Divine inspiration can appear in strange places.
Sister Peggy Bonnot found hers in a hair salon in 1998. Her hairdresser shared how she had found a Hispanic girl about 3 years old outside her office the previous day. The child was wandering alone on the sidewalk.
The lost child could not speak English, so with the Spanish the hairdresser could remember from living in San Diego, she helped the girl find her home and mother.
As Bonnot listened to the hairdresser's story, she came to a realization: a Hispanic community was sprouting in Jefferson City.
A few months later, Monsignor Don Lammers, then a priest at St. Peter Catholic Church, announced the parish would be ordering Spanish ritual books for Spanish-language masses.
"I told him I was interested in that because the foundation of my community was from San Antonio, Texas, and we have a whole province of sisters in Mexico," Bonnot said. "I felt like that was a direct call to our community. So I talked to two more sisters ... and the three of us got together, and we wrote a grant. And the rest is pretty much history."
Bonnot and two other Sisters of the Charity of the Incarnate Word founded El Puente in 1999. Today, the ministry will celebrate 15 years of service.
El Puente, the Spanish word for "bridge," is an apt name. It aims to help 700-800 Spanish-speaking families bridge the gap between the two worlds of Latin America and the United States, said Bonnot, who is now executive director of the ministry.
When El Puente began, it offered Spanish Masses to a modest 100 families in Jefferson City and California, Missouri. Families immigrated to Missouri from numerous countries, including Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. According to Bonnot, they left home countries with a dearth of opportunity but, often, an excess of violence.
"When I was studying Spanish in Mexico, at that time the median age was 19. And so they needed a million new jobs every year to provide for their citizens. So the opportunity was just not there in many instances," said Bonnot, who studied with a language immersion program in Guadalajara in 2000.
Immigrants came to Missouri to find peace and calm, and El Puente was happy to help.
Within the first year, the organization not only facilitated Spanish Masses, but it responded to calls to help immigrants with medical and legal appointments. Soon enough, El Puente offered services in immigration work, language tutoring, mentoring, helping with social and economic needs, and sponsoring traditional celebrations.
These days, El Puente has a staff of six and several volunteers. They've moved into a renovated house on McCarty Street, decorated with Peruvian paintings and portraits Our Lady of Guadalupe sitting atop the fireplaces.
In August, El Puente officially added "Hispanic Ministry" to the end of its name and became a registered non-profit with the state of Missouri.
"I want El Puente to continue to be that bridge for people, to help people to grow to independence, so they can navigate on their own, and so they can fulfill their dreams," Bonnot said.
Today's celebration
The ministry will conduct an anniversary service celebrating 15 years of service with Mass at noon at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 222 W. Broadway.
The Mass will be followed by tacos and a silent auction with several goodies, such as a basket of Mizzou memorabilia and Christmas trinkets for those inclined to prepare early for the holiday season.
All proceeds from the auction go to El Puente; the celebration is open to the public.