I’ve been trying to write this entry for days, but I can’t get very far without stopping. I can’t quite find the words to describe my feelings about Laurence, nor do I think anything I say can give him justice.
It breaks my heart every time I hear bad news about Laurence’s health. Last night I was on the phone with my parents and they informed me that the entire right side of his body is numb and he has taken a pretty rough turn. My heart aches for him; I can’t imagine what he is going through.
Laurence is one of the most amazing people I have ever known. I hate using the word amazing because it almost doesn’t seem to give him justice. I find the way his heart shows in everything that he does and his passion and motivation for helping others breathtaking. If you’ve read the couple news articles that have been written about him, I know you agree with me. If you’ve met him personally, you’d know with your whole mind and heart that this kid is truly a blessing.
My little cousin Laurence has always held a special place in my heart. He was adopted from Korea as an infant by my cousin Patrick and his wife (they are now divorced) Lisa. I’ve always admired Patrick; he is my dad’s nephew and one of my many first cousins on the Carolin side. His father, my Uncle Jim, was a wonderful man who I barely knew because he passed away from lung cancer when I was just six years old. So, the whole “great guy” view runs in that family. I’ve always felt very close to Laurence and knew early on that he was a special kid. My family used to vacation to Florida every Easter, one year I drove down with Pat, Laurence, and my aunt Ellen. Laurence was young and still struggling with the English language; it pained me every time he would get frustrated with himself. We had a wonderful time and I looked out for him as if he was my little brother. Since then we’ve had a few more family vacations and events, and every time I am more amazed by his spirit and kindness.
Last summer I worked with kids who were suffering from life threatening diseases, many of them cancer. Each one touched me in a different way, with their encouraging smiles and words of wisdom. I’ll never know the pain and suffering that those kids, Amanda, or Laurence have faced, but I know that they inspire me and touch my heart.
I hope that Laurence continues to fight and that he continues to motivate others on the charity causes which he is so passionate about. I pray that he teaches all those around him to appreciate life and to love and accept everyone.
My prayers go out to you my buddy and hero, Laurence.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
peer mediation and new music
So our internet is out again. It only works if we directly connect the modem to each computer….which we can deal with for now, but soon there will come a time when we all need to be on the internet. It’s just one of those frustrating situations. We tried two different routers and neither one worked, so it’s the modem, except not because the modem works when you hardwire it into a computer. It just won’t connect to a dang router. Hopefully we’ll figure something out soon because it could potentially be a huge tension problem.
Anyways, today was a wonderful day. I spent some time reflecting on how happy have been and am these past few weeks and honestly I can’t remember the last time I was this content with life. Sure there may be struggles and sacrifices but at the end of each day I feel so fulfilled with love and support not only from others but the love that I have gained for myself.
Cristo Rey is becoming more and more my home. I feel it when I walk in the front doors every morning right up until I leave. Today I spent the morning working on my peer mediation binder and setting up for snack. In the afternoon I was able to teach two classes on peer mediation. One of our presenters had to back down so I stepped up and created a 40 minute curriculum within very short notice. I talked a little bit about the basics of peer mediation, including types of conflict that arise in school, characteristics of a peer mediator, and the importance of positive communication skills. Then I had the kids do a listening exercise. I sent two volunteers out into the hall and told them each to prepare a one minute presentation on their favorite TV show. While they were preparing I told the class that when the first volunteer came back they should demonstrate positive listening skills (looking them in the eye, nodding along, sitting up straight) and with the second one they should be poor listeners (doodle, head down, look at the clock, whisper to their neighbor). With each class, the volunteer who tried to tell their report to the bad listeners got so frustrated VERY quickly. We discussed the importance of being able to listen well and absorb information so that conflict does not get out of control sooner that it should.
Next I asked for four volunteers for role play. Two were the part of peer mediators; two were acting out a conflict. In both classes the groups did really well for never having seen or involved in peer mediation. The ones acting out the conflict got really into it, the ones acting as peer mediators would sometimes laugh instead of mediating, but for the most part, they did really well.
