Vol. 6, No. 1
Spring 2012
‘Puente Canisius’ — Building Bridges in Many Ways
T
Special to La Via from Fr. Fred Betti, SJ
he village of Chacalapa becomes a divided
community each year when the rainy season arrives and the local river swells to over
10 feet high. Children cannot go to school and commerce is stunted.
Ox cart traffic is detoured and ordinary travel becomes treacherous when pedestrians dare to ford the
swift currents.
The yearly struggle for the people of Chacalapa,
a small community nestled within the town of Belen, ended this past February when construction of a
steel pedestrian bridge began, thanks to the efforts of
Canisius High School in cooperation with the local
church and civic organizations.
Fr. Fred Betti SJ, Paul Cumbo and the Canisius
Companions Program asked Ann Marie Zon to research a project for their second Nicaraguan immer- A bright Saturday afternoon saw more than 100 residents of Chacalapa gathered around the
sion trip in February 2012.
bridge built in collaboration with the boys of Canisius High School. Colorful streamers and balAnn Marie coordinated the project along with Fr. Al- loons added to the festive atmosphere along with the music and presentations by the area leaders.
fonso Alvarado and Belen’s pastor, Fr. Jorge Castellon, Fr. Jorge Castillo, pastor of the sector, and Fr. Alfonso Alvarado and Ann Marie Zon cut the ceremonial ribbon and were the first to cross the bridge followed by the people gathered. Actually
as well as with the mayor and other civic officials.
Eight students as well as Andrea Tyrpak Endres, as- the joy of the occasion carried over, seeing the children cross back and forth amidst their nervous
sistant principal, and Patrick Burns, a CHS alumnus, giggles and easy laughter. The event was “topped off” with juice and cookies.
took part in the immersion with Fr. Betti and Mr. Cumbo. They spent 12 days living with families in the village while doing manual labor on the construction of the bridge. The Crusaders assisted with every aspect of the construction and developed strong bonds with their fellow Nicaraguan workers as well as with the whole
village. Building strong ties went far beyond the construction.
The Canisius group joined the residents in every aspect
of village life. Soccer and baseball games were fun filled
times of unity. They joined the students of Belen’s Catholic school for Mass on Ash Wednesday at which Mr. Cumbo
spoke about learning from each other. Guided by Ann Marie
Zon, the students also sampled the rich culture and historic
sights of the country. A joyous, spirited Mass in the local
chapel on the First Sunday of Lent, concelebrated by Frs.
Alfonso, Jorge and Fred, included all of the host families as
both groups expressed their gratitude for the experience.
Work boots, gloves and plenty of Crusader baseball caps,
along with two statues of Our Lady of Victory, were presented to the villagers as mementos of the “gringos” from WNY.
A beautiful plaque naming the project “Puente Canisius”
will be a lasting memento of the joint effort as the villagers
safely cross the river even in turbulent times. • Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Send to Nicaragua Mission Project, 10100 Transit Road, East Amherst, NY 14051.
• If you know someone who would like to receive a copy of “LA VIA,” email info@projectnica.com and a copy of “LA VIA” will be
sent or emailed to them.
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* * Spring 2012
Trip Offers Hope, Help to Poor with Vision Problems
F
By Jim Carlins
or 17 days at the end of February, five Western New York
travelers, Jim and Loretta Carlins, Ken Goulding and Paul Iorio from
St. Christopher Parish in the Town of
Tonawanda and Kimberly Stribing from
the Ross Eye Institute, made their second
trip to Nicaragua.
Though the land, the culture and the
people were foreign to us when we arrived for our first visit, this was no longer
the case. There was a feeling of familiarity that Ken Goulding and Kimberly Stribing work on new
welcomed us. It felt natural and right to glasses for a resident of a barrio near Granada.
be in Nicaragua again. Our busy and aggressive schedule added trepidation about being able to meet the lofty goals that we had
set.
However with the usual superb support from Ann Marie Zon, and the enthusiasm of our
local Nicaraguan contacts, we were able to accomplish even more than originally planned.
In short:
• More than 400 people in two of the poorest barrios near Granada and Rivas were given
new eyeglasses. A barrio is a small, poor settlement on the outskirts of a town or city
• We met with Jaikel, a young blind boy in Nandaime, whom we met last year. As we
discussed how to help Jaikel receive a corneal transplant, Kimberly taught Jaikel how
to walk with a cane, and trained his siblings to guide him.
•Paul videotaped interviews of Teustepe residents, as well as scenes of the town. He
produced a brief video to demonstrate the positive impact that the generosity of WNY
has had on the lives of people in the greater Teustepe area over the past three decades.
•Finally, we built sustainable relationships with local Nicaraguan people eager to work
with WNY to jointly help the people of Nicaragua. This includes a cooperative agreement that was signed between the Lions Clubs of Nicaragua and the Lions Club District covering WNY.
