By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Kinley Doonan, a Fort Hays State University freshman, wanted to help others even if it meant flying far from her comfort zone. Her motivation is her Catholic upbringing.
"I've always wanted to go on a mission trip. I went to Catholic school my whole life. ... I thought it would be really cool to go help people, and when the opportunity came up, I just thought that I'd take it," Doonan said.
Through hands-on service and faith-centered outreach, the FHSU Comeau Catholic Campus Center left a lasting impression on the heart of Peru.
Lizzie Brisnehan is a first-year missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), a nonprofit that shares the gospel with young adults nationwide through various initiatives.
"Our main mission as FOCUS missionaries is to know Jesus and share his message with others, specifically to teach college students how to do that," she said.
While many students spent spring break with family, 16 Catholic Tigers journeyed to the mountainous community of Pamplona on the outskirts of Lima, Peru’s capital, to serve those in need.
Alongside Fr. Father Andy Hammeke and other FOCUS missionaries, Brisnehan guided students on a life-changing journey that left a lasting impact on the people they served.
FHSU freshman Hadley Ohl joined the mission for her first international service experience, helping with road maintenance in an area marked by extreme poverty.
"[Their homes] were like shacks. No running water, no AC, and their bathrooms were just a toilet with no toilet paper," Ohl said. "It was very, very different from what I thought it was going to be like. Most places didn't have windows or roofs. Some of them were caved in."
"It was very much outdoors," Doonan said. "It was dusty because the mountains were just rock and dirt. ... The kids were dusty, and there was a decent amount of trash blowing around everywhere."
The students spent about five hours each day working with local men, learning how to mix concrete and build a retaining wall along the mountainside to keep falling rocks from damaging nearby homes.
While manual labor was a key part of the trip, connecting with the people of Lima was just as meaningful. Despite language barriers and early doubts about her spiritual impact, Doonan built strong relationships with local children and fellow students.
"There was this one girl who, on the first day, I really bonded with. She introduced me to her family, and she introduced me as her friend. It was really sweet," she said.
Although the students spent time preparing for their trip to Peru, Ohl said she still wasn’t fully ready for the conditions they would encounter.
"I feel like mentally I was not prepared to see how they lived in those conditions," Ohl said. "They were so happy just to see us. I feel like they were happier than some of us back here who have a lot."
Doonan said she was mentally and physically prepared for the week of work, but there were moments when she did not feel her efforts to help were genuinely making a difference.
"I thought it would feel like I was doing more the first day there, especially since I couldn't speak to them because of the language barrier. I felt like I couldn't give them anything," she said. "Through the Lord's grace, I was able to feel like I was giving them myself."
Though Doonan questioned her ability to make a difference, the experience ultimately deepened her faith, strengthened her gratitude and shifted how she envisions her future.
Ohl said the trip opened her eyes to how much she has and often takes for granted, especially compared to the daily struggles many in Peru face to meet basic needs.
She also said the experience brought her close to Jesus and deepened her spiritual connection.
"I feel so much closer to Jesus after the trip. I'm filled with joy whenever I think about him, go to Mass, go to adoration and say the Rosary. ... I feel like I should take advantage of those things because those people down there don't have that every day," Ohl said.
Brisnehan said the group helped fulfill spiritual needs in an area where access to formal religious services was limited or nonexistent.
"We brought Jesus in the eucharist up the mountain through this big procession, and then we had a makeshift chapel for people to pray in all day before bringing it back to the community," she said.
Brisnehan said the students formed stronger bonds with one another and have become more engaged in campus religious activities since returning.
Alongside their service work, the students spent a day on pilgrimage, exploring cultural and spiritual landmarks in Peru's capital.
The group toured a grand cathedral and monastery, viewing the remains of hundreds of Dominican priests and several saints, including St. Martin de Porres and St. Rose of Lima, the first saint from the Americas.
Ohl and Doonan encourage anyone considering a mission trip or service work to trust their inner calling and follow where it leads.
"I think God would not put that in your heart or mind if you weren't meant to do it," Ohl said.
"There was some sacrifice; I couldn't go home and see my family, but it was so worth it and I would do it again," Doonan said.
The Catholic Tigers partnered with Bridges, a Peru-based nonprofit, and longtime missionaries who have spent years serving the needy.
You can follow the Comeau Catholic Campus Center on Facebook.