Finally, I closed the classes by having everyone in the class write their name on the top of a paper. Then they passed the papers around the classroom and their classmates wrote positive words about that person. The first class was a little more difficult to quiet down and they didn’t get to as many people. The second class, though, was late for the end of the day assembly because they wanted to write on so many. They even asked me to make one so they could write positive words about me. I got: cool, (lots of those…I guess that’s good, right?) funny, smart, nice, amazing, great teacher, inspiring.
I have some little minions picked out to be my peer mediators. I want six from each grade, three girls and three boys. I’m writing a letter to all the faculty and staff of the school explaining my peer mediation ideas and asking for them to keep referral forms in their classrooms. Basically, when there is a conflict between students that does not need immediate attention, I would like them to fill out a form with basic information so I can properly match two peer mediators to assist in the situation.
I also made it quite clear to these kiddos that I, along with all other members of the staff, care about the students and are here for them through everything we do.
Did anyone download any new music on Tuesday? I think Tuesday may be my favorite day of the week because it’s new release day. Shut up, I know that’s lame. There were actually four albums that I was really looking forward to and not one of them disappointed me.
Collective Soul released their first new album in years. I haven’t had a chance to really listen to it but they are such a talented group and make beautiful music. Lots of great soft rock songs. It’s hard to pin them down into a genre, they actually kind of remind me of the Back Alley Saints. Download “Understanding”.
Colbie Caillat is best known for her hit summer single “Bubbly”. She is in tough competition with all the other female singer-songwriters that have emerged in the music industry, but I love her voice and style. Her 17 song album is packed full of beautiful, heartfelt songs. I can’t decide which one is my favorite, but I’d suggest downloading “I Never Told You”.
I first heard about MuteMath when Chris Sligh talked about them often during Season 6 of American Idol. They are super creative and talented, actually a lot like Collective Soul. Download “Lost Year”.
Of the four, Phil Stacey’s is my favorite. I am so ecstatic that he went the Christian music route. Phil is a very talented vocalist, one of those idol contestants that is forgotten to easily. I didn’t think his first country album showcased his strong, beautiful voice but this one connects the listener to the music. It’s inspiring, it’s strong, and it’s beautiful. I am so proud of him and hope he will continue to succeed! Download “Into the Light”, “You’re Not Shaken”, or “Old Glory”.
Anyways, today was a wonderful day. I spent some time reflecting on how happy have been and am these past few weeks and honestly I can’t remember the last time I was this content with life. Sure there may be struggles and sacrifices but at the end of each day I feel so fulfilled with love and support not only from others but the love that I have gained for myself.
Cristo Rey is becoming more and more my home. I feel it when I walk in the front doors every morning right up until I leave. Today I spent the morning working on my peer mediation binder and setting up for snack. In the afternoon I was able to teach two classes on peer mediation. One of our presenters had to back down so I stepped up and created a 40 minute curriculum within very short notice. I talked a little bit about the basics of peer mediation, including types of conflict that arise in school, characteristics of a peer mediator, and the importance of positive communication skills. Then I had the kids do a listening exercise. I sent two volunteers out into the hall and told them each to prepare a one minute presentation on their favorite TV show. While they were preparing I told the class that when the first volunteer came back they should demonstrate positive listening skills (looking them in the eye, nodding along, sitting up straight) and with the second one they should be poor listeners (doodle, head down, look at the clock, whisper to their neighbor). With each class, the volunteer who tried to tell their report to the bad listeners got so frustrated VERY quickly. We discussed the importance of being able to listen well and absorb information so that conflict does not get out of control sooner that it should.
Next I asked for four volunteers for role play. Two were the part of peer mediators; two were acting out a conflict. In both classes the groups did really well for never having seen or involved in peer mediation. The ones acting out the conflict got really into it, the ones acting as peer mediators would sometimes laugh instead of mediating, but for the most part, they did really well.
Finally, I closed the classes by having everyone in the class write their name on the top of a paper. Then they passed the papers around the classroom and their classmates wrote positive words about that person. The first class was a little more difficult to quiet down and they didn’t get to as many people. The second class, though, was late for the end of the day assembly because they wanted to write on so many. They even asked me to make one so they could write positive words about me. I got: cool, (lots of those…I guess that’s good, right?) funny, smart, nice, amazing, great teacher, inspiring.
