A group of 26 volunteers are preparing for a mission to Guatemala at the start of next month, where they will help build homes, distribute food, clothing and medicine and undertake works on missionary premises.
The group, with volunteers ranging in age up to 84 years, will leave Malta on October 1 for the town of Jalpatagua, where they will carry out activities in aid of Fr. Joseph Camilleri's Guatemala Missions Foundation.
They will also visit the earthquake-hit village of Comapa, where they will repair homes damaged in the quake.
The foundation was founded by Fr. Joseph Camilleri of Xewkija, Gozo, in 1992, following a visit to the town.
Since then, the mission has built a 75-bed hospital, community clinic and recreational spaces, including a park, swimming pool, football field and basketball court, the foundation noted in a statement announcing the trip.
The mission has also seen the construction of churches in support of the local diocese and seminary in Guatemala City, and gifted agricultural land to struggling families. The foundation said the mission has helped thousands of people since its inception.
"What he [Fr. Joseph Camilleri] witnessed -- the deep poverty and suffering -- moved him so profoundly that he chose to stay", the foundation said.
"More than three decades later, at the age of 92, Fr. Joseph continues to lead the foundation with unwavering energy and compassion. To the people he serves, he is not just a priest but a father, a mentor, and a steadfast friend.
"While Fr. Joseph's vision drives the mission, the dedication of volunteers also brings it to life."
Around 70 homes have been built by the foundation, "replacing the fragile shelters of mud and rusted sheets that many once called home", in addition to medical and social outreach activities.
A dedicated team, including a doctor and social worker, visits rural villages, providing clothing, medicines, toys and free medical consultation and identifying long-term needs for communities.
Meanwhile, educational initiatives see dozens of young people sponsored to continue courses including gastronomy, mechanics, computer science, welding, hairdressing and electrical engineering, the foundation said.
The foundation covers all expenses - including tuition, transport, uniforms and equipment - and supports nurses in training and final-year medical students, the latter of which provide free consultations to local villagers.
Mission Fund, which supports Maltese missionaries worldwide, is one of the foundation's main donors.