Last year it was Pasadena, but this year a group of teens and young people from Our Lady of the Assumption in Claremont made a weeklong mission trip to Chula Vista to be of service, to learn the value of giving and to see the power of faith in action.

 “The central focus was ‘Bread Broken and Shared’ and we strove to be that bread for others,” said youth minister Teresa Arrendondo, who headed up this year’s mission trip that welcomed 17 teens and young adults and eight chaperones.

In addition to helping out with the local Border Angels, a local nonprofit agency that works with immigrants and their families, the group also stayed and worked with Most Precious Blood Church, one of the poorest parishes in the diocese.  

Missionaries went to parishioners’ homes to help with a variety of duties as well as assisting the parish needs. “We cleaned and painted two industrial sized kitchens that probably haven’t been pained since 1961,” Arrendondo said. 

Upon their return, the missionaries shared their experience with stories and pictures with the Claremont parish at a local “stockholders dinner.” Arrendondo noted that the mission trip is only possible because of the support from parishioners who participate by “purchasing stock in their teens.” 

“We sold $25 shares of the program and that enables them to join us for the meal,” she said. “We sold 157 shares and that money made this trip possible. Not many of can go on a mission trip, but each of these shareholders went with us.”