(From left to right) Martha Villegas Miranda, Anna DiCosola, Dr. Linda Wolter, Eileen Mizwicki, Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe, Michael Fedoruk and Sabrina Poulin work together in mission in Bolivia.

Seven Lewis University students, faculty and staff members recently participated in the annual University Mission trip sponsored by the Joliet Diocesan Peace and Social Justice Ministry. Martha Villegas Miranda, Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe, Dr. Linda Wolter, Anna DiCosola, Mike Fedoruk, Eileen Mizwicki, and Sabrina Poulin worked at seven different sites.

“We learned about various justice issues that the Bolivians are dealing with in regard to their government,” commented Sabrina Poulin, university minister. “The aspect of faith was prevalent in everything we did—we saw God in everyone and everything in Sucre. Through reflection and prayer we gained insight and knowledge into the plight of the poor, but also saw their beautiful faith and hopefulness.”

The Lewis University faculty members conducted teaching engagements and met with students at San Francisco University. Mission trip participants interacted with children, helped care for their needs and assisted the facilities’ staff at several child care agencies, such as Tata Juan Orphanage, Alto Aranjues Daycare, San Martin Daycare, Hogar Guadalupe (a home for older girls), San Juan de Dios Daycare. The mission trip participants served 150-170 meals to children and the elderly at San Antonio Soup Kitchen. The nursing students observed and helped with some surgeries— a C-section, gallbladder, tonsillectomy, and some fractures—at Christ of the Americas Hospital in Sucre. They also assisted mental health professionals at Psicologico.

“I don’t know if the trip made me a better person, but it made me aware of how to become a better person. There is a strong emphasis on family, faith and enjoying simple pleasures of life in Bolivia and I would like to try and incorporate those values in my life,” commented Michael Fedoruk, a theology major from Norridge, Illinois. He continued, “I'd like to make a career out of helping those who are poor or going through difficult times, whether that be working at schools or some other area. I feel that this trip has truly shown me how much work we must do to make the things equal in the world.”

A Catholic university sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis offers nearly 80 undergraduate majors and programs of study, accelerated degree completion options for working adults, various aviation programs and 22 graduate programs in nine fields. The 10th largest private, not-for-profit university in Illinois is being honored for the fifth consecutive year by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. For more information please visit www.lewisu.edu.