'Cell production'

Missions: Parish Furniture is on a mission to build skills and disciples as well as quality products in Peru | Susan Olasky

David Johnson/Silent Images

This is a story about six men, maybe seven, who make fine hand-joined and planed furniture out of native woods in Trujillo, Peru.

They are young men, not older than 26, who mostly hail from the mountain town of Moyobamba, located in the jungle, where they learned carpentry in small family-run shops.

Javier, now a master craftsman, grew up in a carpentry shop. He left home when he was 16 to travel, doing carpentry projects as he went. Norvil and Marden also grew up in carpentry shops. Raul and Geronimo, both in their late teens, are finishers—carpenter's helpers. They will be trained to become masters.

Alfonso learned carpentry at Don Bosco, a training program started by an Italian priest who wanted to teach boys fine carpentry skills. Alfonso came away from that program with skills and a set of woodcarving tools. He set up his own shop from which he sells doors, windows, and cabinetry for the local market.