Peru Mission of Hope Volunteers
L-R Brian Mulcahy, Samantha Mulcahy, Rachel Daly, Matt Daly
By John T. Ryan
On February 15th, the traditional start of winter break, many local residents will be departing for vacations, but another group of residents will be departing for Chiquilistagua, Nicaragua (about 10 miles from Managua) where they will be working as North Country Mission of Hope volunteers. Several Peru residents have made the mission trip since it began in 1998 and this year is no exception.
Matt Daly, his daughter Rachel and son Patrick are going, as are Brian Mulcahy and his daughter Samantha. Matt, Rachel and Samantha participated in the Mission last year, while Brian and Patrick are making their first trip. Rachel Daley and Samantha Mulcahy are juniors at Seton Catholic Central and Patrick Daley is a 9th grader at Peru Central.
Asked why they want to take eight days to travel to a distant land Matt Daly said, “ I did volunteer service in high school and college. Then when Rachel wanted to go last year my wife Bobbie and I decided that one of us had to go. We weren’t sure it was a safe environment. I speak a little Spanish so I was the logical one to go. Last year I had such a great experience that I decided I really want to do this as much as I can. Rachel and I also found kids to sponsor so there’s a bond when we go back.” Rachel Daley explained, “I have wanted to go since I was little. Service is something I’ve always cared about. This is service at its most intense.” Samantha Mulcahy explained, “I got to hear about it at Seton. I was interested in going in middle school and I couldn’t wait until high school to go.” Brian Mulcahy said, “For me it’s giving back for what I’ve received. It’s giving of my talents, what God has given to me.”
When they made their first trip to Nicaragua several things surprised the North Country visitors. Rachel Daley explained, “When you hear about the poverty you picture people being very sad. I don’t think I’ve seen any happier people. When we arrived, we pulled up in the bus and the kids were out in the street waiting for us. They were screaming and welcoming us.” Samantha Mulcahy talked about family life being very important to the Nicaraguan people. Rachel Daly added, “Some of the houses have tiny rooms and no furniture, but they have photos of their family members on the walls.” Matt Daly said his ability to communicate despite his limited Spanish ability surprised him. “As little Spanish as I speak I got by very well with it. I was used every day as an interpreter. There was almost no English being spoken there and that also surprised me.”
The volunteers live a simple daily existence. They are housed in a school compound. Running water is intermittent and there are no lights. They sleep on racks with very thin mats for mattresses and there are no pillows. They arise about 5 a.m., dress and use a jug of water to brush their teeth. They eat food that they brought with them for breakfast and lunch. A cook prepares local food for dinner, which usually consists of beans, rice and chicken. It’s “lights out” at 10 p.m.
Sister Debbie Blow, the Mission of Hope Executive Director, coordinates projects for the volunteers. Some of the volunteers will be working alongside local people building shelters for the neediest people. A shelter is built using 2×4’s, tin walls and a tin roof. Mission volunteers have helped build between 300 and 400 shelters over the past ten years. The missioners will also deliver rice and beans to people in the neighborhoods. The Mission of Hope purchases 100-pound bags and missioners break them into smaller quantities. Some volunteers will work with the mission medical team, some will paint and repair buildings and some will go to a home for the disabled to spend time with the children. The people the volunteers visit have very few material possessions, but they share what they have with others. Rachel explained, “All they want to do is give back. We gave a kid a few Smarties and all he wanted to do is to go around and give them away. They shared with everyone.”
Matt and Rachel Daly are especially looking forward to seeing their two sponsored children. For only $250 they are able to furnish a child with school books, school tuition, a uniform, gym clothes, lunch and vitamins. Last year they were able to personally give the clothing to their sponsored boy and girl.
Rachel Daly undoubtedly expressed the sentiments of many of the volunteers when she said, “We have a culture of believing that the world owes us. If you give back just a little bit, you start realizing just how backward that is.”
Posted: January 30th, 2009 under General News.