Personal Fundraising Page for Luis Enrique Espinoza
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Luis Enrique Espinoza is raising money for Nicaragua Service Trip 2010

Fundraising Amount=$815.00 ; Goal=$975.00
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Each year, the Sheil Catholic Center sponsors an international service trip to Cusmapa, Nicaragua where we work in collaboration with the Fabretto Children's Foundation (www.fabretto.org).  All of our volunteers are students, and many of them rely on the support of our scholarship funds.  Any money raised above and beyond their trip expenses will be given as a gift to Fabretto to support their programs in Nicaragua.  We are grateful for any gift you can contribute!


The Sheil Catholic Center is the Catholic outreach on the campuses of Northwestern University.  We are a faith community of students, faculty, staff and associates who together offer a welcoming place for worship, celebration of sacraments and pastoral care. We promote education and spiritual growth, as well as provide opportunities for service and leadership within the academic setting. Our mission is to transform society by renewing our faith and inviting others to know Christ.  Learn more about the Sheil Catholic Center at www.sheil.northwestern.edu


 
"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1 Peter 4:10-11

Nicaragua has definitely captured a piece of my heart.  Last winter, I went on my first Sheil trip to San José de Cusmapa, Nicaragua, to serve the underserved populations in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.  I was struck by the poverty that was all around me.  Despite the harsh living conditions of these people, the smiles on their faces were unmistakable.  Some of them live in garbage dumps.  Others walk barefoot for miles, over mountains and through streams, just to reach a one-room schoolhouse where they don't have textbooks or writing utensils.  Still others dig up trash, clean it off, make jewelry out of it, and risk their lives out on the streets selling these items to feed their family.  Regardless of the story, it is a heart-wrenching thing to witness.  Even so, the smile never leaves their face.

The impact of last year's trip has stayed with me.  That said, I agreed to co-lead the trip this year, and God has definitely blessed us with an amazing group of dedicated people who are eager to share His love to those in Nicaragua.  Oddly enough, what I experienced last year was an abundance of God's love through my interactions with everyone I met down in Nica...and I ended up receiving more from the people than I could have ever given them.  I am excited to re-experience God through nature, through the people, and through our team.

This trip will be just a precursor what is in store after I graduate.  My love for Nicaragua has led me to dedicate two years to doing whatever is necessary to help out the people of Nicaragua.  I hope to help rebuild their clinics, speak to doctors and hospitals about donating medicines, teach English wherever I am needed, and, most importantly, be a beacon of God's love for everyone I meet.

Any contributions, be it prayer or monetary donations, would help me immensely for the trip this winter!  Thanks so much for all your help, and God bless all of you!

-Luis



Donors and Comments

Christopher Chow  gave  11/30/2010
"Praying for you as always, bro."
Anonymous  gave  11/27/2010
"Good luck, bro. My prayers are with you!"
Judith Landeros  gave  11/27/2010
"Hope you and the team have a great trip! Say hi to Karla, Rolo, and Dona Nora de mi parte <3"
Beatriz Gomez  gave  11/22/2010
"Have a safe trip! :)"
Anonymous  gave  11/15/2010
"i'll be praying for you brah. i know God will do amazing things at Nicaragua so be open to all possibilities. -yoo"
Norman David Wang  gave  11/14/2010
"will be praying for you luis"
Mike Dornbusch  gave  11/10/2010
"good luck brotha"
Mayra Garcia  gave  11/9/2010
"Good Luck :) "