Over the summer, Benet students and faculty members traveled to Guatemala on the annual mission trip. The trip was memorable for the volunteers, and truly life-changing for those whom were helped.
Twenty students — along with Mr. Ramon Marth, Mrs. Rosemary Sterr, Mr. Steve Frey, Mr. Gregory Frey, and their mother Mrs. Frey — traveled to Antigua for ten days and worked to help families living in the outlying villages.

On the first day, they played with kids at an orphanage and organized clothing, toy and food donations. The rest of the trip was spent building homes for families who had before been living in houses with mud floors. The students divided into teams, each with four students and one adult. Each group worked with two Guatemalan masons. Señor Marth says that the masons were indispensable, and that the houses could not have been built without them.

Although the students were staying in Antigua, a very beautiful and touristy town, the villages where they built the homes were farther outside the city. The volunteers rode in the back of pickup trucks to the building sites. The volunteer-built houses were 16’ by 12’ one room homes with tile floors. They provided a great improvement in living conditions for the families.

Señor Marth emphasized what an amazing experience the trip was. He says that being able to give these families a better life and a better home made this trip truly unforgettable. He was inspired by the hardworking people for whom the houses were being built, and said, as someone who has had the opportunity to go on many other service trips, “I’ve never done one that felt better than this.” He was especially grateful to Mr. Gregory Frey for fighting to make sure that this trip happened.

This mission trip was incredibly memorable for all involved. When asked what the most memorable part of the trip was, Señor Marth said it was the three Guatemalan gentlemen who he worked with while building the new homes. Mr. Gregory Frey said, “The most memorable part was handing the keys over to the new homeowners. Many of them lived on dirt floors in homes that did not have a door, a window or adequate siding or roofing. It is a very emotional experience to see how much these families that have so little appreciate having a new home.”

This being the third trip, the total number of homes that have been built by Benet volunteers is now twelve, and over the years, 46 students and five different faculty members have participated.
Mr. Gregory Frey also mentioned how proud he was of the students who participated in the trip. Adjusting to life in a third world country was difficult for many of the Benet students. Some trials included stomach issues while adjusting to the food, and severe reactions to mosquito and other bug bites. Mr. Frey was very impressed by the lack of complaints through all these experiences. He said, “ I believe they learned a great appreciation for many things we take for granted at home.”

What was very special about this trip was that the volunteers had the opportunity to “know and be known” by the people they were helping. Senior Olivia Crabtree described the families they worked to help as “… the sweetest people I have ever met in my life.”

The Benet group worked with an organization called ImagininGuatemala, led by three wonderful, hardworking people named Mario, Ángel and Edilser. At least two of these leaders will be visiting Benet in October.

The Guatemala mission trip was a great success. Our fellow Benetians have yet again made us proud with their humble and dedicated service to others. By participating in the trip and working so hard to help these families in need, the volunteers truly emulated our school motto, “Ora Et Labora.”