Father Matt Dollhausen, rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Milton and his team of 11 missionaries travelled to Parramos, Guatemala in July and returned telling stories of laughing children and happy families being ‘brought out of the mud.’
Dollhausen said this was his 11th trip to the village, the first in 2004 when he heard about it from one of his parishioners. He said ever since he travels at the same time, the 3rd week of July, and stays two weeks. He said the main purpose is to physically support the staff at the Guatemala Evangelical Ministry compound he visits, which is a major food distributor to the natives of the village, and to build homes. Dollhausen said the compound gives food to 525 families per month plus they give clothing and basic medical care.
“Since our first trip in 2004,” said Dollhausen, “I’ve noticed a rise in the whole village. Streets are now paved, and there’s a new police station. We like to think we’ve raised awareness.” He said the first year he visited, the former President of Guatemala’s wife and brothers arrived to thank them for painting the police station. “They were proud that we were the first ministry to do a secular work for a governmental agency,” he said. He explained the group painted the station as a thank you for the police escort the first trip received since they carried children on the mission.
Dollhausen said this year’s trip included 4 St. Mary’s members, 6 from congregations in South Florida, one from Pensacola and two from Washington state on a medical mission. He spoke of the homes his group builds with pride. “The mission pours the slab and we put up Hardiboard walls with a peaked, corrugated metal roofs insulated with two inch Styrofoam. “Each house can be built for $1,600 and we do it in a day,” he said. “Most times we build two homes per trip.”
Dollhausen said he makes the trip every year because of the personal, spiritual growth he receives.
“I go to serve. It gives me perspective. Why are they so happy with so little? It also helps the congregation to look outside of themselves. It gives them a focus and to know where their money goes when they give. It’s gratifying. While we’re there we brought two families out of the mud. It doesn’t cost much to go so we can give more,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Serving a village