I have some little minions picked out to be my peer mediators. I want six from each grade, three girls and three boys. I’m writing a letter to all the faculty and staff of the school explaining my peer mediation ideas and asking for them to keep referral forms in their classrooms. Basically, when there is a conflict between students that does not need immediate attention, I would like them to fill out a form with basic information so I can properly match two peer mediators to assist in the situation.
I also made it quite clear to these kiddos that I, along with all other members of the staff, care about the students and are here for them through everything we do.
Did anyone download any new music on Tuesday? I think Tuesday may be my favorite day of the week because it’s new release day. Shut up, I know that’s lame. There were actually four albums that I was really looking forward to and not one of them disappointed me.
Collective Soul released their first new album in years. I haven’t had a chance to really listen to it but they are such a talented group and make beautiful music. Lots of great soft rock songs. It’s hard to pin them down into a genre, they actually kind of remind me of the Back Alley Saints. Download “Understanding”.
Colbie Caillat is best known for her hit summer single “Bubbly”. She is in tough competition with all the other female singer-songwriters that have emerged in the music industry, but I love her voice and style. Her 17 song album is packed full of beautiful, heartfelt songs. I can’t decide which one is my favorite, but I’d suggest downloading “I Never Told You”.
I first heard about MuteMath when Chris Sligh talked about them often during Season 6 of American Idol. They are super creative and talented, actually a lot like Collective Soul. Download “Lost Year”.
Of the four, Phil Stacey’s is my favorite. I am so ecstatic that he went the Christian music route. Phil is a very talented vocalist, one of those idol contestants that is forgotten to easily. I didn’t think his first country album showcased his strong, beautiful voice but this one connects the listener to the music. It’s inspiring, it’s strong, and it’s beautiful. I am so proud of him and hope he will continue to succeed! Download “Into the Light”, “You’re Not Shaken”, or “Old Glory”.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
"Hold Onto Your Faith, There Will Come A Day"
When I tell people that I am spending a year doing volunteer service at an inner city high school, I get one of two reactions. I either get "that's so wonderful, we need more pepole like you" or I get "why are you taking a job where you aren't getting paid? You're crazy. I could never do that". Let me make something nice and clear for you. It's not about the money. I am rather enjoying living off of 200 dollars (for food and personal) a month. It really makes me understand what's important. A large part of this experience of being a Mercy Volunteer focuses on spiritual growth. Each of my community members and me has had discussions about this and all of us are looking to grow spiritually during the year. We have set aside a special night to discuss spirituality, and we also attend Mass with one another and are looking to start a Bible Study. Since I will be talking about my growth and knowledge this next year, I thought it may be a good idea to give a background on my faith life thus far.
I was born and raised Catholic and still actively practice Catholicism, although I could probably describe myself as a “liberal Catholic” because I disagree with some of the beliefs. For example, the Catholic Church is traditionally against gay marriage, while I fully support it and cannot grasp the concept of the inequality toward gay couples. Anyways, back to my roots. My family used to attend Mass every Sunday; I went to a Catholic elementary school where I had a “religion” class every year. I was baptized, received my First Communion, had my first Reconciliation, and was confirmed all from birth until I was thirteen. I can remember always being very interested in my religion classes, depending on the teacher that was usually my favorite class. I loved learning about Jesus and the Catholic faith. When those close to me passed away, I understood that they went to Heaven and were now looking out for us. I remember feeling it was unfair, but never questioned God’s love for me or my family. I know that I can thank my parents and teachers for this strong belief.
I understood the “textbook” aspect of faith; I knew that God loved me and that I could talk to him, and that we had to attend Mass every week. However, I don’t think I got a real grasp of spirituality and faith until the later part of high school.
