El Salvador Mission

UHS Class of '58 El Salvador Project

Come join us in San Jose Villanueva, El Salvador!

Our classmate Mike Jenkins and his wife Suzie would welcome our assistance in aiding the people of their village.

In the picture below Mike is checking up on a displaced family of eleven making sure they have a place to stay until they can find a home.

“Mr. Mike”, as he is fondly referred to by children and adults alike, serves the people by offering everything he has from bandages, finding homes, to providing ambulance service in his own car, etc, etc, etc. Can we help Mike help the poor people?

What can we do?

1) Pray for the mission and the people of El Salvador.

2) Join the mission trip in October.

3) Help us plan with your services or ideas.

4) Make a monetary donation.

5) Promote the mission.

How will your money help?

The village desperately needs an ambulance in the form of a 4x4 double cabin pick-up truck that Mike can drive over the treacherous back roads of the village. His personal car that he has been using is not suitable for transporting an injured or ill individual.

In addition to the need for an ambulance, there are numerous other projects that require funding such as water sources, solar panels for energy, education and medical supplies, teaching self-sustaining skills, and many, many more.

Any ideas, suggestions, or monetary gift, even if you feel it is trivial, will be greatly appreciated and utilized.

Pictures speak louder than words.

Mike and Suzie are showing off their pretty back yard and the flowers they have planted and enjoy.

Their small accommodations and inconveniences are made up for with the beauty of the nature around them and their cheerful dispositions. As Mike has jokingly said,

“I am trying to save the world………with little success”.

How to donate

The needs of the village are overwhelming and we are hopeful that the great spirit of UHS Alumni will respond with generous compassion.

We are grateful to Catholic Charities of the diocese of Youngstown for their help and support. Your tax-deductible donations should be made out to Catholic Charities, diocese of Youngstown with El Salvador written on the memo line and mailed to Rita Gontaruk at 812 Cedar Way, Boardman, OH 44512.

After talking with Mike at our 50^th reunion we were inspired to pursue more information to plan a mission trip to El Salvador. We visited Mike and Suzie in El Salvador from April 13 to 17, 2009. Our trip solidified our intentions to plan this mission trip. We encourage you to join us physically and/or monetarily.

See following pages for more information and forms to be mailed to:

Rita Papa Gontaruk or Sally Perunko

812 Cedar Way 6060 S. Raccoon Rd.
Boardman, Ohio 44512 Canfield, Ohio 44406

330-240-2075 330-533-5773

Beautiful terrain mingled with extreme poverty. A view of the Pacific Ocean.

Two homes with their clothes hanging out to dry, and the treacherous roads. This picture was taken in April during the dry season.

Jorge has Spina Bifida. He sits on a piece of cardboard next to his mother. Mike arranged for Jorge to get a wheelchair so he can get around. Jorge is five years old and a very bright youngster who never complains about his condition.

Mike is making his rounds, checking on families he has assisted. This is a better home than most because of the walls, the window, and netting over the bed. Too many homes have cardboard for walls, no windows, doors, or even a bed. All the homes we visited had dirt floors, which we would see being swept out routinely.

See more homes below.

Adobe

Bamboo and cardboard

Tin Home

There are no closets, dressers, or even beds in most of these homes. The clothes are washed daily, wearing clothes that were washed the day before and hanging clean clothes on the line. Not to mention that they have to go to the water where ever available. That’s another story.

Anyone for remodeling kitchens and baths?

This is what most of the kitchens look like. All on the outside with most having a roof for protection in the rainy season. On the left is the primitive stove, and notice the bottom of an old sewing machine being used as legs for a make-shift table.

Note the cooking utensils.

Notice that this kitchen has an oven. Observe the crushed corn patties made daily on top.

For most of the villagers, they use the fields around them. Remember, no water.

Count your blessings

Water and Power

Next time you go to get a drink, take a shower, flush the toilet, or wash the car, remember this!

This is a community water source for washing clothes, that was developed as a mission project. It sits at the base of a hill and offers a challenge to those carrying water home for bathing or clothing that has been washed. There is a great need for water projects, as many have to go a great distance to fetch water.

These boys were collecting water for their family to have drinking water. They will carry the heavy vessels on their heads.

Another problem for the villagers is a lack of power. Mike proudly stands with a grateful worker next to the holding tank for shrimp. This was a huge project which involved setting up solar panels to pump the water into 3 small man-made lakes where the villagers were taught to raise shrimp and tilapia to sell for a living. This little village has expanded and built their own little school, even though it is a very simple one room. The two teachers are the only ones with books. They need supplies badly.

Mike is checking if other friends are okay. Notice the large barrel for water. Water is only accessible a limited time a day. Mike himself only gets water 3 hours a day and must store it. He must buy all his drinking water. Some areas have access to water for only eight minutes once every two weeks. HELP!

Visit the shrine, living quarters, and museum of the martyred Bishop Romero. This is the church, now remodeled, where Bishop Romero was killed These three priest came to the village to assist as they could for a short time. They are Missionaries of Charity Fathers from India, Mexico, and Costa Rico. We were so blessed when they invited us to mass at this very altar when we visited the shrine.

This is one of the Catholic churches in San Jose Villanueva. The people of the village are very devout attending services whenever possible. There are very few priests available to make the trip into the rough terrain. There may not be a service here for several months.

