Each year, Xavier students, faculty, and staff step beyond the walls of their classrooms and into the world, answering a call to serve. Mission and service trips are a cornerstone of the Xavier experience, providing opportunities to build, to give, to learn, and to grow. Whether it is helping communities in need, strengthening their faith, or forging lifelong bonds, those who embark on these journeys return with more than just memories. They return with a deeper understanding of what it means to live for others.
In the land of eternal spring, the roosters start before the sun. Their calls bounce off the hills, rolling through the town, slipping into the cracks of a restless sleep. A new day in Guatemala, and with it, another opportunity to serve.
For the twenty Xavier students and four faculty members who have traveled south, this is more than just a trip. It is an immersion, a step beyond comfort, into the unknown, into the call to build and to give, to learn and to listen. Each morning, they rise from their bunks, not knowing exactly what the day will bring but embracing it all the same.
They begin in Ciudad Vieja, where the Christian school Kairos stands as a pillar of faith and education. Señora Mayra greets them with the kind of warmth that makes strangers feel like family. Hands are shaken. Smiles are exchanged. And then, the real work begins.
Cement is mixed, brick is laid, walls take shape. This is not just about construction. It is about connection. The students work alongside locals, trading stories in broken Spanish and fluent gestures, finding common ground in sweat and shared purpose.
Lukas Roming, a junior, reflects on it that first night. “I enjoyed this day very much, and it especially made me grateful for all the things I have at home. It was an awesome experience, and I cannot thank Xavier and its campus ministry enough for allowing me to be on this trip.”
By the second day, the rhythm is set. The worksite hums with activity. Frames are lifted, siding is painted a deep, rich red. Meanwhile, back at Kairos, a different kind of work is unfolding. Brother John leads a small group of students into the school, where activities and Bible stories bring joy to a group of children who seem to see the world through a lens untouched by hardship.
But the real test of the day comes in the afternoon. Ten students take a walk through the village, carrying bags filled with food and cleaning supplies. The weight on their shoulders is nothing compared to the weight in their hearts as they step inside homes where survival is a daily battle. The Xavier students pray with the families. Sean O’Sullivan, a junior, sums it up best:
“It was truly an honor to be invited into their homes and to be led in prayer with them. We have all been challenged to find God during our day today, and whether it was in the beauty of His creation, the compassion of fellow students and the locals here, or the fact that one of our contractors is named Jesús, we have all opened our hearts to be with the Lord today.”
By February twentieth, the work is nearly complete. The final day at the site arrives, the temperature dipping to a merciful fifty degrees in the morning. A few students wake up feeling unwell, but Brother John gathers the group for prayer. They press on, knowing there is still more to be done.
One last push, one final effort. Concrete is poured, floors are smoothed, sweat and labor turning an empty shell into a home. And then, the moment of dedication. The families step forward, eyes welling with gratitude. Hands are clasped, words are spoken, blessings exchanged. A house, yes. But also, something more.
Colin Roy, another junior, looks back on it all, “After seeing the result of our hard work and service, I realized that this week had been about more than just building houses. We built connections, shared hope, and grew in faith as a group. Though our time in Guatemala is coming to an end, the impact of this experience will stay with us forever.”
Two houses built. Groceries delivered. Children’s laughter echoing through Kairos. The mission is complete, but the journey of faith, of growth, of service has only just begun.