During my first two years, I strived to get involved in athletics and clubs. It wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year when I discovered pastoral ministry. I knew some friends who were involved but had never thought of joining. While I felt I was close with God, I didn’t think I needed to be a part of retreats or planning the masses. I will never forget the day I was walking through the halls and Miss Buckley was standing outside the pastoral team door, recruiting students to come join. I’m not quite sure what made me walk in, but I did, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. There were a few other students in the room who were helping to plan an upcoming prayer service. I took a seat and joined them, within moments that room was my home at Mercy. The next year I became more involved, especially after attending my fall junior retreat. At the retreat we watched Simon Birch and then discussed God’s plan for us. I felt that I was needed in pastoral ministry and that I could help other girls find their faith, as I had. In the spring, I signed up for KAIROS, which is a senior retreat that happens four times a year with a different group of about 40-60 girls. The spring retreat is open for 10 juniors who think that they may be interested in leading a Kairos retreat for their class the next year. Each retreat has six leaders, so after the very first one in the fall, those retreatants can then apply to be a leader for one of the next retreats. Does that make sense? Anyways, I had always wanted to be a Kairos leader. You hear about Kairos and how “amazing” and “life changing” it is from the day you step foot at Mercy. Here’s the thing. It was amazing, I learned a lot, but when I attended as a junior, it was not life changing. I thought that there might be something wrong with me, until I had a chat with Mrs. Mac, who set me straight. She really encouraged me to apply to be a Kairos leader; she said that it would be an excellent way for me to be a servant of God. That concept was beautiful to me. I had never looked at faith that way. I wanted so badly to serve God, and thankfully, so did He. I was chosen to be a leader for the fall Kairos retreat, and guess what? It was life changing. I had to give a talk on my life (obstacles, accomplishments, people who inspire me) to my class, and I have never been so scared in my life. I remember sitting in the big room before everyone filed in, praying for the Holy Spirit to come through me during my talk. The Holy Spirit came, alright. I felt so moved and strong.
Throughout the year, many girls would write me letters or privately talk to me about how I brought faith into their lives. ME. Megan Carolin, student council VP, theatre dork, pastoral team member. I was friends with everyone in high school and always had a smile on my face and a hug to give out, but never did I think that I could change people. I was on a roll! I had a close relationship with God that was not defined by my knowledge of scripture or the workings of Mass, but by filling my heart with his love and then pouring that love to others.
Unfortunately, there was a time in my life where I lost all of that. As soon as I got to college, I found the Catholic Church on campus. I was excited and ready to get involved. Do you know how many times I attended mass during my first two and ½-three years? Not many. Prayer? Rarely. I only prayed when I needed something, not a loving relationship with God. Instead, I filled my life with my sorority, school, food, anxiety, and drinking. God was not on my list of priorities. Funny thing is, most of my friends still considered me the “religious one”. Little did they know I had put God so far back in my mind I wasn’t even sure He loved me, or if I loved Him? It was easy to say, but tough to act on. I know this happens to so many; I don’t feel bad about it nor am I ashamed. Those three years of my life taught me many lessons. I think one of the hardest parts was that I had very few friends who were Catholic, and those who were did not practice. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about my faith, so I just forgot about it.
Most of you know what happened next. Melinda came around. You’ve probably heard the story so I’ll spark notes it. I had been very depressed my sophomore year of college and barely came out of my room. One time I was in class and my teacher said “sometimes all it takes is one person to bring you out of your darkest time of your life”. I think that was one of the darkest times I’ll ever go through (I’ll never quite know for sure). I came home and for the first time in years I just sat on my bed, crying and praying to God to bring me that person. Cue American Idol. Cue this woman who was singing “There Will Come a Day” so beautifully that she made me believe it and want to change. I know that happened for a reason, I know that Melinda is my person. After that things changed…they were not perfect, but I was a changed person. My faith opened back up (ha!); I was holding God highest in my heart and mind once again.
For the next year or so, I found myself slowly coming back to the person I once was, but I never felt completely fulfilled. There always seemed to be something missing. It turns out it was my high anxiety that was holding me back from many wonderful opportunities to grow in faith. I was determined to make my senior year different, to become more involved and to continue to grow. I saw Melinda the day before I started classes, and she hugged me so tight and told me to be myself, not be afraid, and go after every opportunity. That was quite a blessing and I know the Holy Spirit was working through her to share those words with me. During that fall I was able to connect with Mandisa and ask for her advice on faith and food addiction. Her words of wisdom have helped me in more ways than I could possibly imagine, she particularly encouraged me to attend a retreat for my local Church. Although I was terrified, I went to get over my anxiety. It was a big step for me and I had several people praying for me over the weekend, including Mandisa. The next few months I continued to foster a stronger, loving relationship with God by recognizing my struggles with anxiety and food. Once I could grasp that I had been filling holes in my life with items other than God, I could learn to grow from that.
