Celebrate the Jubilee Year of Mercy by joining our Mission this year. Support a social justice organization – the Teresa Toda Home, a home for very poor girls in Azua, Dominican Republic with a summer camp in July 2016. This trip is for women over 18 and mother-daughter pairs for daughters over 15. We have openings from July 9 through July 17, and July 16 through July 24 for travelers interested in sharing a spiritual experience with young women and girls from another country. In a Vacation Bible School format, learn bible stories, play and dance to music, make crafts, perform skits, and other activities. We pray, exchange stories, share love, and spend time with the girls. Through the activities they learn English, enjoy crafts, and build self-esteem. Each trip is deeply touching and spiritual. Special gifts you may share are Spanish skills, crafting and beading talents, or your professional experience (esp. healthcare, tourism, retail, scientists, government, education, and other industries). If you want to follow the Pope’s lead on social justice, charity, adventure, spiritual experiences, fellowship, growth, and fun answer the call to travel with us this summer or help out from Minnesota. Look around this blog and please contact me with questions or to RSVP. Here are the Top 8 (plus 1) Questions from this year so far. Please share!!
2016 Mission Trip Kick-Off Meeting Monday, January 25, 7-9 PM
6 JanNegotiation: Retreat Idea
12 OctLast year we launched a special program, a “retreat”, for the older girls ages 12-18. The theme was intentional living. Each day had a different focus: Vision, Plan, Act, Overcome Obstacles. We had some explanation and exercises for each day. This was paired with visits to local employers.
Girls meeting with a dental hygienist from Azua who overcame a major obstacle – jaw cancer. So inspirational.
What if we had two weeks of camp? Doesn’t negotiation training sound like a great idea? I’m going to attempt a negotiation myself by contacting the professor, to find out if we can use their 5 day curriculum. Wish me luck!!
15 year old girls learn how to negotiate the Harvard way
Let’s watch this #15girls hashtag which so far is addressing issues our older girls are facing.
Please continue to share this blog, especially with potential travelers!
Peace,
Ann
Update: The professor who developed this program, even while on sabbatical, responded! Her name is Professor Kathleen McGinn and Google her for some interesting studies. She said we can use the curriculum.
Latest Update: I got the link to the curriculum. It is excellent, very well laid out. I think the pace will be about right, too, for our girls. The next step is to look at the situations that were used as examples and exercises for the Zambian girls, and work to get situations that might be more like those our girls face. Then, I’d like some translation help. It’s going to be quite a lot of work I think. Whoever is interested in helping on this, they are going to benefit from really understanding the material in this course, which I think would help anyone. It’s based on the famous book “Win-Win” negotiations.
Another Update: One amiga has offered to translate. Meghan is doing it as project her Nursing/Spanish double major. She’ll have access college level Spanish professors. It fits the bill as a leadership/social justice volunteer project. She will do this project this semester and deliver it in July! We will submit the Spanish version back to Girls Arise! so it can be used with other Spanish speaker girls. Professor McGinn, who is learning Spanish, is very supportive and interested in seeing the progress.
2015 Campamento Report
21 SepTeresa Toda Trip Report – “Campamento 2015”, Thirteenth Camp
Dates: July 11-19
Travelers:
Hannah Szfraniec, Carly Schirber, Abby Rinowski, Annie Weatherhead, Liz Weatherhead, Marilyn Peterson, Mary Pat Potts, Jeanie Peters, Jackie Peters, Ann McGuire
Overview of Campamento:
We structure the Camp like a Vacation Bible School, with more. This year we created a curriculum – “Women of the Bible”. Each day we read a Bible Passage featuring a woman. Then, after discussion what happened in the story, the girls reflected on how they were like the women, how are they different, and how would they like to be more like the women. For example, Mary, Mother of Jesus was the first woman. The theme of the day was “Listen to God’s voice”.
In addition, for the first time, we designed a program for the high school age girls. We called this a retreat where they worked on themselves and their future.