This girl posing with Mike and her mother is a real miracle. When Mike left for the states to visit family he visited Angel who was hospitalized with Leukemia. Mike really thought he would never see her again because people just died when the disease was contacted. Angel experienced a miracle and recovered. Mike is still somewhat amazed with her recovery.

Mike is visiting the orphans and their housemother. Many of the children were in school at the time of the picture.

Mike was able to have this young orphan admitted into the orphanage. She is doing very well in school and he is very proud of her successes.

Our classmate Mike Jenkins and his wife Suzie have been living in San Jose Villanueva, El Salvador for 7 years as director of volunteers. A little information about Mike: Mike has a BS from Boston University and MPA from University of New Hampshire, served in the US Army in Germany, and worked for the Peace Corps in El Salvador where he met and married his wife Sue. In his career he held many executive positions serving non-profit organizations. Mike is a true credit to Ursuline High School and a great role model for all of us.

We would like to help Mike and Sue in two ways. First we are looking for willing and available people who would join our mission trip to El Salvador in October of 09. We want to go to help Mike and Sue with their current primary projects for the poor people of their village. We are hoping to find those with special skills, talents, opportunity, resources, or just willing to help. Secondly, we are looking for monetary donations to help Mike fund his work among the poor. The projects include energy sources, water, education, health, housing, etc. In addition to these projects Mike needs a 4x4 double cab truck to use as an ambulance. Currently, he is using their own car that is difficult on the very rugged back-roads. The needs of the village are overwhelming and we are hopeful that the great spirit of UHS Alumni will respond with generous compassion.

We are grateful to Catholic Charities of the diocese of Youngstown for their help and support. Your tax-deductible donations should be made out to Catholic Charities, diocese of Youngstown with El Salvador written on the memo line and mailed to Rita Gontaruk at 812 Cedar Way Boardman, OH 44512.

After talking with Mike at our 50^th Reunion we were inspired to pursue more information to plan a mission trip to El Salvador. We visited Mike and Suzie in El Salvador from April 13 to 17, 2009. Our trip solidified our intentions to plan this mission trip. We encourage you to join us physically and/or monetarily.

Continue to check the web site for updates!

The following information form to be mailed to:

Rita Papa Gontaruk

812 Cedar Way

Boardman, Ohio 44512

330-240-2075

Sally Phipps Perunko

6060 S Raccoon Rd.

Canfield,Ohio 44406

330-533-5773

If you would like to make the mission with us, see the mandatory form below and please print or request (a form be sent), fill it out and send to Rita or Sally. Thanks, Sally

If you have any suggestions or comments about the web site, please contact Sally (sarahp60@zoominternet.net) or click "Contact Us" on the top of the page. We would like your input. Thanks...................

This is the retreat house where we will be staying. They have single or double occupancy rooms with baths. Price is the same for all. $24.00 a day. It is beautiful with wonderful scenery.

URSULINE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF “58” MISSION TO EL SALVADOR

Mandatory Information Form

Please answer all of the following questions. It is imperative that you complete this form in its entirety. Please be candid about food, medication, allergy and physical activity restrictions even if you do not think that they will affect your trip. Only the trio leaders will see this form.

Name of the traveler: ________________________________

Address:________________________________phone:_______________

Passport number: ___________

Destination and Dates of Travel:_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

Name of diocese or sponsoring group:___________________________________________ ________________________________________________

Person to contact in case of an emergency (name and phone numbers):_____________________________________________

Alternate emergency contact (name and phone numbers) _______________________________________________________

Doctor’s name and phone number:____________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

Any diet restrictions:______________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Any allergies to food or other substances or animals, etc: _________________________ _____________________________________

All medications with dosage that you take: _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

Reason for taking:__________________________ ________________________________________________________

All allergies to medications:_____________________________________________

Medication you are taking as a malaria prophylactic:_________________________________________________

All medical conditions (i.e.: asthma, diabetes, eye conditions, high blood pressure, heart conditions, etc.)____________________________________________________________

Your medical insurance provider and a phone number (not an 800 number as these can not be dialed from overseas). _____________________________________________________________

Why do you want to go on this trip?

_____________________________________________________________

What do you hope to be accomplished?

____________________________________________________________

Type of service you wish to contribute:

_____________________________________________________________

Skills that may be useful on this trip:

____________________________________________________________

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Here is a list of donors for the ElSalvador Project. We would like to thank these generous people for their kind donations:

John & Julie Schiavone
Mary Ann Slanina
Mary Ann & Larry Kobus
Sister Ruth Friedoff (Sister Elizabeth)
Betty Lou DiPiero
Alice Yarabinec
Annette Carnie
Leonard & Cathy Kuzma
Dr. Richard & Rosemary Sulek
Myron & Dorothy Strines Toma
Diana Vaccaro
Mary Grace & Don Bucco
Don & Janice Smaltz
Ed & Mary Ellen Leviseur
Elizabeth Joyce
David Fielding
Helen Zuzik (in memory of Father Chonko)

Preparation for the Fall 2009 trip:

Sally Phipps Perunko and Rita Papa Gontaruk

Rose Kosco, Patty Dellorco Costello, Sally Phipps Perunko, Rita Papa Gontaruck, Mary Grace Howard Bucko, Ginny Winkle Pugh and Sally Murphy Pallante

Not pictured is classmate Ruthanne Gribbon Grant and Paul Grant