Buerkle Middle School Teacher Takes His Family to the Ends of the Earth

This June, Andy and Julie Kuhnert of Affton are setting out on an adventure most of us could never even begin to imagine. They, along with their five children, Emily, 11; Sarah, 10; Lillian, 7; Adam, 3; and Charlie, 20 months, will leave everything familiar behind to embark on a mission trip to the country of Belize.

Located in Central America on the Caribbean Sea between Mexico and Guatemala, Belize is among the poorest of nations.

Andy Kuhnert, 33, is a social studies teacher at Margaret Buerkle Middle School in the Mehlville School District. He hopes to use skills within the perimeters of education to make an impact on a country where the need is immense. But the original spark of the idea began long before Andy and Julie had even met.

“I saw a story on TV about orphanages in Romania that were full of AIDS babies who didn't get any attention,” Julie said. That was when she was in the eighth grade. “I thought, 'I would love to go and do something like that.'”

Clearly, the notion stuck with her. Now, at the age of 33, they feel the time is right.

“As a teacher, I was at the point where I was starting to look at going into administration. This was something I'd have to do before having to explain to the district that I'd have to take a year off as a principal rather than as a teacher. So there was some urgency,” Andy said.

“I sort of felt like we should do it before we had kids in high school,” Julie said.

They both agree that if they didn't now, they might never do it. With plans underway, things are beginning to fall into place for their June departure.

But it hasn't come without challenges. Julie admits that finding an organized group of missionaries to affiliate with was difficult from the beginning.

“We started to put feelers out, but everyone either couldn't take a family our size or they wanted a three-year commitment,” she said.

Then they came in contact with Father Dick Perl, formerly of St. Dominic Savio Church. Through Perl, the family got in touch with the St. Peter Claver Volunteer Program of the Missouri province Jesuits. In Belize, they will be based out of Perl’s town.

“He was one of the first people we approached who said that we could probably make this work,” Julie said. After a preliminary trip at the suggestion of Perl, Andy admits that it “felt like the spirit was leading him and all the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to come together.”

Even though they feel a calling to go where they are needed, the logistical frustrations are plentiful.

Since this is not an officially sponsored trip, much of the planning and financial burden has fallen solely on the family. They are anticipating living in Belize for a year, which means they will have to find someone to rent their house.

Thanks to fundraisers and generous donations, they have raised nearly $25,000 dollars so far—a little more than half of what they need.

Fortunately, an acquaintance has offered to cover the one-way airfare for all seven of them. They know that once in Belize, the challenges will not stop. In the city of Punta Gorda where they will be living, life is primitive compared to life as they know it now. It is a town comprised of dirt roads and limited resources.

“I can live without, but there's going to be a huge limit of food. Everything has to be homemade,” Julie said, whose concern is adequately feeding a family with five children. “A poorly stocked kitchen, for instance, and not having the tools that make things a lot easier like a blender or a food processor” are among her concerns, she said.

The family will only take what they can fit in their luggage. They will not have a television or a land line. Things like Internet and electricity are extremely expensive. But even in the face of scarcity, the Kuhnerts' resolve has never wavered. They have taken special care to prepare their family, both mentally and spiritually.

“We have a theme for the week,” Julie said. “We take turns choosing what we will pray for. This week, we are praying that we will keep connections with friends and family back here.”

Another way to help the children adjust is by getting them involved.

“Lillian had a birthday in March, and we're trying to clear things out of our house rather than bring a bunch of things in, so each child invited to the party was asked to bring a book to donate to the children of Belize,” Andy said. “She collected over 100 books.”

Still, it's going to be a huge adjustment.

“Some days I'm excited and some days I'm nervous,” 11-year-old Emily said.

The Kuhnerts admit they don't know how it's going to pan out, but they do hope this will be an experience that will instill appreciation and enrich their children's lives.

“They are going to see things that you just can't teach,” Andy said.

However, their hopes for this mission go far beyond their own personal scope; they hope to make an impact on a culture.

“In the grand scheme of things, are we gonna change the world? No,” Andy said. “We realize that. But it's our hope that we will build some connections and that the relationships between here and there and the people of Belize will last beyond just our time there.”

Follow the Kuhnerts' journey and learn more about their trip by visiting their Facebook page or blog.