Honduras Mission Trip 2005

CEE 4611 Course Description: This service-learning course is an outgrowth of the spring semester Senior Capstone Design Project in Structural Engineering. For the past five years, students in that course have worked on various structural designs for a Catholic orphanage in Honduras. Each Spring Break, a portion of the class has traveled to Honduras with the professors and a few CE underclassmen on an associated mission trip in which they work on the construction of those designs. Last year Mechanical Engineering students went on the trip to identify possible future projects; this year Dr. Michael Raulli will be traveling to Honduras to further this work. Dr. Metin Duran will also be investigating possible future projects in environmental engineering. The mission trip is co-sponsored by the Department, College, and Campus Ministry, and incorporates all aspects of a service learning experience (preparation, service, reflection, and celebration). This year's project is the beginning of construction for a school on the Amigos de Jesus site.

3. Effectively communicate, in written and verbal form, the outcomes of the service experience.

Amigos De Jesus, a Catholic Orphanage in Posas Verdes, Honduras, was started in 1997 by Sister Teresita, SSND a Honduran Notre Dame Nun, Christine and Anthony Granese, residents of Norristown, PA, and Father Dennis O'Donnell, Rector of Malvern Retreat House. The mission of Amigos De Jesus is:

“To provide hope for the street children of Honduras. Hope that allows them to grow intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually.”

The orphanage rests on 70 acres of fertile land in the Northwest corner of a mountainous section of Honduras, about a two hour ride from San Pedro Sula airport, near the border of Guatemala.

Amigos de Jesus is an oasis in the heart of Honduras. It is an orphanage where young boys are brought together, given the possibility for a brighter tomorrow. The civil engineering students, as well as some distinguished faculty and friends, are proud and honored to travel to this home for young boys and assist them in any way necessary. This year, the sixth year of this relationship, we hope to begin the foundation for a long term vision: to create a center for learning on the site of the orphanage.

We are traveling to Honduras to begin the construction of two school buildings that we have designed for our friends at Amigos de Jesus. With this new school, we hope to provide a brighter future for the boys today. We hope that by using our engineering skills we will help improve the lives of the boys at Amigos. We hope to learn from our hosts and share their culture as well, and to leave with memories and friendships that will last forever.

We are all proud to spread the Augustinian values encompassed by Villanova's motto "Veritas, Unitas, and Caritas."

Veritas- To be witnesses to truth in our society by recognizing a need in the world and finding a way to help

Unitas- To join in unity with others in our group, university, and around the world to help solve a real world problem

Caritas- To offer charitable love to those in need by offering our talents in the name of service

While our efforts are primarily meant to provide service for our friends in Honduras, our trip will certainly have a tremendous impact on our entire group. More than half of the members of our group of 15 have traveled to Honduras and been to Amigos de Jesus. The returning members have all been sincerely touched and eagerly await returning, to deepen the connections that have been previously made. There are no doubts that the members of our group that will be entering Amigos de Jesus for the first time will have similar feelings while experiencing the daily life and culture at the orphanage.