Before we left Nicaragua, we discussed a larger scale eye care project for January
2013, which has generated significant enthusiasm both in Nicaragua and in WNY. So stay
tuned. As this chapter ends, another chapter is already being written.
‘Zonderosa’ in Spotlight on WNED-TV Special
WNED-TV Channel 17 recently aired
a special program entitled “Our Town
- Amherst.” One segment highlighted
the activities at the Nicaragua Mission
Project collection and shipping site at
10100 Transit Road in Amherst, known as
“Zonderosa.”
For more than three decades Ann Marie
Zon has been supporting the people of
Nicaragua through dedicated volunteers
who come each Tuesday to sort, pack, and
load the collected goods on a tractor-trailer
size shipping container for transport to Nicaragua. In recent years 30 to 40 shipping
containers have been shipped annually to
the Teustepe Nicaragua Distribution Center.
One Tuesday, Paul Iorio captured the
Zonderosa activities on film. WNED
producers included some of this footage in
their TV special.
Devotion to Mary:
A requisite of our faith
So many of us remember fondly those
Catholic school days when the nuns
were our teachers and May became the
month of Mary.
The school which I attended gloried
in the May altar in the main corridor
where we gathered each day to admire
the flowers from the family garden and
sang those Marian hymns we seldom
hear any more:”On this day O beautiful Mother.” “Bring flowers of the fairest,” “O Virgin Mary, Mother of Good
Counsel”… depending on what school
we attended the titles could change but
one thing remained: We were encouraged to love the Mother of Jesus and
make her a vital part of our religious
growth.
Not many nuns are in our schools anymore — not as many Catholic schools
— but Mary remains and we have to
have the determination not to let this
devotion die in our Catholic lives and
those of our children.
Devotion to Mary is not outdated,
is not a relic of the past. Devotion to
God’s mother is a vital part of our Catholic lives.
It was so refreshing when I visited Nicaragua to see the simple,sincere love
of the people for Mary,”La Purissima”
(“The Most Immaculate One”).
But don’t let May be the only Marian
time. The rosary, the scapular, the Miraculous Medal … all are still the foundation of our devotion to Jesus’ Mother.
Do you ever say the rosary? Do you
wear the scapular or the scapular medal or the miraculous medal? Do your
thoughts ever turn to Mary as God’s
special choice to become the Mother
of God? Is she a part of your Catholic
devotional life?
Do not ever discard this most beautiful and most powerful advocate before
God !!
Msgr. Richard L. Wetter
Your Email Address Will Cut Costs, Add to Project Funds
Every newsletter sent by email saves more
than a dollar in printing and mailing costs, particularly valuable when it comes to “La Via.”
We thank the many readers who answered
our invitation to send us their email addresses.
We invite you to join them in doing so.
Email addresses are kept confidential for
the exclusive use for the newsletter.
Please help by sending your email address to info@projectnica.com
In the subject line, mention “Nicaragua
email.”
The savings translate into more funds for
the poor in Nicaragua and an opportunity for
you to forward the newsletter to others.
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Spring 2012
The Wonder of Nature
From October to January, a most remarkable occurrence of
nature takes place at La Flor, a huge, private beach south of San
Juan del Sur.
During that time, up to 100,000 sea turtles come to lay their
eggs — up to 100 eggs each — in a hole in the sand which they
dig with their two fins.
The hole is then covered allowing for the eggs to incubate.
After about 55 days, the small turtles hatch and make their own
treacherous way back to the Pacific Ocean.
Because of this natural phenomenon, La Flor is a protected
Natural Refuge.
There are five species of turtles: the Leatherback, the largest
sea turtle on earth; the Green, needing from 20 to 50 years to
mature sexually; the Loggerhead, with an unusually large head;
the Hawksbill, whose shell might be used to make jewelry, and
the Olive Ridley which come to Nicaragua specifically to spawn
and lay their eggs.
Arribadas is the name given to the mass arrival of the Olive Ridley turtles as they come to Nicaragua’s beach in a most dramatic
display of nesting.
Because of natural predators like sea birds, the long distance to get to the ocean, and their own weakness, many of the newly
hatched turtles do not get to their ocean destination.
Those that do can travel as far as Alaska and Chile and yet will always return every year to La Flor to spawn.
It is an event, an amazing sight that takes one’s breath away seeing how animal instinct defines another meaning to “wonder of nature.”
Visitors to Nicaragua Share Memories of Trip
Recently a group from St. Christopher’s
Parish, led by Sister Laura SSMN visited
Ann Marie Zon at her home in Nicaragua.
Here are some of their thoughts on the trip.
• “Nicaragua is a beautiful rugged country
blessed with tropical weather and an abundance of beautiful flowers and fruits. The
real treasure of Nicaragua is the people.
They are as warm and colorful as their surroundings. One outstanding aspect of their
life is the sincerity of their faith and their
willingness to share it openly. I have been
humbled by the faith of the people and hope
to follow their example.”
