How to Support Me
In preparation for this year, our community has set a fundraising goal of $35,000, and we would love for you to support this goal in any way that you can. Thank you so much for anything you can give and for your prayers!
I hope that you will accompany me on this journey and that together we can learn and grow in love for all of our neighbors.
In preparation for this year, our community has set a fundraising goal of $35,000, and we would love for you to support this goal in any way that you can. Thank you so much for anything you can give and for your prayers!
I hope that you will accompany me on this journey and that together we can learn and grow in love for all of our neighbors.
Hi everyone!
I’m Lizzy, I’m 22, and I am currently preparing to be a Rostro volunteer in Guayaquil, Ecuador for the next year. I just recently graduated from St. Joseph’s University. At St. Joe’s I was challenged and encouraged to grow in ways I never could have predicted. I became more aware of the injustices in the world, and how my Catholic faith calls me to action to serve and work towards justice with others – towards the Kingdom of God. With the help of family, friends, and mentors, I discerned that God is calling me to Ecuador, where I look forward to growing in solidarity and faith alongside my Ecuadorian neighbors and community.
I’m Lizzy, I’m 22, and I am currently preparing to be a Rostro volunteer in Guayaquil, Ecuador for the next year. I just recently graduated from St. Joseph’s University. At St. Joe’s I was challenged and encouraged to grow in ways I never could have predicted. I became more aware of the injustices in the world, and how my Catholic faith calls me to action to serve and work towards justice with others – towards the Kingdom of God. With the help of family, friends, and mentors, I discerned that God is calling me to Ecuador, where I look forward to growing in solidarity and faith alongside my Ecuadorian neighbors and community.
The following link will take you directly to my personal fundraising page:
On the Donate page please, select "in Honor of" and type my name: Lizzy Raffo (See Screen shot of Select Amount as an example
So - What Will I Be Doing You Ask?
In Ecuador, I will be serving my local community at a ministry site placement in the areas of healthcare, education, tutoring, community development, pastoral ministry or social work. I also will be building relationships with my neighbors in my community and accompanying in them their daily joys and struggles. This ministry of presence, sharing together in a sacrament of the now, is something I am especially looking forward to growing in and sharing with others. Additionally, I will be hosting retreat groups from the U.S. to live in solidarity with and learn about the realities of marginalized communities in Ecuador. Throughout all of this, I will be immersed in the Ecuadorian culture and Spanish language. I am very excited to once again be immersed in a Spanish speaking environment.
In Ecuador, I will be serving my local community at a ministry site placement in the areas of healthcare, education, tutoring, community development, pastoral ministry or social work. I also will be building relationships with my neighbors in my community and accompanying in them their daily joys and struggles. This ministry of presence, sharing together in a sacrament of the now, is something I am especially looking forward to growing in and sharing with others. Additionally, I will be hosting retreat groups from the U.S. to live in solidarity with and learn about the realities of marginalized communities in Ecuador. Throughout all of this, I will be immersed in the Ecuadorian culture and Spanish language. I am very excited to once again be immersed in a Spanish speaking environment.
More About My Journey - Story Time!
During the fall semester of my senior year, I studied abroad in Córdoba, Argentina with Casa de la Mateada, a program based on the pillars of community, accompaniment, spirituality and academics. I lived in intentional community, learned about and shared in the daily realities of those living on the margins in Córdoba, and grew in my understanding of what it truly looks like to meet others where they're at. This experience even further awakened the already existing desire in my heart to build relationships with and live in solidarity with those who are marginalized. This experience has directly influenced my decision to accept the volunteer position with Rostro de Cristo for this next year.
When I reflect on how my experience with Casa has led me to this journey I’m about to embark on, I specifically remember the people of Barrio Nuestro Hogar III and my experience of attending their 13’ Encuentro Intercultural y Fiestas Patronales. This community faces the realities of poverty, exploitation, and marginalization. Many of the community members are immigrants from neighboring countries. The barrio experiences many internal conflicts and much violence. The Casa program has an ongoing relationship with this community, and we were invited to attend the annual intercultural festival. The entire celebration was rooted in Christ, beginning with a procession of El Niño Jesús throughout the barrio. Singing and holding candles, we walked together with Christ, stopping at shrines set up outside of various houses to pray. Many of the community members consistently prayed for unity within the barrio. After the procession, as the sun set, we celebrated a beautiful mass together on a stage set up in the middle of the dirt road. During the homily the priest asked people which countries they were from and discussed how we are all united. I found such beauty in the simplicity and reverence of both the procession and mass. Afterwards, the streets transformed into a festival-like atmosphere with people selling homemade foods alongside the street and the stage turning into a space for cultural performances. We shared laughs and mate, a traditional Argentine tea, with community members and the Jesuit novices. In the midst of the festivities, I realized that this event was a rare and treasured moment of celebration and unity for this community. Although I experienced such immense joy celebrating, I also found myself wishing to build deeper relationships with the people of Barrio Nuestro Hogar III. I want to be with others and to experience Christ with them in not just their joys, but also their sufferings.
During the fall semester of my senior year, I studied abroad in Córdoba, Argentina with Casa de la Mateada, a program based on the pillars of community, accompaniment, spirituality and academics. I lived in intentional community, learned about and shared in the daily realities of those living on the margins in Córdoba, and grew in my understanding of what it truly looks like to meet others where they're at. This experience even further awakened the already existing desire in my heart to build relationships with and live in solidarity with those who are marginalized. This experience has directly influenced my decision to accept the volunteer position with Rostro de Cristo for this next year.
When I reflect on how my experience with Casa has led me to this journey I’m about to embark on, I specifically remember the people of Barrio Nuestro Hogar III and my experience of attending their 13’ Encuentro Intercultural y Fiestas Patronales. This community faces the realities of poverty, exploitation, and marginalization. Many of the community members are immigrants from neighboring countries. The barrio experiences many internal conflicts and much violence. The Casa program has an ongoing relationship with this community, and we were invited to attend the annual intercultural festival. The entire celebration was rooted in Christ, beginning with a procession of El Niño Jesús throughout the barrio. Singing and holding candles, we walked together with Christ, stopping at shrines set up outside of various houses to pray. Many of the community members consistently prayed for unity within the barrio. After the procession, as the sun set, we celebrated a beautiful mass together on a stage set up in the middle of the dirt road. During the homily the priest asked people which countries they were from and discussed how we are all united. I found such beauty in the simplicity and reverence of both the procession and mass. Afterwards, the streets transformed into a festival-like atmosphere with people selling homemade foods alongside the street and the stage turning into a space for cultural performances. We shared laughs and mate, a traditional Argentine tea, with community members and the Jesuit novices. In the midst of the festivities, I realized that this event was a rare and treasured moment of celebration and unity for this community. Although I experienced such immense joy celebrating, I also found myself wishing to build deeper relationships with the people of Barrio Nuestro Hogar III. I want to be with others and to experience Christ with them in not just their joys, but also their sufferings.
Well imagine my surprise a couple months later, back in the States, when I read this specific line in the mission statement of Rostro de Cristo: “to be in relationship with the Ecuadorian people and reflect on the face of Christ in their joys and struggles.” To think that months earlier I found myself deeply desiring this exact experience! God is truly incredible!
And finally, I would like to share the beautiful mission statement of this program with you. I deeply connect to it, and I hope that you too can connect to the mission of Rostro in some way:
And finally, I would like to share the beautiful mission statement of this program with you. I deeply connect to it, and I hope that you too can connect to the mission of Rostro in some way:
