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Mission Honduras International
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty ... One Child at a Time |
August 2010
Newsletter
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Greetings!
Graduation, celebrations, volunteer reflections, and summer fun. This is just some of what you'll find in this issue of the e-newsletter. We are especially pleased to introduce Dr. Brian Chan, Medical Director of Liberia Mission, who has already had a life-saving impact on the community. You will also meet some of our volunteers and read about a volunteer mission group's amazing trip to serve in Honduras!
We are also pleased to announce that we are building essential new classrooms at Liberia Mission. If you would like to help, you can buy a brick or attend our fundraiser in Chicago. Click here for details.
Thank you for all you do to bring faith, hope, love and a brighter future to children living in poverty!
God bless you,
Bob O'Dwyer
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Mission Honduras International
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Summer at Liberia Mission - Graduations, Volunteers and More!
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Liberia Mission's St.
Anthony of Padua School celebrated the  completion of another successful year in
late June. Over 340 children
received a first-rate Catholic education at our school this year. To celebrate, they held two wonderful
and Spirit-filled Closing Program Ceremonies.
Twenty-one
children graduated from the K-2 class (Kindergarten 2)! In Liberia, graduation from K-2 is a
very big deal and is celebrated with great excitement. An esteemed guest speaker from the
community addressed the gathering, the children performed songs, some recited a poem or
gave a speech, and they all received certificates. Many families took pictures of themselves with their new
graduate and his/her certificate, signifying the importance of this milestone
in the child's (and family's) life. For many, their young graduate is the only person in their family with
the opportunity to go to school.
 The second Graduation and Closing Ceremony
celebrated 6th grade and 9th grade graduates, marking
their successful completion of elementary school and junior high, respectively. This lively program also
included esteemed speakers, songs, poems, certificates and many
pictures. Thirty children
graduated from 6th grade and will go on to junior high. And, in just our second year with a 9th
grade, we had 14 graduates. Next
year, we will have a full grade 9 with 30 students!
This summer, many of our residential children
are spending vacation visiting relatives and family, while about 50 children,
most of whom for various reasons do not have anywhere to go, are staying at
the Mission. Our children who stay with us were delighted to receive a group of
volunteers from Mission Honduras International and our friends at Teach Peace. They especially enjoyed a talent show and soccer tournament with the
group, as well as all the day-to-day joys of sharing life and interacting with
the volunteers - learning new games, reading books from our library, mini-choir
classes, sewing classes, and free time in general to laugh, play, and share stories.
The next school year begins September 1st,
when we look forward to welcoming new and returning students! We are also excited to welcome a new
principal. Under his leadership, and with the help of other administrators and teachers, many preparations are being done during the summer vacation to make the
coming school year even better!
Thank you for all your prayers and generous support of our children. As you can see from how many are graduating and growing in mind, body and spirit, that you are giving them a never-before-possible opportunity at breaking the cycle of poverty. Thanks for all you do!
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Introducing Dr. Brian Chan, Liberia Mission Medical Director
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The Board of Directors and the entire MHI/LMI Family is very pleased to welcome Dr. Brian Chan, Medical Director of Liberia Mission. In our June e-newsletter, you read an update from Brian on his medical work so far. If you missed it, you can access the June e-newsletter here. Read more about Brian below. If you'd like to send him a message, please click here.
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I was born and raised in the Chicago area where I developed
an unhealthy relationship with the Chicago Cubs. I have two wonderful, loving parents and
an inspiring older brother; we are all doctors! I attended Harvard University where I graduated from college in
2000 and medical school in 2004. I trained in internal
medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital
(MGH). Following the completion of my training in 2007, I worked as an attending
hospitalist at MGH for three years.
Along the way, I explored my interest in global health through consultancies and clinical stints
in Honduras, South Africa, Indonesia, India, and Kenya. I have appeared on the game show Jeopardy!, eaten all sorts of roasted insects in China,
learned how to surf in Hawaii, hiked the Inca
Trail, and convinced Bernardine Ileto to marry me on July 4, 2009.
I am
ecstatic to be the new Medical Director of
Liberia Mission Inc. and will do my best to keep all of the children and staff here
healthy. I know this will be a great adventure for Bernardine and me, and I ask
that you support us, and everyone here, with your prayers and well wishes.
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Celebrating Independence Day
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Monday, July 26th was Liberian Independence Day! It is a major celebration in Liberia
and Liberia Mission had their own festivities, complete with games and
treats!
 Our children also learned a little about their history on
this, the 163rd celebration of Liberia's declaration of independence and
statehood. Colonized in 1821 by American "free blacks" through the
financial support of the American Colonization Society and the Maryland State
Colonization Society, Liberia became a center for captured slave ships to
release their prisoners. The colonizers, who became known as "Congo"
people or Americo-Liberians, created a rather traditional colonial society with
the native tribes being second class citizens and the colonists holding the
positions of power. Today, people of tribal descent are moving closer to
equality with those of Americo-Liberian descent. Certainly opportunities like an education from Liberia
Mission's St. Anthony of Padua School are instrumental in helping to move
toward equality.
