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Mission Accomplished: 2023 Teams’ Overwhelming Contribution

Mission Accomplished: 2023 Teams’ Overwhelming Contribution

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Mission Trips

Since 1993, the apostolates of Mustard Seed Communities (MSC) have welcomed mission volunteers with open arms. These short-term mission trips are rooted in meaningful and heartfelt interaction with the children and adults with disabilities who are living in MSC’s care. For one week, a team lives and works at a MSC home, fixing up facilities, providing necessary resources, and, perhaps most critically, experiencing the love and joy that the MSC Family has to offer in abundance.

The Founder of MSC, Msgr. Gregory Ramkissoon, placed a core belief at the center of the mission trip program: feeling loved is especially critical to the wellbeing of individuals who have been abandoned. Since Msgr. Gregory could not bring the children to the world, he decided to bring the love of the world to the children through our mission program.

2023’s mission trips brought the world to the residents with a diverse group of mission volunteers. The 66 teams hailed from a variety of states, faith traditions, high schools and colleges, parishes, and backgrounds. Of the 1,522 volunteers in total, a common takeaway was the overwhelming power of love.

Lulu, a volunteer from Move a Mountain Missions who spent a week at Sophie’s Place this year, recalls a moment on her mission trip that transformed her:

One of the most profound moments I experienced on the mission trip was the peace and happiness I felt during an evening where I was holding baby Gio and rocking him to sleep. Gio had his head rested on my shoulder, holding me tightly as I was praying over him. I felt the Lord’s presence in this moment because of the overwhelming joy, peace, and love I was feeling.

That moment was when I learned and truly understood the realness of God’s love. Something I have been asking for help with since that moment was to love others the way God loves me. The mission trip in Jamaica has shaped me in SO many new ways, but more specifically I can say that I am able to trust God and allow Him to have full control of my life. I have learned that the more I seek God and his love, the more content I feel.

Lulu, Move a Mountain Missions volunteer
Top left: Lulu befriends Joevan from My Father’s House. Bottom left: The Move a Mountain team demonstrated so much love to the residents. Center: Lulu and Giovanni spend the day together. Right: Giovanni enjoys a celebration.


Join us in this lookback at the 2023 year of mission trips…

751 volunteers made up 66 teams; they raised a total of $1,068,257 for MSC.
Mission teams spend a week at apostolates in Jamaica or Dominican Republic. 87.7% of teams went to Jamaica while 12.3% of teams went to Dominican Republic.
The mission teams are made up of a diverse set of groups; this year, we had 22 parish groups, 5 medical teams, 8 high school teams, 10 family teams, 3 college medical teams, 7 college teams, 9 building teams, and 2 other teams.
Teams this year came from 16 different U.S. states. 
Georgia sent the most teams (10). Pennsylvania and Massachusetts had the second most teams (7). Kentucky and New York had the third most teams (6).
The minimum fundraising goal for 2023 mission teams was $665,310. Teams exceeded that minimum by $402,947, bringing their fundraising total to $1,068,257!

With sincere gratitude, MSC extends thanks and blessings to each individual who contributed to the success of this year’s mission program. Without these teams, MSC would not be the same!