Princeton Seminary Reaffirms Its Commitment to Help Rebuild Puerto Rico

PRINCETON, N.J. – A solidarity team comprised of 18 students, facilities staff, administrators, and faculty members from Princeton Seminary will be heading to Puerto Rico to serve in partnership with local church centers and social service agencies to help meet the needs of community residents who have been and are still experiencing the trauma of recent natural disasters. From March 6 to March 14, the team will work with representatives from the El Guacio Camp and Conference Center, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico.

The solidarity team will be predominantly at El Guacio Camp and Conference Center assisting in the revitalization of two pieces of property. These facilities will be used to provide much-needed health services to the surrounding counties of Las Marias, Lares, and San Sebastian. El Guacio is a hub for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, where mission teams from the United States work with surrounding communities. Members of the team will also serve at the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, assisting in the revitalization of their student housing facilities.

In partnership with the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship and under the direction of Dr. Martin Tel, the team will also be providing two opportunities for worship. On Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13 they will celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico. These worship services will also serve as an introduction to the new bilingual hymnal Santo, Santo, Santo (GIA, 2019), and will be held at the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico and Hato Rey Presbyterian Church respectively.

“Since hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged Puerto Rico in 2017, Princeton Seminary has dedicated resources to assisting the island in its revitalization and mitigation efforts. As Puerto Rico begins to turn the corner in its recovery, it has recently suffered numerous tremors and earthquakes. It is an honor for our team to continue our efforts to help those impacted by natural disasters,” says Victor Aloyo, associate dean for institutional diversity and community engagement and director of the Office of Multicultural Relations.

This solidarity trip is made possible through the generous contributions of the Seminary community and our neighbors. To support this work, consider donating to the Seminary’s Annual Fund. To ensure that your gift goes directly to the solidarity trip, add “Puerto Rico Solidarity Trip” to the comment or message section. Alternatively, you can choose “Other” from the Fund options and enter “Puerto Rico Solidarity Trip.”