About Us/Nosotros

 Hello to all!  This page is dedicated to filling in our story from the beginning for those of you who don't know us, and for those that do, you can reminisce with us as well.

A long long time ago, Janelle Braunwart first met Matt Costanti from across the pews at St. Tomas Moore Newman center at WSU.  A wonderful friendship started to blossom.  When we finally started to date our fifth year of college, we made a pledge to each other of adventure, travel and to live abroad.  After getting married in June of 2008, we dedicated ourselves diligently to doing just that.  

 

We decided that we wanted to live abroad in mission, and found a wonderful volunteer organization through the Salesian Sisters.  We asked for a placement in Chile, and were happily surprised when they were able to arrange that for us.  We were missioned to a small Foster Home named Hogar Ines Riesco Llona, with 43 young girls aged 4 to 17 in the suburbs of Santiago, Chile.  After quitting our stable jobs, selling most our belongings (we decided to store the wedding gifts and Matt couldn't part with his tools,) we got on a plane, said a prayer, and were off.

 

Who would have thought that a fun, silly little pledge of adventure, made when we were just starting to date, would take us where it did.  The journey took on a life of it's own and God guided us in amazing ways, helping us to grow in ways we never dreamed of. 

This blog is an account of our adventures, our reflections, our hopes and our prayers.  We have learned that mission is not a place in time, but a way of life.  One we have said yes to whole-heartily.  Even though we have now returned from Chile and are thousands of miles away from our girls, the mission continues and has become a passion and a hope for the future.  We will continue to post news of our girls and all of our projects and fundraisers we are working on.  We hope that you find inspiration in our work, and invite you to become a part of it, to walk with us, with the girls, and in Christ's love.  

Matt and Janelle Costanti

Tacoma, Washington

For more information on how you can help, see our page on donating.  If you would like to help out in other ways, or are interested in volunteering with the Salesians, please feel free to email us at: janellecostanti@gmail.com