Background:
The Church of Saint Edward has had a relationship with Hogar Teresa Toda, a girls’ home run by Carmelite nuns, since 1998.
The relationship began when Bloomington Rotarians dug a well for the home. The Rotarians had only planned to dig another well in the region, but the Sisters convinced them to dig a well for the new home. After digging and digging, the crew was not hitting water. The prospects were looking grim until the Sisters gathered the girls in a circle around the hole. In the limited Rotarian Spanish and Carmelite English, the Rotarians asked “What’s going on?” The head Sister said “You dig, we pray.” Within minutes, the crew hit water, enough water for years and years to come. After that success, the Sisters expressed interest in maintaining a relationship with an American organization. This was not in the scope of the Bloomington Rotary, but someone there knew a Saint Edward’s parishioner.
Sue Kellett and Vi Lee headed down on cheap ($98 each!) tickets the following winter to see the place first hand. They saw the good work that the sisters and girls were doing at the home. They asked what the Sisters would want from a relationship with the Church of Saint Edward – money, supplies, clothing? No, they wanted to build a personal and spiritual relationship with parishioners through a Summer camp, or “Campamento”.
The girls live in the home because their families cannot take care of them. Many mothers have died in childbirth or due to malnutrition or other poverty related complications. Other mothers work long hours for very little pay and cannot supervise the girls while they are working. Many of the girls do have extended family. They are not “up for adoption”. The girls are basically well behaved girls with capacity to succeed in school.
The girls live in the home during the school year. They attend the Catholic school in Azua. Two times per month the girls return to their families. In this way the girls maintain a connection to their roots and the girls provide a positive influence in the community. Many of the girls return from these home visits hungry and dirty, but they are maintaining these important bonds. In the summer, the girls return to their families except for four weeks when they go back to the Hogar for “Campamento”. Before our relationship the Sisters ran a camp. In 2002, we started by running one week of two weeks. This year for the third time, we had enough travelers to lead a two week camp and the Sisters have the girls for one week after.
Goals:
These are some of the goals we have for the Church of St. Edward/Hogar Teresa Toda relationship.
- Enjoy a balanced relationship where we all benefit.
- Make many connections between Saint Edward’s parishioners and the Hogar Teresa Toda so that more benefit from the relationship.
- Organize so that the Campamento does not rely on one parishioner.
- Continue running a two week Campamento each year.
- Adhere to the Principles of all our Sister Parish Relationships.
Goal #1 Enjoy a balanced relationship where we all benefit.
For the Campamento this year, we gave our time, our talents, and treasure, and we received much more in return. The Sisters’ hospitality in the Mother House in the Capital and also at the Hogar is very generous. They make sure we are well fed and feel safe. The girls make sure we eat first at the family style meals. This is embarrassing to some of us, but we respect the honor. We received a spiritual lift, a cultural exchange, their love, mind and heart expanding experiences. After a break from our normal lives, we returned energized and excited to be back home. We appreciate the material wealth we take for granted every day.
We get to witness the goodness in the simple life that they live. The kids make up their own games, know what fruit to pick and eat off the trees, and share with each other. These girls do chores with minimal complaints. Compared to some children here, they are very resourceful and responsible. I (Ann) came home with a renewed idea of what 9 and 12 year olds were capable of (to the chagrin of my 11 and 14 year old sons).
The girls and the Sisters benefit from the Campamento experience. The girls get a lot of attention from us. They get the comfort that we return each year to be with them. The girls get English practice and math tutoring. The Sisters get a break from some of their many responsibilities! We hope that camp is a small incentive for the girls to work hard, follow the rules, and stay at the home. New Sisters are running the home this year (Sister Sandra and Sister Maria went to Cuba for clandestine work. Even though religion is not legal, the priest administers the sacraments and the Sisters prepare the candidates.) The new Sisters told us that the girls talk about camp all year long. These new Sisters were excited to experience camp!
Goal #2 Make many connections with Saint Edward’s parishioners and the Hogar Teresa Toda so that more benefit from the relationship.
Each year we make many connections between the Saint Edwards community and the Hogar Teresa Toda. This year was no different.
- Our Middle School Faith Formation small groups each ran a fundraiser where ½ of the proceeds go to the Hogar (the other half goes to Our Lady of Angels in Nicaragua).
- Many from the community stayed for breakfast which supported the youth who supported the program.
- The entire Parish contributes through Tithing. The parish donated $2,000 to offset camp costs. In this way, every parishioner is a part of the trip, even if they cannot travel themselves or help out in other ways.
- Some parishioners, past travelers, and friends made cash donations as well. This went toward school uniforms and other items needed for the home.
- About 20 parishioners, travelers, and past travelers helped at the annual “Cutting and Kitting Night” where we prepare the crafts. Doing this helps make the craft part of camp run smoothly. Susie Schrader designed the crafts and purchased and organized the materials for this activity.
- Many parishioners gave requested donations like backpacks, school supplies, clothes and medicines. As in the past, we just barely fit everything into our suitcases.
- Our spouses, families, and friends all helped out when needed, keeping our families running smoothly when we were preparing for the trip or away on the trip.
- Many prayed for us.
The Sisters very much appreciate all these ways that Saint Edwards Parishioners and friends support campamento. We hope everyone feels that they contributed and enjoyed doing it.
Goal #3 Organize so that the Campamento does not rely on one parishioner
We get closer to this goal each year. The good news is that we have many travelers who want to return. Also many travelers know of others who are good candidates for the future. We always have to work to find Spanish speakers who could travel. We rely heavily on the few who can speak well. This year, we had more Spanish speakers than usual. We are getting return travelers and also are finding Spanish students. This is a win-win for everyone involved because the students get to practice what they learn at school.
We used the “Travelers’ Preparation Guide” for the ninth time this year. It’s a compilation of wisdom from past travelers and other sources. This was useful for this trip and will be useful into the future. We continue to update it with new insights from recent travelers.
Many parishioners have personally come to the campamento or visited the Hogar. This helps to maintain momentum. Over the course of our 14 years of camps we have had 52 Saint Edwards parishioners visit the Hogar. They are: Michelle Brooks, Kim Brunner, Samantha Brunner, Katelynne Delfs ,Kristine Delfs, Jana Duggan, Sue Griffin, Lizanne Ham, Sue Kellett, Mike Kellett, Pam Kennedy, Kelly Kennedy, Maureen Kent, Kathleen Kent, Karen Kinsella, Stacey Kinsella , Michelle Koster, Lindsey Kreye, Mary Kurth, Vi Lee, Moe McCullough, Kate McCullough, Kris McCullough, Ann McGuire, Carolyn O’Donnell, Corinne O’Donnell, Laura O’Donnell, Chris Ohotto, Deborah Paone, Jackie Peters, Jeane Peters, Marilyn Peterson, Mary Pat Potts, Michaela Potts, Abby Rinowski, .Alexa Schirber, Carly Schirber, Carol Schirber, Haley Schirber, Jill Schreiber-Smith, Jackie Sias, Stephanie Sias, Anna Smith, Mary Snydle, Kate Soderlund, Hannah Szfraniec, Katrina Viegas, Diana Villella, Annie Weatherhead, Joni Weatherhead, Liz Weatherhead, and Jenny Webster.
Additionally, we’ve had 27 friends and family travel who are not parishioners. They are: Lindsey Allais, Ashley Andres, Abby Burgason, Emily Carr, Julie Carr, Laura Dallmann, Marilyn Fox, Charlotte Freschi, Sarah Freschi, Deb Hohenstein, Meghan Hohenstein, Michelle Koster, Isabel Mendoza, Jean Nightingale, Leah Nightingale, Cheryl Noyes, Emily Peters, Fatima Pimento, Heather Rowe, Georgina Santos, Amber Scaletta, Julie Seguin, Forrest Schrader, Susie Schrader, Cheryl Tombarge, Melissa Trujillo, Haley Wayt.
This totals 79 travelers, just a little more than the 72 missionaries mentioned in Luke 10:1-9.
Several other parishioners donate clothes, school supplies, and medicines for the girls. Parishioners and friends have donated money, as well. This is especially helpful for buying the required shoes for school uniforms and the uniforms themselves.
Goal #4 Continue running a two week Campamento each year at the home
We have recruiting plans to be able to run a two week campamento again next year. Each traveler is encouraged to share their experiences with friends and invite good candidates to consider joining us.
Goal #5 Adhere to the Principles of all our Sister Parish Relationships:
- Emphasize relationship over resources
- Practice mutuality and equality
- Seek to give and receive, learn and teach.
- Work to change unjust systems and structures
- Deepen our faith by experiencing the universal, Catholic Church
Details of the Activities:
We held two programs this year, 4 days each. One was for the girls ages 5-12, and another new program, a “retreat” for the girls ages 13-18. This is consistent with VBS in the US where the regular VBS becomes somewhat juvenile for the older girls. We developed the VBS curriculum this year “Women of the Bible”. This worked so well at Camp. We will use this theme for years to come.
| Woman of Bible | Camp Theme | Retreat Theme |
| Mary, Mother of Jesus | Accept | Vision |
| Priscilla, a businesswoman and leader in the early Church. | Learn | Plan |
| Samaritan woman at the well | Share | Act |
| Ruth and Naomi | Be a good friend | Overcome Obstacles |
Each day we opened with a ceremony where we sang the theme song, read a Bible passage, and read a psalm. Then, we lead a discussion on how the woman and her story relates to the girls’ lives.
Then the older girls went to retreat, and the younger girls did Camp activities.
The younger girls broke into their age-based groups. The three groups were: the youngest (5-6), middle-younger (7-9), and middle and oldest(10-14). The groups rotated through three “stations”: Math Games, Self-Esteem, and Journal. After that, we all do the craft together. When they are done with crafts, we do a variety of physical activities like kickball, volleyball, basketball, jumping rope, and dancing. Then we conclude for lunch.
As well as the on-site program, we had two excursion. One was some fun for the girls at a pool in Ochoa, a town in the mountains. We got to visit the family of two girls from that area.
On another day we visited several families. This is such a meaningful part of the week. We saw some very difficult situations, no matter how you look at it. We also so poor, but very good, people. The girls can really benefit from staying at the home and getting an education.
This girl only has her 70+ grandmother because her loving mother died unexpectedly while working at the hospital. They live in a tough neighborhood. The grandmother harvests fruit from the trees in her yard to make ends meet. This grandmother has lost her husband, one son, and a daughter.
This girl, 9, has a loving, but very poor family. Her brother, 14, is taking the same class as his little sister because he only this year was able to attend school. Until recently kids in wheelchairs were not allowed to go to public schools. He is very bright, but has a long, difficult journey ahead.
Girl with her blind mother and family. The mother is blind, but lives independently. She was very well educated before she became blind, then had to reteach herself many skills. He husband left her when she lost her sight.
On “Overcoming Obstacles Day” this woman from Azua, visited the Home. She is a dental hygienist, but before that had cancer in her jaw. She was an inspiration to all of us.
We prepare a daily schedule if you are interested in seeing more details, please contact me.
100+ Memories from Campamento 2015
20 JulWe have a tradition of quickly recalling 100+ memories from camp on the layover on our return flight. This blog entry is a result of that list, which is now edited and has relevant pictures and links. I hope it gives everyone a good idea of our fabulous week. For the names, I’m going to use first initials for privacy. This is a “thank you” note to travelers, past travelers, St. Ed’s, families, and all other supporters! Not quite an overall report – that’ll be next.
