It’s been more than a decade since Matt and Lori Fenton of Pine and their 14-year-old son Austen had a life-changing experience when they were invited to participate in a mission trip to Nicaragua.

Over the years, those trips have become a family tradition that is spreading.

“I can’t express the impact that mission trip had on us, especially Austen,” Lori Fenton said. “He came home and shared his experiences with his brothers and friends, and we promised our other two boys that when they turned 14, we would take them on a mission trip, too.”’

The Fentons were able to keep their promise with their second son, Brennan, who is now 20, by taking him on a mission trip to Nicaragua in 2016 to build homes for a needy family.

The two older Fenton boys enjoyed the experience so much that they returned to the Central American country every year until they went off to college.

Plans were already in the works for the youngest Fenton boy, Crew, now 15, to go on a mission in early 2020 — but the coronavirus pandemic had other plans.

“The mission trips happened for Austen and Brennen, but unfortunately not for Crew,” Fenton said. “Our older boys had such a positive experience when they went, so it was a great disappointment when we had to cancel Crew’s trip after the flights were already booked.”

But the Fentons feel that when it comes to providing their sons with a chance to grow by helping others who are less fortunate, it’s better late than never.

And rather than just travel with his dad, Crew asked if he could recruit some friends to go along.

“My brothers always talked about how going on the mission trips changed their lives and their perspective on other people,” Crew Fenton said. “They talked about how we can never really know how hard some people’s lives are until you see what they don’t have. So I’m pretty excited to finally be able to go on a mission trip to help them.”

The team, which now also includes Crew Fenton’s older brothers and some of their college friends, is registered with Bridges to Community to travel to La Guama in the Dominican Republic from Aug. 6 to 13 to build a home for 80-year-old farmer Manuel Angomas.

In addition to Crew, who is a freshman, and his father Matt, brothers Austen and Brennen will be joining the contingent along with Pine-Richland High School students Ben Pickels, Brady Mullay, Liam Francis, Owen Brooks and Tyler Derks, as well as their fathers.

Raf Francis, who will be taking his son Liam on the mission trip, agrees on the need to find ways for young people to broaden their perspectives.

“I think a trip like this will really help the kids appreciate what they have,” he said. “I don’t think people know how blessed and fortunate they are until they see and meet people who aren’t as fortunate.”

Francis, who is fluent in Spanish, plans to assist as a translator for the group. His son, who is studying the language, is looking forward to practicing with the people they meet, he said.

“I think there will be a bit of culture shock for the boys, but I also believe it will be an opportunity to see that even though these people don’t have a lot, they are happy. I’m hoping that will be an important life lesson for them.”

Crew Fenton said he is excited about the opportunity to get his hands dirty to help someone else.

“We’re going to be helping a man who was living in a house that had dirt floors and has now collapsed,” he said. “I started talking about my mission trip to some friends and we started imagining what we might be able to accomplish if we all went there with our dads together to build houses.”

Matt Fenton said the mission trips are not only a chance to do meaningful work and a way to give back, but they are also an “opportunity to see another part of the world out of the ‘Wexford bubble.’”

He said improving just one home “makes a difference.”

“With sturdy cinder blocks and a roof attached to the foundation instead of a wobbling structure cobbled together from scrap lumber and plastic sheeting, the home we build will remain standing after a hurricane,” Mike Fenton said.

“With tile or cement floors instead of just damp dirt beneath their feet, children and parents won’t get sick so often. With doors and windows that lock, family members can go to work and school without worrying about theft. For the family who gets a new home, it changes everything,” he said.

About 1,500 people live in La Guama, which is in Santiago Region and is in desperate need of better housing, Lori Fenton said.

“There are 40 homes there that have substandard living conditions,” she said. “Most have dirt floors, rotting wood walls and roofs that are collapsing.”

Lori Fenton said the mission trips also have been an opportunity to expand the world of people living in the countries they visit.

After becoming friends with their translator Jilmer Sanchez during a trip in 2015, the family invited him to visit the U.S.

“He’d never been anywhere but Nicaragua and was so amazed at the little things here like a waterpark, Kennywood Park and a burger from Fat Heads in the South Side,” she said. “He spent a week with us, and it was a true pleasure to host someone who appreciated every little thing.”

Paula Mulhair, head of operations in the Dominican Republic for Bridges to Community, said the mission projects can help “empower” people living in an impoverished community.

“A home can change the life of a family,” she said. “We feel that it’s truly an honor to be able to come in and partner with people to help improve their lives.”

Mulhair said the members of the volunteer brigades who work and live with local residents during their mission trip often return home changed by the experience of “seeing the joy and happiness the people here have in a more simplified life.”

Members of the group going on the mission trip will cover their own expenses, but to help the non-profit organization cover the cost of building homes as well as providing health, education and economic development programs, the boys have set a fundraising goal of $9,000.

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