Mission Trip / Pass Christian, Mississippi
Mission Trip / Pass Christian, Mississippi
On March 23, 2007, seventeen senior students from Assumption College ( Matt Giroux, Matt Picanco, Meagan Rogal and, Cari Wilson), Holy Trinity and St. John’s College embarked upon the 13th Mission Trip, organized by Dante Dalia, to aid the community of Pass Christian, Mississippi in their recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina 19 months ago. The group was hosted by the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), a non-profit organization that assists communities overwrought by natural disasters. Each year, Dalia contacts the Service to identify where he and his students can be of the most benefit. Pass Christian is located directly on the Gulf of Mexico and was an area directly in the path of Katrina.
Each Mission Trip begins with a prayer service held in the chapel at St. John’s College. The students were asked to reflect upon their reasons for going on the trip and to identify what they hoped to accomplish during their time on the trip. The students were sent off with wrist bands with “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do) or “PUSH” (Pray Until Something Happens) to reiterate the underlying theme that this is an opportunity for students to live their faith.
After a 23 hour trek from Brantford to Pass Christian, Mississippi, the group finally arrived at “Camp Gospel” a retreat centre established by the Gospel Singers of America. The camp was the headquarters for the MDS for the revitalization of Pass Christian and would become the resting place for the staff and students from the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board. Upon arrival at the Camp, the group was given a brief orientation and itinerary for the week ahead. Each member was asked to complete a skills inventory so that they could be placed in areas that best utilized their abilities.
Over 140 volunteers from the United States were there during the week to offer their services to the victims of this community. A large contingency of Old Order Amish from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania as well as Amish, Episcopalians, and other religious groups were staying at the camp as well. With 160 sets of helping hands, a great deal of organization is required! Each morning began at 5 a.m. to allow people time to make their lunch for the day. Breakfast ran from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Devotion and job assignments took place from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Each individual was assigned to a crew; each crew was assigned to 1 of 6 projects that were going on. Crews loaded their trailers with the tools from the tool crib and then were transported to the job site. Work began at 8 a.m. and finished at 4:30 p.m. Dinner was served from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. People then had time to socialize, read, pray, or play games. Each person was required to be in their room by 9 p.m. and lights were to be turned out by 10 p.m.
When asked to reflect upon his experience, Matt Picanco wrote, “There were many jobs that needed to be done throughout the week, and we were all assigned to a different group and a different job. For example, some of us would be assigned to paint for a day, and maybe shingling another day. The entire job selection process was completely random. Throughout the trip, as our groups were separated, they paired us up with a small group of Amish workers. There is no explaining how talented the Amish are at working with their hands and designing things with such speed and accuracy. It was truly an honour to work with them.”
The Trip allowed students not only the chance to put their skills and abilities to the test, but they were also afforded the opportunity to compare their values with those of their peers from a different cultural background. The students were amazed by the work ethic of the Amish and their skills in construction. Many interesting and thought provoking conversations were held, not only during lunch breaks, but also at dinner and social times. Students discovered the values and standards of the Old Order Amish while discussing and evaluating their own. While both groups come from a faith based community, the expression of that faith differed greatly.
The mission trip was also punctuated with times of enjoyment. On Sunday, the group participated in a lively and entertaining 2 hour Baptist Celebration. The exuberant ceremony was entertaining to say the least. Later, the group boarded the bus and spent the afternoon in New Orleans and had the chance to see the sights along Decatur Street.
The week flew, and by Friday, the weary group loaded its gear onto the bus with the satisfaction of knowing that their efforts went to help those who lost everything. They had participated in the framing of 6 new homes, sided a finished new home, and had set the footings for the construction of another new home. They now had an appreciation for a new culture, their own abilities and the gifts bestowed upon them by God and their families. Many thanks to Dante Dalia for his tireless effort in organizing and overseeing the smooth and efficient running of yet another phenomenal Mission Trip.