Peace, Ann
100+ Memories of Camp
First Impressions
1. Meeting H. F. for the first time – so loving to the girls and to us
2.Seeing how much the girls grow and mature each year.
3. Traveler J. and son J. joining camp! Now we know why the Sisters don’t take 2 year olds!
4. Digo Si Señor song
5. “Women in the Bible” Decor
6. I’m Good by the Mogli’s camp theme song
7. All Hermanas joined us in circle at night 
8. Girl C.’s and other girls sharing in circle
9. H. Es., noviate from Puerto Rico we met last year. She came for camp and helped out.
Monday Memories
10. Girl M. taking such good care of boy J.
11. Water games on Monday – big hit! drip drip drop and relay races
12. Dice Self Esteem game – roll dice and land on an emotion “I am excited when…”
13. Mayores’ vision boards
Tuesday Memories
14. Party thrown by the local Bon store
15. Señora G. from Bon shared with Mayores
16. The littlest girls are getting so much better at math! Nice work H. E. ! 
17. At the beach, the mountains on the other side of the bay – can’t get that in pictures
18. Affirmation bags 
Wednesday Excursion to San José de Ocoa
19. How fun and well behaved the girls were “traveler comment – best time I’ve ever had a pool!” 
20. Meeting Girls S and R’s father and Aunt in Ocoa
21. Man napping at S and R’s.
22. S and R’s toothbrushes hanging neatly, and camp frames and photos
23. Travelers M and A cannon balled into Ocoa pool together
24. Traveler M went down slide 3 times!
25. Playing tiburon (shark) in pool, beach, and kiosko
26. Conga line in Ocoa pool – others joined us
27. Dancing at Pool
28. Girl N. learned to float in pool
29. The slides
Thursday Memories
30. Self Esteem poster – “I am special and important because…”
27. Mayores excursion to hospital
28. Jocelyn hosted trip to Hospital
29. Coincidently, for the first time, we had a girl sick enough for a hospital stay. A. L. was hospitalized overnight and got better by Friday.
30. The Mayores made a big card for A.L. when they visited her and explored career opportunities at the hospital
31. They met a Gastroenteralogist, Ob/Gyn, and Pediatrician Doctors at Hospital – “your wombs are not ready to have a baby” – several reminders about dangers to a teen mother and her baby.
32. Azua has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the DR
33. Meeting the Azuan alum at the delicious snack they brought
34. New Computers from the Azuan alum club in Spain and New York
35. Azuan alum with cancer in her jaw, dental technician, who spoke with girls during snack
36. Walking through town to church and seeing Azua. Getting all the girls Bon at the hottest ice cream place before Mass.
37. H. F. and girls singing at Mass on Thursday 
38. The Parish in Azua is over 500 years old 
40. Delicious “salted” fish for dinner
41. Video of the Hogar by the American woman (we’ll share it once it’s online)
42. B’s graduation pictures
Friday Memories
43. Girl N’s mean step mother
44. Girls N and N’s blind step dad showed us his diploma, graduated with honors, but can’t work because he’s blind
45. Girls N and N’s blind mom so intelligent, able, and loving
46. Girl N singing for her step mother
47. Fighting Cocks in cages at girl N’s step mother’s
48. Checkers with bottle caps and hand painted squares
49. The kids we met on visits like the gift of bubbles
50. Girl M’s family
51. Girl M’s brother in a wheelchair
52. M’s mom “Dominican L” – very friendly and bubbly, keeps 2 burros, pigs and piglets 
53. Kids when they came back from Casa Anna excursion to the capital
54. Going to girl G’s grandmother, 73 years old, we all cried remembering her good son who just died last month 
55. She harvested tamarind to get some spending money
56. Girl G used a broomstick to whack the tamarinds off the tree, needed 3 pesos for a lousy plastic bag
57. Getting to meet G’s Madrina – godmother. Such a relief to know people are looking our for her!!
58. All travelers and girls whose home we visited got to go to Induban coffee plant to buy coffee 
Yes, even these girls got an afternoon cup (good idea?)
