The Columbus Catholic High School Peru (casa hogar) Mission Team
Every two years the Columbus Catholic High School Spanish students (Peru Mission Team) have an opportunity to travel to Casa Hogar, Peru for 10 days to do service projects and put their language skills to the test! So far they have traveled to Peru in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2022. The 2020 trip was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Many people at Casa Hogar or in the community do not know English. This is a perfect chance for the Mission Team members to practice their Spanish as well as share their loving hearts with the children, be good role models and also do some very heavy work projects:
- 2014 - Raking loose sand off steep mountain roads and shoveling it down the mountain to make the road safer.
- 2016 - Painting projects and yard work projects.
- 2018 - Painting and yard work projects; and clear garden debris to get ready for the new planting.
- 2022 - Painting railings and benches; and making goodie bags.
The Mission Team also organizes projects of their own, such as:
- Bringing 20 large suitcases of donations to give to the orphanage including clothing, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, first aide supplies, etc., and brand new gifts for the "Birthday Closet," so each orphan gets a new gift on his/her birthday. In 2018 the Mission Team also brought 407 pairs of shoes and 4 beautiful bed quilts!
- Performing plays for the children - first in English, then in Spanish, so they hear both languages.
- Organizing a field and craft day with activities such as: soccer, parachute games, relays, making bracelets or sun catchers, etc. The children also receive treat bags with American fruit snacks, candies, or cookies.
The Mission Team sleeps in a dorm at the orphanage and eat in the cafeteria, except for two nights, when they are invited to go (two at a time) to eat with the families. Each family consists of a married couple, their birth children and 8 orphans. They have dinner with them and then spend the evening playing games, singing songs, etc.
In addition to helping and having fun with the children, the Mission Team also spends time learning about the life of Father Walejewski and the history of how Casa Hogar came to be. In doing so, they see how much difference one dedicated Christian can make in this world!
The Mission Team is made up of CCHS Spanish students and a few adults from the CCS family. There's usually one adult male and at least one adult female in addition to the teacher. The goal is to have three adults and 17 students. The adults are usually parents of someone on the team. If the 17 slots do not fill up with Spanish students from the upper levels, it is opened up to other students in the school.
In between trips the Mission Team is holding fundraising activities to raise money for the trip. The cost per student is approximately $1500. Fundraisers include:
- Hosting bake sales at area churches the weekend before the holidays.
- Hosting the OLP Christmas Bake Sale before and after the Christmas program.
- Hosting a fall "Language Camp" on a Saturday and inviting grades 1-5. They teach three language lessons, feed them a full cultural meal and then do cultural crafts and games in the afternoon.
- Hosting a week-long Summer Spanish Camp in June. Participants come every day for two hours Monday through Friday for lots of Hispanic fun.
- Having a "Piñata Sale" in the spring to sell homemade piñatas.
- Holding one raffle at a basketball game.
- Hosting two Festival Foods Brat Barns in July and August.
For more information, contact Deborah Kennedy at kennedy.deborah@columbusdons.org