Ecuador trip

Jenae Marshall, News Writer

A group of Xavier students will get the opportunity to serve the less fortunate around the world this spring break. On March 10, five students and two teachers will go on a mission trip to Ecuador. Juniors Maddy Andresen, Kathryn Cosgrove, Kristen Hovda, and seniors Kathleen Kenney and Gennavieve Pieper will accompany Spanish teachers Mrs. Vicki Hoffman and Mr. Alexis Avila on the trip. One of the reasons Ecuador was chosen was to give the students an opportunity to serve in a religious environment, in addition to it being a cultural experience.

The mission trip is connected to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which has a branch in Dubuque, Iowa. Having this branch close to Cedar Rapids will make it easier to communicate with the sisters while the group is in Ecuador. While on the trip, the group will be helping around the Working Boys’ Center and assisting them with their needs, as well as interacting with the members there. The Working Boys’ Center has served an average of 350 families of working children annually at three locations in Quito, Ecuador. As a result of this program, over 30,000 individuals are no longer in poverty.

“The people we help while being there will be the most gratifying part of this trip, and getting the chance to share that experience with Xavier students is something I never thought I would have ever done,” Avila said.

The group will also have the opportunity to explore the city, work on different projects, and do some house visits with families who are part of the Working Boys’ Center.

“The main reason I am going is because I have never been out of the country and I wanted to put my Spanish to use and gain fluency in Spanish,” Pieper said. “I feel like I am called to do service for people who are not as privileged as I am.”

The trip is over spring break and they will return on March 19.

Jenae Marshall

News Writer