Support St. Vincent's Delegation to El Salvador

Co-organized

Emmett Schweiger and Wendy Leitner-Sieber are organizing this fundraiser.

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A delegation of ten parishioners from St. Vincent de Paul Church in Philadelphia, PA will travel to El Salvador to engage in ministry. St. Vincent de Paul Church has had a sister relationship with a small, rural town in El Salvador for 34 years.

Joanie, Wendy, Kate, Dermis, Kim, Jess, Emmett, Marcos, Masaki, and Pablo will travel together to Las Anonas de Santa Cruz and take part in this youth and young adult delegation.

The trip will cost approximately $1,700 per person. Expenses include airfare ($600), fee for staff that arranges meetings and accompanies the delegation ($450), in-country expenses of food, water, lodging in the city, and transportation ($550), and additional travel expenses ($100).

In Las Anonas, the delegation will have the opportunity to:

Meet with the leaders of the community council and other key committees to learn about the achievements and the challenges of each group;
Visit all of the 95 families of the community;
Stay in the homes of host families who typically live in one-room cinder-block homes with no indoor plumbing; and
Learn the history of the people, especially about how they endured and survived the civil war from 1980 to 1992.

In San Salvador, the delegation will:

Meet with organizations that have continued to work for justice through very difficult times;
Attend Mass at the cathedral and visit the tomb of Saint Oscar Romero, who was known as “the voice of the voiceless” at the beginning of the civil war and has inspired Salvadorans and people all over the world to join the struggle for peace with justice;
Visit the place St. Romero lived as Archbishop and the chapel where he was murdered.

Joanie, Wendy, Kate, Dermis, Kim, Jess, Emmett, Marcos, Masaki, and Pablo are currently preparing for the delegation through learning about El Salvador and the history of the sister relationship. Preparation includes historical and spiritual elements. Following the delegation, an event will be held to share the fruits of the experience.

Please consider supporting these St. Vincent's parishioners with your prayers during this time of spiritual formation and preparation for the delegation.

If you are able to support this journey financially or share this fundraiser with someone who can, it is greatly appreciated. As siblings in Christ, members of the delegation will be sharing any funds raised, in accordance with personal need. If you would like to contribute directly to a specific participant, please indicate the participant's name along with your donation. Any funds that are raised that exceed the cost of travel will be used to purchase materials for the community at Las Anonas.