The LMI community gathered together on Monday the 26th to pray for the country and
celebrate their freedom. Brian Chan spearheaded the festivities, giving a
brief history lesson, and leading the field day-type games and dancing. The children had friends from the neighboring town join them and happily shared
soda and cookies with their guests. It was a traditional Independence Day celebration, and the children had
a fantastic time celebrating!
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Reflections from a Liberia Mission Volunteer
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Hi, my name is Cameron
Faller, and I am a short-term  volunteer at Liberia Mission. I decided to come to the mission on a volunteer trip for three reasons. First, I wanted to escape many distractions back home in order to grow in my relationship with Christ. Secondly, I wanted to use this time to better understand God's vocational call in my life. And finally, I came here hoping to serve the children of the mission in anyway that I could.
Ever since I arrived at the mission in May, I have been amazed by the hospitality, kindness, and happiness of the children. Unlike many teenagers back home, the kids here do not have the typical teenage bitterness or edge.
During my first week here, I asked one of the kids why the kids at the mission are so happy; he responded that they are happy because they have everything they want. This comment was shocking considering this particular kid only has a few pairs of clothes, he comes from a family that is suffering greatly, and he has no shoes.
I have also been impressed by the kids' eagerness and zeal for the faith. They are always very curious and open to the faith, and they actually enjoy going to Catechism class and prayer. For me, as a seminarian and aspiring priest, this has been very refreshing and inspiring to see.
My time here is quickly coming to an end, and I just hope over my final days here I can give the kids something in return for all they have given me.
God Bless,
Cameron Faller
Seminarian and LMI Volunteer
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Liberian Rules - Learning to Play Checkers at Liberia Mission
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Playing checkers with the children, I rapidly discovered
that they  had their own house rules for the game. Kings were more akin to chess
bishops, jumps could be made in any direction, and a piece or 'seed' that
didn't jump an opponent's piece when it had the opportunity could be 'blown'
off the board. As I become frustrated trying to teach and play by the 'correct'
rules for checkers, one mission student, Joseph Mulbah, finally said to me in
exasperation "Uncle Mat, we're in Liberia. Play Liberian rules!"
I've slowly realized that this is a lesson to be applied to
all my work here. Although Liberians remind me of their country's close
connection with mine, and I converse with everyone here in English, the 'rules'
here are different. While I expected bucket showers, I did not change my
expectations about how I would be purchasing food, taking our truck to the
mechanic, dealing with the Liberian DMV, or even playing games with the kids. Actions that are in principle the same as ones I have done everyday in the
United States, operate on a different set of rules with thinking not in line
with my previous experience. Trying to operate with Western style budgets, time
lines, task delineations, problem solving has left me bewildered or frustrated.
Last month, we had a World Cup of Checkers to mirror
the more famous FIFA event in South Africa. We played with Liberian rules. As I'm learning Liberian checkers, and getting trounced by
even the youngest kids, I'm being taught by our mission staff and children how
to effectively use the skills and knowledge that I've brought here to bring
about tangible and sustainable results. And, maybe one day, I'll have checkers figured out!
~ Mat Travis, LMI Program Coordinator
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Volunteer Mission Group serves in Honduras!
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This June, long-time supports and volunteers of Mission  Honduras
International - Holy Family in Brentwood, TN - traveled to Honduras with a team
of 36 people for 10 unforgettable days of serving the children and community of Juticalpa Honduras through
their hands and hearts.
My
team of 36 spent 10 days in Juticalpa, Honduras in June with www.OlanchoAid.org. It was a FANTASTIC experience overall! I have already booked 2 (10-day)
segments in June 2011 for my Parish. 95% of the 2010 travel team wants to
return, and I have another 30+ that have indicated a desire to go for the first
time next year...so I need to take 2 groups. That is how great of an
experience we had!
 Our group
painted a small school to brighten it up and give the kids some pride in where
they go to learn each day. The team worked together to replace a
roof on a small village school where learning was constantly interrupted
by rain. We mixed cement
by hand as we worked together to build a cafeteria and kitchen to feed kids as they
go to High School each day. And our team built instant "family" with
local children, sharing the universal language of God's love - hugs and
smiles!
Padre
Donahue and Carlos (Exec. Director) are fantastic, Godly, and wonderful
men! What they have built in the last 11 years, all within a 5 mile
radius, is hard to believe!! They
have built a Catholic University, a Catholic High School, a
Catholic Special Needs School and finally a Catholic (bi-lingual educated)
Elementary school. Right next door is St. Gertrude's parish, where we
spent time as well. They have an orphanage, a nursing home, a
convent and a church on their campus within walking distance of the
Special Needs School where we slept.
We
also volunteered with the local community. We spend 4 of our 10 days
repairing public schools in the community that were very run down. Olancho
Aid is truly focused on making life better for all people within the
community!
We
are so excited to be partnering with Fr. Donahue and Olancho Aid in the
future!
If
you or your parish / school group are looking for a great organization to
volunteer with in Honduras, please consider Olancho Aid. For more information, visit their
website at www.orlanchoaid.org, or contact MHI directly.
Steve Hayes
MHI Advisory Group Member
Brentwood, TN
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About Mission Honduras International / Liberia Mission
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Mission Honduras International is dedicated to breaking
the cycle of poverty for children and families through material and
spiritual support and a Catholic education.
Learn more on our website!
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