“Help, Hope, and Home”

Fr. Eugen Nkardzedze

Mike Drapeau is the father of 7 kids, an ex-naval officer, a rugby enthusiast, partner in a sales and marketing consultancy and a member of the Regnum Christi Movement.  Mike lives in suburban North Atlanta.  Fr. Eugen Nkardzedze is a priest in the village of Nkar, Cameroon, on the west coast of Africa. Together with the whole village leadership of Nkar, they are leading an ambitious project to permanently impact the educational, medical and spiritual needs of the local people. The logistical coordination of the mission is being done through www.CatholicMissionTrips.net.

How did this happen? Mike Drapeau says his inspiration for this mission come from a smack on the head by the Holy Spirit. Mike kept saying “maybe” each year when his R.C. teammate asked him. “will you come on an overseas mission with me?” But, as it turns out “maybe” always in the end meant “no”. So, one day after having just given his teammate his annual “maybe”, Mike heard the Holy Spirit say “since you can’t commit to going on a mission, I want you to organize one”. And that whisper from the Holy Spirit has since become the roar of this “Help Hope and Home” mission to Nkar, Cameroon.

The mission will take place June 10-24, 2016, and will have 4 aspects:

1. Humanitarian (building a new school and providing other materials).  The current school in Nkar built in the 1930s is crumbling. The Help Hope Home mission will restore and finish the building and provide supplies.

2. Medical (completing the outpatient center and bringing doctors/nurses to Nkar for training/care).  The mission will complete the partially finished local outpatient treatment center and bring about 12 missionary doctors, nurses, pharmacists, EMTs and dentists as well as medicine and medical equipment to provide care to the local people.

3. Human (completing a rugby field with goal posts and putting on Nkar’s first rugby match next year) about 17 lay volunteer missionaries will build a rugby field, to promote healthy recreation and community, and equip local teams to hold a rugby tournament.

4. Spiritual (combining elements of pilgrimage, directed meditations, reflections, and the sacraments) The “Help Hope and Home” missionaries will stay at the pastoral center on the site of the bishop’s residence and along with the villagers will participate in prayer, reflections and the sacraments.

Another thing Mike loves about this mission opportunity is the chance it gives others to be “smacked on the head” by the Holy Spirit like he was, saying, “if you have the urge to say ‘maybe’ or even ‘no thanks’ to the call to attend this mission you might want to think again…the Holy Spirit may come tapping on your door next! With that in mind, please volunteer to come on this mission – we need more medical staff and even a few more humanitarian missionaries.”

The mission is also requesting tax-deductible donations toward the total cost of the project, which is $220,000, and can be directed through the Diocese of Kumba, an American 501-3c organization.

For more information check out the Cameroon Mission Brochure or http://catholicmissiontrips.net/cameroon-2016  or contact Mike at mike.drapeau@salesbenchmarkindex.com.