On this trip, students brought clothing, toys, and dental supplies such as toothbrushes, floss, and toothpaste. In addition, Dr. Luis Rodriguez, a dentist friend of Fr. Manny Gallo, SDB (DBP’s former CYM), joined the group on this trip, and, together with a local dentist, examined and treated 176 children in five days.
Senior Parker Stone brought, as his Eagle Scout project, 100 backpacks with school supplies for 100 children at the center, and the students prepared food and fed the hungry working at the Masaya dump site. In addition to all this, DBP art teacher Veronica Cutter, aided by DBP students, painted a beautiful mural on a building at the Mama Margarita Foundation.
Four local students were able to attend the Don Bosco School in Masaya with funds provided by the Andy Feliz memorial scholarship. Andy was a student at Salesian High in New Rochelle, N.Y., who died before he was able to travel with the group to Nicaragua.
Senior Jonathan Ramirez spoke of his experiences on the mission trip to Nicaragua: “There were 23 guys who went on this trip, and we had many discussions about the value of building a house, feeding the poor, giving clothing, and keeping company with the kids. Was there real value on doing this? But I came away realizing that we, in our everyday lives, should perform small acts of kindness. It just might change someone’s day, their week, or it might change their lives.”
Framing the trip, Fr. Manny, who is presently CYM at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Md., quoted Pope Francis: “‘To be a Christian and to be a missionary is the same thing.’ This can summarize our mission trip to Nicaragua. I am grateful to the Don Bosco Prep missionaries. They were the face of Mercy to so many by inspiring others to hope.”