D. Ann Mau
J
• “The most striking impression I am
left with from my visit to Nicaragua is the
warmth, generosity, and faith of the people I
met there. Their smiles express the love and
acceptance they hold in their hearts, and the
images of their vibrant expressions of faith,
often in the face of difficult circumstances,
will stay with me forever. We truly ARE
“brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Ellen Cool
• “The time I spent in Nicaragua was just
an all-around incredible experience. We got
to be a part of so many different things while
we were there. The experiences that we had
with all of the people, places, and things were
ourney of Hope Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation enacted under the Section 402 of the not-forprofit corporation law.
Its mission is to solicit and procure funding through
donations, loans and grants for the promotion and support of indigent people, especially in Central America.
The Foundation at this time is looking toward helping the needy
of Nicaragua. With the recent completion of the buildings at the
Sinai Center, funding will return to helping fund this newsletter and
to send the 42 18-wheel containers that Ann Marie Zon sends each
year. The more people learn of the hopes for the future of Nicaraguan
poor, the more that future can be made brighter.
If you would like to help support the Foundation and its mission,
go online to www.journeyofhopefoundation.org or send your donation with the form to the right, to: Journey of Hope Foundation, 200
River Road, North Tonawanda, NY 14120 or call 716-874-4074.
amazing and eye-opening, and it is something that I will always remember and carry
with me in my life.”
Gabe Vail
• “The People from Nicaragua are so
warm, friendly and truly faithful. My heart
was so warmed by all of the Nicas. I considered myself very lucky that I was able to
communicate with them and share our faith
and to give them some uplifting words.
The greatest impressions to me, were the
gorgeous churches and the woodcarving and
designs around each and all of the saints”
Ramona
YES! I want to do my part to continue
the work of the Nicaragua Mission Project
and the newsletter. Enclosed is my taxdeductible gift.
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Spring 2012
Visit Offers New Perspective on Nicaragua
By Rev. Stewart Lindsay, OSFS
SPECIAL VISITOR: Recently, Father Alfonso Alvarado came to visit Ann Marie Zon
and the Nicaragua Mission Project,
Father Alfonso and Ann Marie along
with Father Leonel, were the originators
of SINAI, the six-building complex in the
Diocese of Granada. The recent dedication
of the project culminated 17 years of determined planning and saving and two years
of actual construction.
Father Alfonso mentioned how, for years,
the people of Western New York have given their time, talent and treasures for the
project which was completed by volunteers
of the 13 parishes in the area of Rivas.
While in the area, Father Alfonso (at left
in photo) joined Rev. Michael Uebler, pastor
of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Tonawanda,
and Ann Marie at a lunch before Father Alfonso returned to Nicaragua.
It was quite an adventure! That is how I
would describe my trip to see Ann Marie
Zon in Nicaragua in early November.
It definitely was not a vacation if you call
a vacation sitting by the ocean drinking a
nice glass of ice tea. Ann Marie had other
things in store for us.
Almost every day we were off seeing another project she was working on with Fr.
Alfonso and the people of Nicaragua.
There are many things I could say about
the trip but here are a few memories that
will last for a long time.
Our first few days were spent at Ritana
which is the cattle farm. Ann Marie had spoken about the cattle project when she visited
our parish of St. Charles in Niagara Falls.
I ended up buying three cows over the
years whenever I became a great-uncle. I
thought the cows were bought and given to
different families.
I was wrong.
They have developed a very interesting
program that builds in a future for the project and has the families who receive the
cows take responsibility for the program.
Initially the cows are raised by some of
the men from the area. This gives them a
job and helps sustain their families. When
the cow is bred, they give the cow to a family. This family then has a cow that will
provide milk and a new calf on the way.
Each cow is expected to have seven calves.
The first two come back to the program
so that the program grows and other fami-
lies can receive a cow and the other five
cows the family can raise and then give to
family members or sell them and improve
their homes or send their kids to school.
One of their goals was not to have a welfare system but create responsibility and participation. The program is very impressive.
I also saw other projects that they have
been working on over the years. There are
chapels and clinics that have been built.
School programs have been started and tuition assistance has been given so that the
young people can get a better education.
Nicaragua has five million people and
half of them are under age 15. There are
wells that have been drilled and opportunities for farming. The most impressive programs have
to deal with the faith development of the
people.
Lay Catholic leaders have been trained
in many towns and villages who create
small faith communities to teach the faith
and help one another.
They pray together and have many devotions. Each Thursday in most of the cities of Nicaragua there is Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament in the churches. Many
people come to pray.
At five o’clock there is a Mass, if they
have a priest, and they have Benediction
which includes a procession around the
church with the Blessed Sacrament.
Young and old come to pray to God.
Weekend Masses are filled with people and
joyous singing.
This newsletter is produced through the generous support of the Journey of Hope Foundation
. www.journeyofhopefoundation.org
Journey of Hope Foundation * 200 River Road • North Tonawanda New York 14120
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