Encounter experiences transform the hearts and minds of participants and open new perspectives about forced migration and asylum seeking by vulnerable people. By providing education, service, activities, reflection, prayer and community, the Encuentro Project motivates participants to engage in peaceful, effective action for greater justice and compassion for migrants and refugee persons as presented in Catholic Social Teaching. Visit the border region to gain a greater personal understanding.
Testimonials
Hear from participants
in the Encuentro Project
Ken Donaldson
college student
University of Detroit Mercy
Student Ken Donaldson gives a video testimonial about his service trip experience in El Paso.
Rich Perry
Community Service & Social Justice
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Sue Robb
St. Francis Xavier, Kansas City, MO
Through the Encuentro Project, members from our parish, St. Francis Xavier in Kansas City MO, have been to the border four times. Each encounter has been a life-changing experience for the participants. The Encuentro Project offers an affordable, comprehensive, unbiased experience of what is happening to our brothers and sisters fleeing violence and oppression.
Mary Pullano
Spanish Teacher
Georgetown Preparatory School
Working with the Encuentro Project was a transformative experience for my high school students and for me. The Encuentro Project provides a comprehensive look at the immigration issue through meetings with different groups including immigration attorneys, border patrol agents and community activists as well as the direct ministry to migrants in shelters.
Hugh Truempi
Volunteer at Annunciation House
My Encuentro experience was both educational and emotional; my mind was challenged and my heart was moved. Not only was each activity unique and valuable, but each experience built off of the previous one and culminated with spending an afternoon at the largest shelter for migrants and refugees in the state of Texas.
Upon returning to my normal life, my week on the border lingered on my mind and my heart. It truly unveiled a depth of emotion within me that I had never felt before. A year later after graduating college, I moved to El Paso as a long-term volunteer with Annunciation House, acting on my deep desire to return. I look back on my Encuentro immersion with much gratitude for it served as a pivotal signpost that led me to where I am today.
Interested? Get in touch
Please include information about your group, number of persons who want to participate, and dates when you would like to participate (ideally more than one option).