Janine Morett – An Augustinian Volunteer in South AfricaAs I pull onto the street where 1000 Hills Community Helpers is and then down the driveway, I am welcomed by people of all ages walking towards the Center.  There are kids who will attend the school, adults who will be going to the clinic and others who are there for a meal or just to be there.  The center itself does a lot of different things from a baby clinic on Tuesdays, an open clinic on Thursdays, a dayc... [More]

By Kellie Kozel (Augustinian Volunteer presently in South Africa) So far South Africa seems to be a place of extremes. All of last week there were thunderstorms and high-speed winds and this week it has been sweat-til-you-drop hot. In the first month our car was stalled more than it was running, and now we could take on Mario Andretti in a race down Inanda Road (or at least we like to think so). One day you can spend the whole morning laughing hysterically with a patient as you muddle through... [More]

By Kevin Abdo It is also in the work space that this hospitality is continually shown to complete strangers. It is this gesture that truly astounds me daily. I come into the Respite Unit on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and see this in action. Care givers showing total love and compassion to a patient they know little to nothing about. When driving patients to and from clinics I am given constant smiles, praises, and “Thank You’s!” It is also simply driving around various towns and cities t... [More]

 Often, when we have an image of the foreign missions, we think of parish ministry. For the Augustinian Friars their first ministry in a foreign land was the establishment of a parish. Over time, the ministry has expanded beyond the parish structure to include the education ministry. The schools are part of a parish structure.   When the first American friars began a mission in the late 1950s in the city of Nagasaki, Japan, they began the equivalent of an elementary school. This school continu... [More]

By Fr. Frank Doyle, O.S.A.   In our South African mission, St. Leo’s School continues to grow. We now have almost 700 children! Though we continue to do good work here, the personal needs of the children continue to grow and at times overwhelm our personnel resources.   Sadly, our school Principal's office was broken into in November 2010, and her computer, printer, and fax machine were all stolen. On top of that, all of the food stored there for the children was stolen! When I asked... [More]

The weekend of January 12—15, 2011, seven young men and women gathered at the Augustinian House in Ocean City, New Jersey. It was not a weekend at the Jersey Shore. These men and women had been initiated into the Augustinian Volunteers and were spending this weekend preparing spiritually, emotionally and socially to begin a year of service alongside the Augustinian Friars in Peru and South Africa in serving the needs of the poor. The Augustinian Volunteers are not the Peace Corp. Yes they... [More]

Each morning as I drive down to St. Leo’s Primary School, I listen to calming music and mentally prepare myself for the inevitable chaos that will greet me upon my arrival. When I arrive, I am ready for battle. Armed with pencils, paper, books, and most importantly – patience, I weave my way through a sea of kids and make my way to the classroom. When my first class begins, the students are overflowing with energy and enthusiasm. I try to harness this energy and use it to help t... [More]

In early June, 2011, Brother Craig McMahon, O.S.A., arrived at our mission in South Africa. In the midst of theological studies our students are required to participate in a Pastoral Year, where some of the academic studies are experienced in the lived pastoral ministry within an Augustinian community. Brother Craig requested that he spend his Pastoral Year in the African mission. With his arrival our community in Bothas Hill is now four friars and three Augustinian VolunteersIn early June, 20... [More]

By Jennifer DePoy Nursing is truly a global profession. For two weeks in May, nine Villanova nursing students, two nursing professors, and 22 suitcases (mostly donations!) were lucky enough to travel to Durban, South Africa for a global field experience. After months of preparation, the group was able to experience first-hand the wonderfully welcoming Zulu culture. Each day, the group spent time at various sites including the Hillcrest AIDS Center Respite Unit, St. Leo’s Primary Schoo... [More]

In 1925 the Augustinian Sister’s of the Mercy of Jesus established St. Theresa’s Orphanage for African boys. That same home continues to this day. There are approximately 75 boys living in the home and attending the local government and Catholic schools. Some of the boys today are not orphans as we think of them, but come to the home from abusive family situations or they cannot be supported by their families or are placed there by the juvenile courts. Due to HIV AIDS some of the b... [More]