This July, a team of eight individuals will embark on a missionary expedition to Iquitos, Peru, in the parish of St Martin De Porres. This parish is under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Raymond Portelli, a Maltese missionary priest from in-Nadur, Gozo. Fr Portelli, who is also a medical doctor, has dedicated over 30 years to missionary work in Peru.

The expedition will be led by Fr Christopher Bugeja, who is no stranger to Iquitos. In 2017, Fr Bugeja spent six months assisting Fr Portelli, an experience that profoundly influenced him and sparked his desire to return. Initially, plans were made for his return immediately following his ordination in 2020, but these were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, renewed efforts to visit Iquitos prompted the Secretariat for Catholic Education (SfCE) to request Fr Bugeja to organise a missionary expedition for staff from Catholic schools in the Maltese Islands. The response exceeded the available spaces.

The group is made up of people who hail from different backgrounds, hold different areas of expertise, and span the age range between 18 and 50. Some of the participants are new to volunteering, others have volunteered only in Malta, while others have experience in missionary work abroad. Notwithstanding these differences, they are ready to embark on this new adventure which will definitely leave a positive mark on their lives.