Above: Students serve in the Dominican Republic.

Students Travel on Holy Week Service Trips 

Twenty seniors and five chaperones marked Holy Week with service and immersion trips to the Dominican Republic and the U.S.-Mexican border.

Below, chaperones reflect on their experiences:

The CFX Arizona trip to Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora highlighted and humanized the lived complexities of America's southwest borderlands. We were presented with opportunities to engage and listen to people working with and experiencing the legal, humanitarian, and security realities of the area beyond simple political rhetoric and framing. In hearing and reflecting on the perspectives of migrants, ranchers, asylum seekers, border agents, and more, we became more prepared to dialogue about the intersection of faith and responsible citizenship in the movement toward advocacy and action.
- Lindsay Willert, Registrar

This Easter break the CFX program sent its second group to the Dominican Republic. The group included 11 seniors and 3 faculty members and we worked with ILAC (Institute for Latin American Concern) in Santiago. During our first few days, we visited a museum where we learned about the cultural and political fusion that has occurred in the development of the Dominican Republic and we divided into teams for a "scavenger hunt" in the bustling city center of Santiago. For the bulk of our time in the DR, we lived in the rural community, the "campo," of San Isidro in the Hermanas Mirabal province. Our group worked alongside the people of San Isidro digging latrines, mixing concrete, and helping construct outhouses. The service work that we did was a powerful lesson in patience and teamwork, but it also gave us a glimpse of the day-to-day life in the rural DR. Our group lived in various homes in San Isidro, having conversations with the families, playing games with the children, and concluding our time in the campo with a dance party. We also had the privilege to participate in various Holy Week prayer services while in the campo. It was truly an incredible experience to feel the faith and joy of our campo community.

There was a noticeable humility and warmth of heart in realizing that our group was not making a drastic impact on these people's daily lives, but still we were doing God's work by living alongside them, listening to their stories, and coming to learn what we can and cannot understand about each other. In just a few days of experiencing community and solidarity, we came to better embrace both our limitations and our gifts. I was very impressed by the genuine love and thoughtfulness that our students brought to the trip. Many of them shared in reflection that they came into the trip looking for answers as they approach the end of their Xavier careers, but I think they were left with even more questions about how they can share this experience, think about resources and privilege in new ways, and continue their commitment to service after graduation. I think in a necessary and grounding way, our whole group returned to the U.S. with a rejuvenated sense of gratitude and a new found appreciation of doing small works with great love.
-Greg Stelzer ’11, Director of Ignatian Service Programs