Around the Diocese
Posted Friday, March 07, 2008
Youth Mission Trip to Guatemala
The Diocese is pleased to announce that we will again be co-sponsoring a Youth Mission Trip to Guatemala for 2008.
Download the 2008 Guatemala Poster
Download the 2008 Guatemala Application
Download the 2008 Guatemala Rector’s Recommendation
What: The trip is both a pilgrimage of faith and a mission trip. It may be the only trip of its kind in the Episcopal Church! This is joint trip for youth from both companion dioceses rather than just a one-sided mission trip. Mission is very large and important to our work in Guatemala but it is not the only thing we do. The reason that mission work is not the only thing that we do is so that students from both Guatemala and Pennsylvania get a well-rounded understanding of the country and its people. Activities will include: Bible Study, Workshops on relevant topics, Mission work, Lectures on important issues facing Guatemala today, Historical and Cultural trips. We will visit NGO’s, World Heritage Sites, Church Missions, Pilgrimage and Holy Sites, Mayan Ruins, Ecological Wonders, Small Villages, Rural Farm Land and Large Cities.
When: July 26 – August 4, 2008 (May 3, July 25 retreats are required)
Who: Youth Grades 8 – 12, College Students & Adult Leaders from around the Diocese.
Cost: $600.00 per Participant, $600.00 per Church, $600.00 from the Diocese (scholarships are available both for Participants and Churches)
History
Why Guatemala? The purpose of this trip is to offer a global ministry opportunity for our diocese and to support our Companion Diocese Relationship that has been sanctioned by the Diocesan Convention for the past 12 years. Back in 1995, Bishop Bartlett and Diocesan Leaders decided on Guatemala as our Companion Diocese and at the Diocesan Convention in 1996 the relationship was approved. The reason that Guatemala was chosen was because it was easily accessible from the United States and because the country has long suffered more than 36 years of internal conflict in which over 200,000 people were either killed or disappeared. From its inception, Diocesan Leaders had long dreamed of a joint youth mission trip in Guatemala for youth from both Guatemala and Pennsylvania. After a few false starts, the first Guatemala Youth Mission Trip was conducted in 2004. Since 2004, we have built upon that relationship by having a new group of adults and youth from the Diocese participate every year.
Past Mission Work: Painted churches in disadvantaged urban and rural settings, worked with HIV orphans, taught children school lessons in various places over the years including values, dental hygiene, and cultural exchange, shared games, piñatas and art with children, playground restoration including painting murals, playground equipment & built basketball courts, painted various schools and made lunch and snacks for youth. We also donated well over $50,000.00 worth of medical supplies, clothing and school supplies that have donated and collected throughout the diocese each year.
Churches that have participated: Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square; St. Mark’s Philadelphia; St. Peter’s, Philadelphia; St. Mary’s, Bainbridge; Holy Innocent’s St. Paul’s Church in Tacony; St. Paul’s, Levittown; Christ Church Media; All Saint’s, Falsington, St. Mary’s, Chester; Trinity, Swarthmore, Calvary, Germantown; Calvary, Northern Liberties; Trinity Church, Solebury; Holy Nativity, Wrightstown; Church of the Redeemer, Bryn Mawr; Church of the Advent, Kennett Square; St. Paul’s, Doylestown, St. Andrews-in-the-Fields, Somerton; St. Aidan’s, Cheltenham, St. Andrew’s West Vincent; Holy Nativity, Rockledge; Holy Trinity, West Chester; St. John’s, Essington; Church of Our Saviour, Jenkintown; Church of the Messiah, Gwynedd; St. Peter’s in the Great Valley; St. James, Perkiomen; Church of the Ascension, Parkesburg; St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh; St. Philip’s in the Field, Oreland; St. Dunstan’s, Blue Bell; St. Alban’s, Newtown Square; St. Mary’s, Warwick; Holy Apostles and The Mediator, Philadelphia; Trinity Church, Gulph Mills; Trinity Church, Buckingham; Gloria Dei Old Swedes; African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Overbrook; Church of the Annunciation, Germantown; Philadelphia Cathedral; Church of the Redeemer, Springfield; St. Mary’s, Hamilton Village; St. Paul’s Church, Elkins Park; Holy Trinity, Lansdale and Temple Campus Ministry
Companion Diocese Committee: The goal of this companion relationship with Guatemala has always been to do ministry together and one great way of doing that is to visit with people in their churches, homes and country to get a better sense of their culture and their life challenges.
Mission Statement of the Companion Diocese Relationship: Through the love of God we are all made one family in Christ. The mission of the companion diocese relationship is to strengthen those bonds of unity. As companion dioceses, we covenant to walk together on our common journey, learning from each other as we share our spiritual, human, and material resources at all levels. As companions on the journey, we will encourage and pray for one another and inspire each other in the work we are given to do as Christ’s agents in the world about us.
Faithfully in Christ,
Susannah T. Hunter
Canon for Youth Ministry
Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
240 South Fourth Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106