Toward the end of my senior year, I was at a total loss of what I wanted to accomplish once I graduated from Western. I knew that it would be something where I could help people, as that has always been my passion. Mercy Volunteer Corps landed in my lap and it is the greatest decision- it is going to allow for me to grow spiritually and mentally while serving the poor and marginalized.
So that’s my faith story. A long and winding road that has lead me to be a stronger person who cares compassionately for others and loves God. I speak openly with God and thirst for more knowledge.
I know this is already long (let’s count how many times I’ve ever said that) but before I end I want to share some pieces of advice/words of wisdom I have received from others on faith.
“You are a result of God’s friendship. Affirm God’s presence in you by loving yourself!”- Monica
“You should be confident of your abilities, but a little afraid so that you want to learn. You should be independent, but not alone. You should have faith in God, but also faith in yourself that you can affect change. You should be cautious, but you should love”-Dad
“Open your heart to receive the tremendous blessings that the Lord would like to bestow on you, and right now at this moment think of one blessing that you offer the world”.- Miss Buckley
“Seek God in yourself and when you do, you can find Him in others”. - Kristin
“I think that God has paved a journey for us and we make the decision to follow it…but He’ll always steer us in the right direction”- Alicia
-Anything and everything that Mandisa and Melinda have ever told me about God. If I were to start quoting I would not stop.
Cookie if you read that :-)
I was born and raised Catholic and still actively practice Catholicism, although I could probably describe myself as a “liberal Catholic” because I disagree with some of the beliefs. For example, the Catholic Church is traditionally against gay marriage, while I fully support it and cannot grasp the concept of the inequality toward gay couples. Anyways, back to my roots. My family used to attend Mass every Sunday; I went to a Catholic elementary school where I had a “religion” class every year. I was baptized, received my First Communion, had my first Reconciliation, and was confirmed all from birth until I was thirteen. I can remember always being very interested in my religion classes, depending on the teacher that was usually my favorite class. I loved learning about Jesus and the Catholic faith. When those close to me passed away, I understood that they went to Heaven and were now looking out for us. I remember feeling it was unfair, but never questioned God’s love for me or my family. I know that I can thank my parents and teachers for this strong belief.
I understood the “textbook” aspect of faith; I knew that God loved me and that I could talk to him, and that we had to attend Mass every week. However, I don’t think I got a real grasp of spirituality and faith until the later part of high school.
During my first two years, I strived to get involved in athletics and clubs. It wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year when I discovered pastoral ministry. I knew some friends who were involved but had never thought of joining. While I felt I was close with God, I didn’t think I needed to be a part of retreats or planning the masses. I will never forget the day I was walking through the halls and Miss Buckley was standing outside the pastoral team door, recruiting students to come join. I’m not quite sure what made me walk in, but I did, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. There were a few other students in the room who were helping to plan an upcoming prayer service. I took a seat and joined them, within moments that room was my home at Mercy. The next year I became more involved, especially after attending my fall junior retreat. At the retreat we watched Simon Birch and then discussed God’s plan for us. I felt that I was needed in pastoral ministry and that I could help other girls find their faith, as I had. In the spring, I signed up for KAIROS, which is a senior retreat that happens four times a year with a different group of about 40-60 girls. The spring retreat is open for 10 juniors who think that they may be interested in leading a Kairos retreat for their class the next year. Each retreat has six leaders, so after the very first one in the fall, those retreatants can then apply to be a leader for one of the next retreats. Does that make sense? Anyways, I had always wanted to be a Kairos leader. You hear about Kairos and how “amazing” and “life changing” it is from the day you step foot at Mercy. Here’s the thing. It was amazing, I learned a lot, but when I attended as a junior, it was not life changing. I thought that there might be something wrong with me, until I had a chat with Mrs. Mac, who set me straight. She really encouraged me to apply to be a Kairos leader; she said that it would be an excellent way for me to be a servant of God. That concept was beautiful to me. I had never looked at faith that way. I wanted so badly to serve God, and thankfully, so did He. I was chosen to be a leader for the fall Kairos retreat, and guess what? It was life changing. I had to give a talk on my life (obstacles, accomplishments, people who inspire me) to my class, and I have never been so scared in my life. I remember sitting in the big room before everyone filed in, praying for the Holy Spirit to come through me during my talk. The Holy Spirit came, alright. I felt so moved and strong.
