Gehlen Catholic Mission Honduras

Vital Stats

Katie F

Le Mars, IA

  • people helped200
  • People Doing It 37

The Problem

Gehlen Catholic Mission Honduras "Changing Lives" was first started in 2000. It gives students at Gehlen Catholic a chance to do missionary work in a developing country. Honduras was hit by a hurricane in October and November 1998 by Hurricane Mitch. This hurricane destroyed everything and over 14,000 people were killed. It set back the country 100 years. It is now the second poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Plan of Action

The project involved digging a well, placing two 600 gallon tanks atop a hillside, the purchase of a new gas-powered pump, digging trenches from the well to the tank and from the tank to each home in the village, burying the pipes throughout the village, running a water line with a shut-off valve to each home, hooking up the pump to the well, and the attempt to fill the tank with water. Once at the tank all water projects are chlorinated to provide clean drinkable water for the village. On different days throughout my 12 day mission journey to Honduras my classmates and I went about the task of this water system. On our last day in the village, Holy Saturday, we celebrated with the people of La Cañada. Team members and village representatives spoke about the effort and how important it was to the people. My classmates and I then passed out a number of the items donated from the States and carried to Honduras. From toothpaste to shoes we handed gifts of friendship to the people of La Cañada. It was an amazing and emotional experience for me to say farewell to the people of this village.
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Homelessness and Poverty

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