Saturday Memories
59. Time to pick up the trash! So much trash so fast!
60. Two Dominican treats (corn pudding and a chocolate/bean pudding, I’d call it) from the second Azua alum group
61. Pizza night
62. Grocery shopping at La Sirena
63. Seeing H S on her 25th Anniversary. She looked so well rested! Was it because she didn’t come to camp for the first time in 14 years???
64. On the pizza party night, the last night, girl M used the pink pill for checking your brushing technique as lipstick. Her, lips, perfect hair and skin “looks like a movie star”
At the ‘Camp Store’ (Tienda) during downtimes
65. “Gomitas” the little elastics for making bracelets
66. Puzzles called “Rampocabezas” literally “head breakers”
67. Making bracelets using forks
68. Card games
69. Hand clapping games
70. Eckert Tolle book “Milton’s Secret”
71. Cheerios bilingual books
72. Traveler A and girl Y finished very difficult symbol puzzle
Littlest ones
73. Little girl S killed a cockroach with her chancletta (flip flop) 
74. Girl G was only fed sugar until she came to home
75. G and S ate two hot dogs and two pizzas each on last night
Songs we can’t get out of our heads now
76. Chi Chi Chi Gua Gua Sardina Gatto song
77. Ah Chi Chi Cha Song
78. Uptown Funk = “Hallelujah Son” Uptown Funk video
79. “This time for Africa” by Shakira This Time’s for Africa by Shakira
Throughout the week – other little memories – no order
80. Kids weighed cups and other things with Traveler M P scale
81. American’s Spanglish (“mas o mesa”)
82. Loaves and fishes – always enough food! Even Nutella and jam lasted
83. Upside down goat on moto
84. Drove through Zona Colonial (maybe future excursion?)
85. Always behind by 15 minutes (better than usual!!)
86. Journaling station – learned that they talk more while coloring 
87. Girl A braided Traveler A’s hair
88. Having the Mayores at Camp
89. Girls J and E not there anymore
90. 2 TV’s – the girls got to watch tv and movies
91. Girls helping with water bottles and long dresses
92. Eating all together in the dining rooms 
93. Girls paying attention -noticing everything about us
94. Girls S, M, E and everyone else dancing
95. Zumba!
96. Teaching the cup song
97. Spending time with the Mayores at night after camp
98. Queen of Hearts – Traveler L in girl P’s Quinceañera dress
99. Pedicures
100. Habicuela – A’s nickname “beans”
101. Traveler M and Girl D – best friends!
102. Girl B crying for missing her dad
103. “Chair Rash”
104. New dishes and cups and Amplifier w/ iPhone 4 dock
105. Done with shopping at Modelo on time (Freddy’s open on Sunday’s except Father’s day 8:30 AM-1 PM)
106. Hearing the Titanic Song (theme song for first campamento in 2002) at La Sirena
107. Teaching them to float and swim at beach and pool
108. Puppies
109. Traveler M saved fat from her pork and gave them to the mother dog.
110. Yoga with Traveler H (girl J says she wants to be a yoga instructor)
111. Girl N – singer had the song sheets from last year, wanted a copy of this years’
112. Always enough room in Guagua
113. First time – a boy at camp!! Boy A, nephew of a Sister playing with the girls 
114. Seeing cook Chula laugh
115. Not getting sunburned (maybe we can be test subjects for Vanicream products on our next trip)
116. Our Spanish improved!!
117. Younger travelers A, H, C, and A worked well together and with “adults” (note from Ann, “yes!!!”)
118. Donation room is so organized
119. H F doing the Waka Waka dance (Shakira, This time for Africa)
120. Traveler M P and H. Fifi singing “La Espiritu de Dios esta en este Lugar”
121. Girls knew/wanted “selfies”
122. SDQ = “Si Dios Quiere”
Donations
30 JunPeople have been asking me about donations. Bring any donations to room 129 by 8 PM, Wednesday, July 6, which is our packing night. Here is the list from the Sisters. Thank you for your support!
