Presentation Academy Mission Trip to Belize
They thought they were just building a house. But for these Pres Girls, it was so much more – core memories that would leave them forever changed.
Seven Presentation Academy students and two faculty members, in partnership with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the San Miguel Arcangel Mission, traveled to Las Flores, Belize in October to help construct a home for a local woman and her son. The house was built in honor of Sister Mary Assumpta Dwyer, SCN and her family.
Accompanying the students were social studies teacher and Pres alum Olivia Atkinson’ 18, who had previously traveled to Belize in 2017 with Presentation and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, and theology teacher Sister Amina Bejos, SCN, a proud Belizean who has dedicated numerous summers and school breaks to sharing her home country with her students on mission.
Throughout the week, the students worked diligently on a wide variety of projects – painting and priming the foundation; staining fascia boards; installing PVC walls and ceilings; setting windows; caulking; and cleaning the finished home.
“[The mission trip], not only deepened my faith with God, but it deepened my connections to those around me, especially my friends and teachers who went on the trip,” junior Emma Diehl said. “I had no experience using power tools, much less building a house, but together we were able to build a house for a family in need of one. But we didn’t just build a house, we built a home.”
The home was built for Ms. Jolee and her son in the Agua Vida community. Thanks to their efforts, she is now a first-time homeowner with access to running water and solar-powered electricity – improving her quality of life and offering new opportunities for stability and hope.
“When we met Jolie, we were able to build a bond with her,” Diehl said. “Even though there was a language barrier, love and appreciation can be communicated with no words at all. Jolie welcomed us into the place she was living, and we were able to welcome her into her new home with a beautiful house blessing. Throughout the whole trip I saw God in every person that I met. And in every place we were, God’s presence was with us. I will forever be thankful for my opportunity to go on this trip, and I will carry what I learned in my heart for the rest of my life.”
The group stayed at the San Miguel House in Las Flores, an initiative inspired by the mission of Sister Luke Bioarski, SCN.
The group would pray at the beginning of the day, and in the evening, they would choose a Scripture passage and then reflect on their day based on the passage. Sister Amina said the most rewarding experience of the trip for her was listening to the students during this time of prayer and reflection when they would share what the day meant to them and what they were encountering and witnessing how faith-filled they were.
“Seeing the way irresponsible consumption in developed countries affects people all over the world inspired me to change my habits at home,” senior Maddie Semones said. “With the state of our world, I sometimes fear anything I try to do is too small to make a difference, but this experience has changed my perception of service as a whole. I have always valued giving to and organizing drives, but doing hands-on service and seeing Jolee’s face has inspired me to do more direct service in my own community.”
Junior Sloane Gregory said she is so thankful she was able to go on the mission trip because of how much she learned and grew from it. “This was a great opportunity to show that teen girls can do anything if we put our mind to it.”
The group also immersed themselves in Belizean culture. They visited the Xunantunich Archaeological Site where they explored Mayan temples and enjoyed local wildlife; visited St. Michael’s School in Las Flores; and swam in the Blue Hole within St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park. They also visited with and shared a traditional Belizean meal with the Bejos family.
“The girls were extremely committed to the mission and open to the immersion experience into another culture,” Sister Amina said. “… I really wanted the girls to experience me within my own culture to help the students understand me more in light of their experience with my family. I was very impressed that they were culturally sensitive to the woman whose house we were building, and they decided they wanted to do some of the prayers and the readings at the home blessing in Spanish so that she could understand. That really touched my heart.”
Senior Madeline Galligan said the trip changed her perspective on life. “It has moved me to think of others’ needs and feelings first, causing me to become more conscious of my decisions. Meeting people who have so little but are filled with love and gratitude, highlights present day societal issues. By serving others in Belize, I have become more appreciative of life’s little things. I was able to grow my faith through action. I embraced new experiences all while realizing that I have a passion to serve others with love.”
Senior Zoe Eme agreed, noting how smiles are a universal language. “The experience of building a house for Jolee and her son gave space for connections and sisterhood to grow, pouring out love with everything we did.”
Junior Sophia Gosden added, “Their happiness wasn’t built on materialistic things, but rather people and community itself. The value placed upon community was eye-opening.”
Atkinson said she was blessed to chaperone the trip. “I was completely in awe of our Pres Girls—their dedication to those on the margins, openness to immersing themselves in other cultures, and their commitment to building the house to the best of their abilities. To me, this trip was just another example of the incredible power that can be unleashed when Pres Girls work to carry forward the spirit and mission of Mother Catherine and the SCNs!”
“The experience strengthened me socially and made me a stronger team player, a more selfless and aware person, and a more patient person,” junior Magdalena Spalding said. “I was able to cultivate a sisterhood with my classmates and friends. I grew much closer to them, and I see the fruits of our sisterhood each day. I became an even stronger part of Pres, and the immersion experience showed me that Pres truly is a second family.”
