By Rhea Quemado
Special to the Herald
When most people hear about a mission trip, they imagine houses being built, supplies being distributed or volunteers serving communities in need.
Those things certainly happened during Damien Memorial School’s first Peru immersion trip over the summer break.
But by the end of 10 days in Peru this past June, five students and two chaperones returned to Hawaii with a very different understanding of mission — that it’s not simply about building a house, but about building relationships.
This summer, Damien Memorial became one of the first high schools in Hawaii to participate in the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Peru Immersion Program.
Five students — sophomores Gabriel Bacon and Chance Ancheta, seniors Sophia Hassey and Naomi Moore, and recent graduate Takeo Tsukiyama — joined campus minister Jeff McGivern and theology department chair Rhea Quemado in Lima, where they lived alongside communities served by the Christian Brothers.
As an Edmund Rice school inspired by the witness of St. Damien de Veuster, Damien Memorial strives to form missionary disciples who recognize Christ in every person. Peru offered students the opportunity to move beyond learning about the Gospel in a classroom and begin living it through encounter, accompaniment and service.
That transformation began almost immediately.
Rather than arriving to “help” a community, students found themselves welcomed into homes and entrusted with stories of perseverance, sacrifice and hope. Women like Tanya and Carmen offered more than hospitality; they offered a window into daily life and a deeper understanding of human dignity.
For the students, Catholic social teaching became more than words found in a theology textbook. Human dignity, the dignity of work, solidarity and economic justice were no longer abstract concepts. They had names, faces and stories.
Ancheta said the experience challenged him to see his own life differently: “It showed me how much things I took for granted. Having to use a bucket of water to shower myself … is just a little taste of what the families in Peru have to go through every day.”
Yet what surprised the students most wasn’t the poverty they encountered; it was the joy. Families welcomed the Damien team with generosity, laughter and an unwavering faith that revealed a richness impossible to measure materially.
One of the most joyful days of the immersion took place at Colegio Fe y Alegría 26, where students spent the day playing soccer, sharing music, exchanging cultures and building friendships with local students.
Hassey admitted she was nervous before arriving because she spoke very little Spanish. Her fears disappeared almost immediately as language quickly became irrelevant.
“A smile, a high five, a shared laugh over a missed shot, that was all the language we needed,” she said.
Bacon came away with a new understanding of belonging: “Their love made me realize that home is where people accept you. I want to bring that same love back to Damien and my church so no one ever feels left out.”
The exchange became mutual when Tsukiyama shared a traditional hula, introducing students in Peru to Hawaii’s culture while learning traditional Peruvian dances in return. What began as a simple cultural exchange became a celebration of friendship and mutual respect that reminded everyone present that authentic encounter transcends language and culture.
The mission continued in Jicamarca, where the Damien team spent two days helping build a new home for Senora Mayra and her children, Leonardo and Kenny.
Before construction began, the students visited the family’s existing home. They carefully removed belongings, helped to empty the structure and assisted in dismantling it piece by piece.
Only after clearing the site did construction begin. Working under the hot Peruvian sun, students mixed concrete, carried construction materials, raised walls and worked alongside local volunteers, neighbors and the family to build a safe and sturdy home.
The family remained present throughout the process, working beside the volunteers, sharing meals, exchanging conversations and celebrating each milestone together. What began as a construction project quickly became another opportunity for encounter.
Students also experienced a simpler way of life throughout their stay in Jicamarca. Taking bucket showers, conserving water and living within the rhythms of the community offered a small glimpse into the daily realities many families experience. Those challenges helped the students appreciate not only the resilience of the people they met but also the blessings they often take for granted.
Tsukiyama said the experience reinforced the power of working alongside others to make a difference.
For Moore, the greatest transformation came through learning to slow down. Living without many of the comforts of home, including consistent access to technology, created space for gratitude, prayer and a renewed awareness of God’s presence.
“I learned that happiness is not based on what you own but on the love, faith and community you have,” she said.
Experiences like these reaffirmed Damien Memorial’s belief that Catholic education extends far beyond the classroom.
“The theology classroom is where students learn the faith,” Quemado said. “Experiences like this are where they begin to live it.”
For McGivern, bringing Damien students to Peru fulfilled a vision years in the making.
“Our hope has never been simply to build houses,” he said. “Our hope is to help students encounter Christ in others and bring those experiences back to our school, parishes and communities.”
The Peru mission represents more than a successful summer program. It marks the beginning of what Damien Memorial hopes will become a lasting tradition of forming missionary disciples rooted in the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice and inspired by the witness of St. Damien.