The Francis Institute

What inspired you to start this business?

We felt the Lord calling us, as He called the rich man, to "Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor... then come, follow Me." (Mark 10:21) The Lord sent us in 2019 to Picota, San Martin, Peru to serve the poor and preach the gospel there. We worked at raising up missionary disciples among some of the people we served. We also felt called to invite people to come out for extended mission trips (such as a gap year or summer-long trip) in order to give a more genuine experience of the work of full-time foreign missions. Thus, in 2022, we started the Francis Institute in order to meet these needs. We currently have 4 domestic missionaries serving in Peru, Ecuador, and Honduras. We also host mid-term (1-12 month) mission trips.

What's one thing you'd like customers to know?

To North Americans, we offer short-term (1-2 weeks) and mid-term (1-12 month) mission trips to our mission post in the Amazon region of Peru (Picota, San Martin). Our short-term mission trips include 2-3 small building projects but are primarily based on relational ministry: going out to be present to the poor, bringing them the sacraments (when a priest comes), and praying with every person who is willing to be prayed with. To the poor in our mission post, we help with food and medicine, sometimes providing adequate housing, sometimes starting small businesses. We go to visit the sick, elderly, and homebound and pray with them. We build up the local faith community through bible studies and Holy Hours. We simply live among the poor whom we serve and enter into daily life with them, offering a witness to Christ and an example of Catholic family life.