Father Dave Pivonka, TOR '89 President | Franciscan University website

Thirty Franciscan University of Steubenville students, staff, and faculty utilized their summer academic break this year to serve others as part of the Missions of Peace outreach program.

One group of 18 traveled to Ecuador for three weeks, assisting children at the Santa Maria Orphanage and tutoring at a Catholic high school in Olôn. Another group of 12 remained in Steubenville, ministering to neighborhood residents for 10 days from St. Anthony Mission House.

Communication arts major Sam Ellis co-led the Ecuador Summer Mission team. The team taught English to children from the orphanage and local Catholic high school, played soccer with them, helped with homework, and cared for infants. Ellis shared that caring for a 1-year-old girl left at the orphanage shortly after birth provided him with perspective on what truly matters.

Education major Sadie Smith participated in the St. Anthony Mission House team. She noted that her experience opened her eyes to those living “off the hill” of the Franciscan campus. Having served on other missions both locally and abroad, Smith expressed appreciation for the Steubenville outreaches due to their focus on nearby needs.

“When we think about mission, we often think about exotic places and all that, but I really liked that this was just right where we were,” Smith said.

A significant component of the Steubenville outreach was “porch ministry,” where missionaries invited neighbors to visit St. Anthony Mission House's porch for snacks and conversation.

“The primary thing is to build relationships with people,” Smith said, adding that porch ministry was her favorite aspect of the mission. “A few people were regulars and would come every day, so we got to know them.”

Smith recalled an instance when a woman who had previously attended porch ministry sought help during a difficult time.

“She was going through a time and felt a dark presence over her,” Smith said. “She asked us to pray for her. It was cool to see how that house had become a safe place for people to go and know people would be there for them.”

Missions of Peace is a student outreach initiative by Franciscan University that trains and sends over 300 students annually during summer and spring breaks to more than a dozen locations in the United States and abroad. Students fundraise for travel expenses and organize each mission with guidance from faculty and staff advisors.

Ellis compared his experience co-leading the mission with another student to parenting due to responsibilities such as ensuring everyone was fed, managing plane tickets and luggage, as well as overseeing pastoral and logistical details.

“It was very exhausting,” he said, “but everyone was so joyful because of all the fruit that happened.”

More information about this Franciscan University outreach program can be found at Missions of Peace.

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