`Above and beyond all my expectations':

Holy Apostles Church celebrates 10th youth mission to Jamaican orphanage

By Pam Schiff
Posted 7/20/16

Traveling with a teenager can be a daunting challenge. Traveling with nine of them might seem unimaginable. But for the five adult mission leaders from Holy Apostles Church, it was a profound blessing. High school seniors Sofia Amaral,

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`Above and beyond all my expectations':

Holy Apostles Church celebrates 10th youth mission to Jamaican orphanage

Posted

Traveling with a teenager can be a daunting challenge. Traveling with nine of them might seem unimaginable.

But for the five adult mission leaders from Holy Apostles Church, it was a profound blessing.

High school seniors Sofia Amaral, Theresa Brown, Morgan DiMaio, Matthew Fyrer, Sophia Perrotta, Nicole Sacco, Abigail Shideler, Nicholas Tansino, and Michaela Vieira spent the first week of their summer vacation at the Blessed Assurance orphanage in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The orphanage is home to 35 mentally and physically disabled children.

Several of the students who made the trip have been friends since their kindergarten days, but they all feel a connection to each other through their time at Holy Apostles. It is the common thread that connects all of them.

Monsignor Paul Theroux, pastor of Holy Apostles Church, was impressed with the students.

“These children stayed on past confirmation. They didn’t view it as a graduation. They worked with our lay ministry and youth ministry. They saw the volunteering opportunity as a way to stay connected to the parish,” he said. “They were able to feel the importance of church, service, and faith.”

Traveling June 25 through July 2, Mark Colozzi (director of Life Teen Choir), Christine Dooley, Maryann Johnson, Michael Napolitano, and Michael Santilli (director of youth ministry) ensured the nine missionaries were well cared for and looked after.

The daily itinerary was packed with activities and responsibilities starting at 5:30 a.m. Duties included preparing meals and cleaning up, assisting with feeding and providing activities for the residents of the orphanage, repairing facilities, and teaching music.

“It was nothing like I expected. It went above and beyond all my expectations,” Nicholas said.

The conditions themselves were less than comfortable, but despite the heat, humidity, bugs, and hard work, the missionaries all would go back in a second if given the opportunity.

“I learned more about myself than I ever imagined. I am stronger not just physically, but emotionally, and especially spiritually,” Sofia said.

One of the anticipated hardships turned out to be a blessing.

“We had no technology at all. No phones, internet, no way to connect. It was actually the best part of the trip. We were able to focus on the kids, and we were in our own little world with no outside distractions. We had no sense of time, really, we just wanted the days to last,” Abby said.

The students met with other missionaries who had done the trip in the past, and still they felt after the trip they were not fully prepared for what happened.

“When I try to describe it, there are truly no words. I try to explain it, and keep saying you can’t understand it until you do it for yourself,” Nick said.

“For two days after coming home I couldn’t talk about it,” Teresa said. “I had to sort out my emotions. There were so many lessons I learned. The biggest one being the difference between want and need. I still look back to our nightly reflections to help me.”

For the parents of the students, it was also a life-changing experience. David DiMaio, whose daughter Morgan went on the trip, tried to explain what he and his wife went through.

“This was an opportunity for me to reconnect with my daughter and our faith. I met the parents of the eight other children, and we bonded,” he said.

All of the students are still very close. They talk to each other at least once a day.

“This trip and experience have bonded them. For better or for worse, they are all connected now. This trip also brought me and my daughter closer. It has changed the relationship I have with her,” parent Meg Shideler said.

All of the attendees, adults and children alike, said some of the most important bonding moments took place at the nightly devotions.

“You will not be the same person you left as after the reflections. I was challenged by the thoughts and conversations we had nightly. The biggest impact on me was the discussion of love. Self love, unconditional love, and how to express and receive love,” Nick said.

Abby was touched by the nightly devotions as well.

“I enjoyed the music. There were nights we were so loud and connected. We were dancing and singing. I know I felt the Holy Spirit, something happened that night,” she said.

For Johnson, the mission leader, the nightly devotions were a chance to connect with the children on a different level.

“During the devotions you are asking for support. And the value of that support is immeasurable. We as adults let our guards down and we spoke with the children on a level field,” she said.

Santilli is the only person who has attended all 10 missions, and spoke of the role of music.

“There is such a physical connection that is enhanced with the kids due to Mark and his music. The kids in wheelchairs can feel the music, they smile, they rock back and forth, they ‘get’ the spirit,” he said.

Last year, Colozzi brought a piano and several percussion instruments to the orphanage and was able to provide music classes almost daily.

Santilli also explained how the children are selected to go on the trip.

“It is not as easy as signing a form and getting on the plane. There is an interview process, they write an essay. We look at their presence and visibility in church and the child as a whole. It is a long process and one that no one takes lightly,” he said.

Blessed Assurance orphanage is affiliated with Mustard Seeds Communities. For more information, visit mustardseed.com. 1

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