk.
