Our mission to the nation’s capital comprises three important dimensions: prayer, presence, and advocacy.
Every day will begin and end with a short period of prayer, during which you’ll have the opportunity–through the lens of your faith–to process what you’ve experienced that day. You’ll even have the opportunity to lead evening prayer and have free time to visit the city’s monuments and museums.
Presence. You’ll meet and distribute food, water, and other essential items to the homeless people of the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. In the shadow of the great Capitol Building, you’ll meet and talk with the city’s poorest inhabitants, accompanied by Capitol Hill Group Ministries. Providing a “ministry of presence,” you’ll see what it takes (just your presence!) to let these people know that their lives are valued, that they’re seen and heard.
We’ll also take you to Ward 7, Washington’s poorest and most neglected neighborhood, where you’ll meet with extremely low-income seniors at a senior center and shelter for abused elderly people. By joining with the community-based organization SOME (So Others Might Eat), you’ll relieve the loneliness of the seniors at Kuehner House and will emerge with a renewed understanding of your own hopes and dreams.
Advocacy. At the Capital Area Food Bank, you’ll prepare food packages for Washington’s hungriest residents. You’ll also spend a day learning how to implement Catholic social teaching through advocacy. Our final workshop is designed to teach you how to advocate for change in the 21st century. You’ll even get to meet with one of your state senators and local representatives on Capitol Hill where you’ll be given the chance to talk honestly about the issues you’ve seen on your immersive experiences during the week.
As you can see, our mission trip is multi-layered, involving service, presence, prayer, and advocacy. The week you spend in Washington DC will not only make you intimately familiar with this great city, it’ll also teach you about the lived realities of the poorest of God’s people who inhabit this history place. Come join us for an unusual and memorable experience in our nation’s capital.
