Diocesan Parish Receives Donation to Help Sister Parish in Nicaragua

By Alfonso Aguilar
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 7/12/07)

Upon returning from a recent mission trip to a remote town in  Central America, Father Francis de Rosa, parochial vicar at St. Louis Parish in Alexandria received an anonymous contribution to built a school in Nicaragua.
The donation was for $25,000, the amount needed to build an elementary school in San Isidro de Ayapal in the north of Nicaragua.
“San Isidro de Ayapal is a town with many physical and spiritual needs,” said Onofre Gutierrez, a member of the mission delegation and parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria. “Just imagine that there are no schools in this town.”
Father de Rosa and Gutierrez were joined by Patricia Bushway, Kiki Michelle and Louise Vogel, diocesan missionaries; Joseph  C. Bush, a member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 11947) and Onofre’s son, Ignacio, also an active member of Blessed Sacrament.
The delegation traveled recently to Nicaragua to deliver a contribution of $8,000 to the people in San Isidro de Ayapal, whose parish with the same name became a sister parish of St. Louis Parish.
“The donations will be used exclusively for evangelization and educational projects,” said Gutierrez.
The delegation also gave away hundreds of rosaries and Bibles, and a large supply of seeds needed in the rural town.
San Isidro de Ayapal means “where the world begins,” but ironically the town is the last outpost of civilization in the north of Nicaragua. The town has a population of 90,000 people. Some residents come to Mass crossing rivers in small boats.
“We had 650 people attending a Sunday Mass,” said Gutierrez  “It was marvelous.”
“I saw things I never imagined existed, and the townspeople and clergy left me with a very positive impression,” said Bush.
He said the Knights of Columbus eventually plan to establish in Nicaragua. “It’s just a question of time, no rush.”
Ignacio returned to his native country after 29 years. “I felt tremendous emotions. My first reaction was to kiss the ground. It was a dream come true,” he said.
Ignacio also remembered the presentation of the rosaries and Bibles. “Everyone, adults and children, wanted a rosary as if they were food.”
The St. Louis delegation is considering a second trip to Nicaragua next year to offer additional help to the under served community, one of the poorest countries in Latin America.
To make a contribution to this mission contact Father de Rosa at 703/765-4421.