Throughout the year, many girls would write me letters or privately talk to me about how I brought faith into their lives. ME. Megan Carolin, student council VP, theatre dork, pastoral team member. I was friends with everyone in high school and always had a smile on my face and a hug to give out, but never did I think that I could change people. I was on a roll! I had a close relationship with God that was not defined by my knowledge of scripture or the workings of Mass, but by filling my heart with his love and then pouring that love to others.
Unfortunately, there was a time in my life where I lost all of that. As soon as I got to college, I found the Catholic Church on campus. I was excited and ready to get involved. Do you know how many times I attended mass during my first two and ½-three years? Not many. Prayer? Rarely. I only prayed when I needed something, not a loving relationship with God. Instead, I filled my life with my sorority, school, food, anxiety, and drinking. God was not on my list of priorities. Funny thing is, most of my friends still considered me the “religious one”. Little did they know I had put God so far back in my mind I wasn’t even sure He loved me, or if I loved Him? It was easy to say, but tough to act on. I know this happens to so many; I don’t feel bad about it nor am I ashamed. Those three years of my life taught me many lessons. I think one of the hardest parts was that I had very few friends who were Catholic, and those who were did not practice. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about my faith, so I just forgot about it.
Most of you know what happened next. Melinda came around. You’ve probably heard the story so I’ll spark notes it. I had been very depressed my sophomore year of college and barely came out of my room. One time I was in class and my teacher said “sometimes all it takes is one person to bring you out of your darkest time of your life”. I think that was one of the darkest times I’ll ever go through (I’ll never quite know for sure). I came home and for the first time in years I just sat on my bed, crying and praying to God to bring me that person. Cue American Idol. Cue this woman who was singing “There Will Come a Day” so beautifully that she made me believe it and want to change. I know that happened for a reason, I know that Melinda is my person. After that things changed…they were not perfect, but I was a changed person. My faith opened back up (ha!); I was holding God highest in my heart and mind once again.
For the next year or so, I found myself slowly coming back to the person I once was, but I never felt completely fulfilled. There always seemed to be something missing. It turns out it was my high anxiety that was holding me back from many wonderful opportunities to grow in faith. I was determined to make my senior year different, to become more involved and to continue to grow. I saw Melinda the day before I started classes, and she hugged me so tight and told me to be myself, not be afraid, and go after every opportunity. That was quite a blessing and I know the Holy Spirit was working through her to share those words with me. During that fall I was able to connect with Mandisa and ask for her advice on faith and food addiction. Her words of wisdom have helped me in more ways than I could possibly imagine, she particularly encouraged me to attend a retreat for my local Church. Although I was terrified, I went to get over my anxiety. It was a big step for me and I had several people praying for me over the weekend, including Mandisa. The next few months I continued to foster a stronger, loving relationship with God by recognizing my struggles with anxiety and food. Once I could grasp that I had been filling holes in my life with items other than God, I could learn to grow from that.
Toward the end of my senior year, I was at a total loss of what I wanted to accomplish once I graduated from Western. I knew that it would be something where I could help people, as that has always been my passion. Mercy Volunteer Corps landed in my lap and it is the greatest decision- it is going to allow for me to grow spiritually and mentally while serving the poor and marginalized.
So that’s my faith story. A long and winding road that has lead me to be a stronger person who cares compassionately for others and loves God. I speak openly with God and thirst for more knowledge.
I know this is already long (let’s count how many times I’ve ever said that) but before I end I want to share some pieces of advice/words of wisdom I have received from others on faith.
“You are a result of God’s friendship. Affirm God’s presence in you by loving yourself!”- Monica
“You should be confident of your abilities, but a little afraid so that you want to learn. You should be independent, but not alone. You should have faith in God, but also faith in yourself that you can affect change. You should be cautious, but you should love”-Dad
“Open your heart to receive the tremendous blessings that the Lord would like to bestow on you, and right now at this moment think of one blessing that you offer the world”.- Miss Buckley
“Seek God in yourself and when you do, you can find Him in others”. - Kristin
“I think that God has paved a journey for us and we make the decision to follow it…but He’ll always steer us in the right direction”- Alicia
-Anything and everything that Mandisa and Melinda have ever told me about God. If I were to start quoting I would not stop.
