For several years, Jesuit Dallas has organized a trip for ten students to travel to a small village near Cusco, Peru in the summer leading into their senior year. The students & faculty on the trip spend eleven days in service & companionship with the people of Andahuaylillas. Over the years, the trip has grown into a very spiritual experience, with nightly group reflections & prayers.
I was asked to create a keepsake journal that the participants would be able to utilize for not only documenting their experiences on the trip, but for contemplation of the day’s readings & prayers and preparation for the nightly reflection meetings.
The journal ended up being a 108-page booklet that included drawings & paintings of the Sacred Valley region of Peru in which the trip takes place. The booklet is divided into four color-coded sections: “Voices from the Past” includes reflections & advice from previous participants, “Contemplatives in Action” includes the daily readings and space for written reflection, “Day-to-Day” is a space for participants to document their experiences, and a “Free Journal” section at the back for extra notes & journaling.
While students who have attended the trip each year tend to purchase several souvenirs, many have indicated that their journals are the keepsakes they will cherish the most from their experiences.