White, leather gym shoes sizes are here: Shoe Drive Link – Signup Genius
Underwear – Sleeveless Undershirts (small kids’ size 6 or 8, 10, 12, S or M), Panties, White girls’ socks for girls from 6 to 18 years old.
Bath Towels, Waterproof Mattress Pads (for twin mattresses)
Backpacks appropriate for elementary through high school girls.
First Aid Medications and Vitamins No soft gel, liquid, or “gummy” form. It all melts in the Caribbean heat! Children’s and adults’ Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin Children’s Multivitamins, Adult Multivitamins, Advil Sinus (adults’), Children’s and adults’ Claritin, Anti-diarrhea medication, Over-the-counter oral antihistamine (Benadryl, others), Calamine lotion, Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream, Burn Relief Gel, Omega-3 supplements
First Aid Supplies Bandages, including roll of elastic wrap 2”, 3”, and 4” (Ace, Coban, others) and bandage strips (Band-Aid, Curad, others) in assorted sizes, spray (Bactine) or lotion (Calamine, Campho-Phenique) Antiseptic solution
Cutting and Kitting craft night
14 MayBring your “good” Scissors and a Friend
Teresa Toda Cutting and Kitting Craft night is Monday, May 18, 7-9 PM in the Auditorium
All are welcome to join the women who are going to the Teresa Toda Home in July for an evening of sharing, cutting, and kitting. Each year we craft with the girls. We “cut” the materials into “kits” for the girls to do at camp. This preparation makes our time there more efficient and enjoyable.
We will have a slideshow and photo albums from past camps at the Teresa Toda home.
If you would like to support the camp in a meaningful way, and have some fun, please join us for an evening in the Auditorium from 7-9 PM on May 18. You do not need to commit to the whole time, come when you can! Contact Ann for more information.
Lenten Thoughts
18 Feb“I’d like to pray for every person who has not even had a piece of bread today.” Andrea*, 12, Teresa Toda Home** resident, Azua, Dominican Republic
Lent is a time to simplify in many ways, including our diets. We give up meat on Fridays, or candy, or other indulgences. One of the reasons we do this is to empathize with our hungry brothers and sisters. When Andrea offered the above prayer at our evening reflection, she was not thinking about some abstract “poor”. She was thinking about her parents, her sisters and brothers, her neighbors, all who may or may not have had a chance to eat that day. At the Home, she has plenty and I believe she cannot forget those who are not so fortunate.
3 O’Clock Dinner
In neighborhoods like hers, the poorest, or any family going through a rough time, typically eat one meal a day. Beginning in the morning, the children collect grains, vegetables, bones, and other edibles. They contribute their findings to a pot of boiling water. The typical pots are 1 ½ quart sauce pans. Families would share this one meal at 3 PM. Picture a family of a mother and father, grandmother, 3 kids and one pregnant daughter sharing this small amount of food. This is not one of their three meals, plus snacks in a day. This is the only meal of the day. They eat this and are still hungry.
Eat Big
When a new girl joins the home, she is typically small. Six year olds look like our 3 or 4 year olds. The Sisters and the other girls (who remember their first days well) encourage the new girl to eat. One day after reading Nancy Carlson’s classic book “Dream Big” at camp, everyone good heartedly prodded the new girl, Julia*, to “Eat Big”. I will never forget the look of that tiny girl with big eyes staring at the mountain of chicken, rice, and beans on her plate.
Mealtime Prayer
Senor, te damos gracias por el pan que nos has dado/ Lord, we give you thanks for the bread that you have given us.
Daselo a todos aquellos que no lo tienen/ Give it to all those who do not have it.
Bendice las manos que lo han preparado/ Bless the hands that have prepared it.
