Gloversville believes in Belize, sending proof via people and aid

Parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Gloversville are making a tradition of opening their wallets to assist a struggling mission parish in the tiny Central American country of Belize.

This month, a dozen parishioners from Sacred Heart will journey to Our Lady of the Way parish in Ladyville, a town located about 20 miles inland from the Caribbean Sea.

Using funds donated by Sacred Heart members, they will do much-needed maintenance work for the parish and its school.

Connection

The relationship between the two parishes began when Rev. Oliver Smalls, a missionary serving at Our Lady of the Way, met a Sacred Heart parishioner at a retreat. Letters exchanged between them led to an invitation to speak at the parish.

Father Smalls' talks elicited interest in the parish about the poor country, which has a high poverty rate. A number of parishioners, including retired engineer John McDonough, decided to fly to Belize to see if there was anything they could do to improve the quality of life at the mission.

"Last February was our first time down there, and we worked from Monday morning to Saturday without stopping," recalled Mr. McDonough. "We were a little inefficient last year. We spent a lot of time going into Belize City to buy paint and light fixtures and fans" for the school.

This year, the group knows what to expect, and has already shipped paint rollers and equipment to the mission in anticipation of their arrival. They will fix malfunctioning electrical systems, replace windows and doors, do carpentry work, fix roofs, and replace ceiling fans. Next year, they plan on converting a run-down residence into a chapel.

Why the need

Work at the school is especially needed, said volunteer Don Fleischut. In Belize, "the missionary concept has worked against the students," he said.

Parochial schools are given little to no help by the government, which pays teachers a salary but leaves the school only $100 for lighting, books and school supplies.

"The government doesn't feel that it is their responsibility to educate the children because the missionaries from the U.S. help support the schools," said Mr. Fleischut. "Teachers often have to buy supplies out of their own salaries."

The more remote missions served by Our Lady of the Way, where Belizeans use small craft to navigate and live on an intricate network of rivers, is straight out of a "Humphrey Bogart movie," said Mr. Fleischut. "It's deep jungle, outdoor facilities, no indoor plumbing, most often no running water at all.

"Most people think of Belize as a tourist destination, but only four or five percent of the country has reaped the benefit of the tourist environment. Ninety-five percent of the country is very poor; it has no manufacturing economy. It's a subsistence economy."

Pastor's view

Rev. David Tressic, pastor of Sacred Heart, went on last year's trip and plans on attending this year, as well. What struck him most about the mission was that although people in Ladyville have nothing, "they're willing to go out of their way to give you something."

Invited to participate in the Masses at Our Lady of the Way, he vividly remembers "saying Mass with blue macaws flying overhead and monkeys calling in the background. It was tremendous."

Also "tremendous," said Father Tressic, was the effect of the sister-parishing on his parishioners, who have "adopted" children at the Ladyville school and sent emergency assistance during floods and hurricanes.

"This is a way to bring the Gospel alive, as far as getting our hands dirty and doing some work," he said.

Living faith

Sofia Dominguez, a Sacred Heart parishioner and Mexican native, agrees. "You grow as a person," she said. "It's a very real way to live the Gospel. Christ is asking us to help other people. [This trip] is a way to live in solidarity: working together to make real the common good, to make real the concepts of the doctrine of the Catholic Church."

According to Father Tressic, Sacred Heart considers the Belizeans their "adopted parish. People are giving. Giving sneakers, toys, school supplies, boxes. Oliver gets them and distributes them in them mission."

And don't forget the "hundred pounds of hard candy" for the kids, added Mr. McDonough.

(02-06-03) [[In-content Ad]]