My First Mission Trip
My First Mission Trip: Inspired by Brothers
By SVD Candidate, Alejandro Gonzalez Cruz
On June 15, 2026, I traveled to Jamaica with another SVD Candidate named Khang and potential future SVD Candidate named Christopher for a mission trip sponsored by the Vocation Office for the Divine Word Missionaries. We stayed in Jamaica for one week. I was initially scared about what I would encounter during the mission trip, especially after reading a book about St. Joseph Freinadametz’s (one of two Divine Word Missionary saints) experience in China when he first arrived there on mission. I admired how St. Joseph was sent to China with Fr. John Baptist Anzer, SVD, and was there for the rest of his life and became a saint, which inspired me to be brave and open-minded about my own mission experience.
When I was told that Bro. Bernie Spitzley, SVD, would be our guide, I was very excited because I wanted to see a religious brother outside of Divine Word College in his mission work. I have been considering brotherhood for the past two years as an SVD Candidate at Divine Word College. I found Bro. Bernie’s friendliness and hard work to be a reflection of what it means to be a brother. All the brothers I have met at DWC have been very kind, and I looked forward to experiencing that kindness firsthand in Jamaica.
Upon arriving at the airport, I was surprised to find myself feeling more excited than nervous. I was unsure of what I would experience in Jamaica, but I was eager to explore and learn. A friend who had spent six months in Jamaica, had shared a little about his experience, but I knew I had to see it for myself. My flight was delayed, and I had to wait three hours before departing from Houston to Jamaica. When I reached Miami, I learned that my travel companions had already left for Jamaica, so I had to wait for another two hours for the next flight to Kingston. During that time, I meditated and prayed, asking God for patience and strength. When I finally arrived in Jamaica, I was delighted to meet Bro. Bernie, Khang, and Christopher, whom I had met before.
During our week in Jamaica, we enjoyed trying a variety of local foods such as jerk chicken, curry goat, ackee and saltfish, Jamaican patties, shrimp, fish brown soup, fried breadfruit, Arlene’s fried chicken, salads, and all-natural mango juice. All of the food was absolutely delicious. Christopher even joked, “I expected to lose weight in Jamaica, but I think I’ve gained weight here.” I found his comment hilarious because I had the same thought!
We also met many wonderful people, including Max, Arlene, Wade, SVD Priests Fr. Shadrach and Fr. Hilarius and Holy Spirit Sister, Sr. Barbara.
We met numerous children who loved playing with our hair and spending time with us. We did many activities, from hanging out with the children and picking mangoes from trees to painting the Bro. Kelly Centre (which is used as the local food pantry and was named after Fr. Darrell Kelly, SVD, who recently died). One memorable moment was when Christopher and I visited children for Bible sharing with Sr. Monica and Bro. Bernie. We also had a chance to play soccer with them and Christopher was the goalie. The children kept shooting to score goals, even one of the children’s grandmothers joined the fun.
I was truly amazed by how kind and welcoming the people of Jamaica are. They greeted us with words like wagone, meaning hello, and “respect.” I was fascinated by how often the word “respect” was used, and each time someone said it, it was meant as a sign of honor. It was inspiring to witness a culture that values respect so deeply, different from what I have experienced in the past. Additionally, during our visits to various parishes, I saw the unique church shared by Anglicans and Catholics at the Church of the Reconciliation, which has two separate tabernacles. We also visited Good Shepherd Church, St. Bartholomew’s Church, and Our Lady of Assumption Parish, each offering a glimpse into Jamaica’s rich spiritual life.
After spending a short week on mission in Jamaica, I learned just how important it is to have brothers and priests working together in missions. While priests focus more on sacramental activities and parish work, brothers focus on helping the community and bringing in more people to the Catholic Church. I learned that brothers are teachers, engineers, taxi drivers, builders, painters, construction workers, counselors, anthropologists, librarians, musicians, mechanics—most importantly, they are brothers: trustworthy individuals who help and love their brothers just as Jesus has commanded us to do.
I was deeply moved to see that whenever we went out, Bro. Bernie was recognized and people would shout, “BROTHER BERNIE!” He is quite well-known and popular with the local people. What’s more, the smiles on people’s faces when they saw Bro. Bernie truly show how much love brothers give to the community that they are sent to serve. I too hope that someday, whether as an SVD brother or as an SVD priest, I can give my love to the community to which I am sent by the Society of the Divine Word.