Por Jesu Cristo, Nuestro Senor /In Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Amen
This prayer is said before every meal at the Home. Maybe this Lenten season, you can say this prayer, too, at your home. Think about the girls at the Home, their families, our Nicaraguan sisters and brothers, as well as all the hungry here in Bloomington and around the world.
*The names of the girls have been changed for privacy.
** The Teresa Toda Home is our Sister Parish in the Dominican Republic. It is a girls’ home for the most destitute girls in the country. The home is run by Carmelite nuns. Church of Saint Edward parishioners lead an annual summer camp for the girls at the home. July 2015 will be our 12th camp. Contact Ann McGuire at annnmcguire@gmail.com if you are interested in traveling or supporting the program in other ways. Check the bulletin for the kick-off meeting.
Note to Parents of College Travelers
20 JanHi Parent,
This note is for parents of college students who might have heard about this trip from one of their friends. The friend most likely has been on the trip before and wants to bring your daughter! If you live near enough to Bloomington, you are welcome to come to our meetings, even if you daughter cannot. They’re usually pretty busy but pitch in with planning once they’re home from school.
The About section of the blog has a bunch of helpful links to the posts that will help you and your daughter decide on and prepare for the trip.
Please contact me through this blog if your daughter is interested or if you have questions. Also, consider contacting your daughter’s friends’ mom who probably came on the trip herself.
If you and/or your daughter are interested in coming, please let me know with e-mail addresses and contact information so I can keep you updated with the other potential travelers. Everyone is a “potential” traveler until they buy their plane ticket which will be in April or May.
Peace,
Ann
Campamento Schedule Jan-Sept
20 JanOur yearly schedule goes roughly like this:
January and February: (2016: January 25, February 22 or 23 tbd)
- Recruiting Travelers (in the past we’ve had about 50-50 new and returning travelers)
March – April:
- Set the dates (usually the first full week after July 4 and the next one, two groups: each go for one week)
- Select the Women of the Bible for the VBS program
- Plan the standard activities like Bible study, Math, English, and Crafts.
- Plan activities based on traveler’s interests and skills: yoga, dancing, science
April-May
- Buy the plan tickets, get passports, make appointment with Travel Clinic and other items on the traveler prep post
- Each traveler plans/practices her activity
- Set the crafts
May
- Cutting/Kitting Night (yes, it’s as fun as it sounds! Bring a friend.)
- Go to Travel Clinic
- Publicize Donation Requests
June
- Packing night (each brings two suitcases: one large plus 1/2 checkable for donations/supplies and 1/2 of one small for your own things)
July
- Campamento is typically the first full week following July 4 plus the following week.
September
- Publicize Trip Report
2015 Campamento Kick-Off Meeting Tuesday, March 24, 7-9 PM
13 JanSister Parish Mission Trip Kick-Off Meeting Tuesday, March 24, 7-9 PM, Church of Saint Edward Auditorium The Sister Parish Committee is planning our eleventh two-week long “Summer Camp” at the Hogar Teresa Toda, a girls’ home, in Azua, Dominican Republic in July 2015. This trip is for women over 18 and mother-daughter pairs for daughters over 15. We have openings for July 4-12 and July 11-19 for travelers interested in sharing a spiritual experience with young women and girls from another country. The format is similar to our own Vacation Bible School. We do skits, music, crafts, and other activities. We pray, exchange stories, share love, and spend time with the girls. Through the activities they learn English, enjoy crafts, and build self-esteem. This year for the first time, we have special plans for the girls ages 14-18. Each trip is deeply touching and spiritual. Special gifts you may share are Spanish skills, crafting and beading talents, or your professional experience (esp. healthcare, tourism, retail, scientists, government, education, and other industries). If you are interested in traveling with us this summer or helping out from Minnesota, please contact Ann McGuire to RSVP to our kick-off meeting. Ann and past travelers will be there to give an overview and answer questions.
Campamento 2026 