Cookie if you read that :-)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Not to worry, friends! Even though I haven’t had internet since Thursday, I’ve been jotting down things I wanted to share with you since then.
Thursday was my first experience working in the classroom. It was quite a strange feeling to have thirty 14 year olds staring at you. My job for the day was to have the students fill out their I-9 forms. In each session, we got them completed rather quickly, so I moved into introduction and discussion on Cristo Rey. I had some students ask me why I chose to volunteer there, I had others who came up to me in private to share that they wanted to help with peer mediation. I even had one student wait after class and then show me her poetry notebook, because I had mentioned that I was going to start a creative writing extracurricular. It was cool that she already trusted me and wanted to share something so intimate with me.
Friday was the retreat for all new students, freshmen and sophomore transfers. We had Mass in the morning, and Fr. Jose gave a beautiful homily about God’s ability to bring each of us through obstacles we face, and that each of us were still standing here together for a reason. I think that was a message that everyone, including the adults (so weird that I’m considered an ‘adult’ now) in the room, needed to hear. The group was then split into two separate groups. I went with Mr. Lacross and Mr. Dixon with a group of students outside to the ropes course. It was a serious of obstacles that required team work and communication in order for the entire group to accomplish the task. There was a group of girls in our group that were very stand-offish and scared, but I would have been (and probably still am to this day) the same way. I made sure to take extra time and encourage them through the tasks. I turned two of the four around, they started volunteering first and being more active. In a conversation with Mr. Dixon later, I had another revelation about myself. He said “It’s too bad that some kids are too afraid of what others think or of hurting others to put themselves out there.” That is exactly my issue. I fear hurting other’s feelings or what they will think so much that it puts restrictions on what I push myself to do. However, I can honestly and proudly say that during these past three weeks, I have pushed myself out there more than I have in years.
That night, the four of us went to Sr. Cecilia’s house for Bible Study night which she hosts every month with friends from her church. She was ecstatic that we attended, as were her friends. First we did contemplation, and then we read the readings for mass this Sunday and discussed them. It was a great experience to hear views and thoughts from many different backgrounds. The one thing I pulled from the discussion was that “God is Love”. So simple, yet so complex at the same time. Dave and I had a nice little conversation after the Bible Study about putting God first and having love in our hearts. The four of us then had dinner together, which Nate and Katie cooked. I love our community meals, sharing conversation and ideas with one another.
Saturday we headed over to Eastern Market with our fabulous, one of a kind neighbor, Frank. We didn’t do much shopping but looked around and got a feel for prices and selection. It was great seeing so many people involved in the city. Later we took a trip out to Dearborn for Dave to get a tux for his friend’s wedding and to get a few small items at Wal-Mart. We’ve still spent very little of our personal money. I even denied Starbucks because I don’t want to waste my money on expensive coffee. That night we decided to treat ourselves to eating out for dinner. We went to one of the local Corktown bars, actually one that is quite famous for game days. We wanted to go somewhere local to meet people, but ended up being the only ones in there. It was still nice to get out of the house though. We came home and watched Dogma and SNL together.
Sunday we visited our second stop of our “Church Crawl”, St. Aloysius. We loved it! The congregation was very diverse, we knew people, and the priest was awesome. We met up with three of the seven Jesuit Volunteers. Sr. Cecilia was there and made us feel very welcomed. After Mass, Katie and Dave went to the grocery store while Nate and I just hung out at home. I went over to Sr. Mary Kelly and Renee’s house down the block to do my laundry (we don’t have a dryer, so they let us use their’s) and had a nice chat with Renee. Came home for dinner and was in the middle of typing this when Dave knocked on my door and said Robert (former MVC) invited us to a free concert downtown. I knew I had to wake up early and that I should go to sleep early, but I also knew I should take advantage of the opportunity. So the four of us met up with Robert, had a beer, and got a sense of the local Detroit music scene. Even though I’ve lived here all my life I’ve never been to a local band concert. It was cool to see different people from the city gathering. We just dropped in and it’s almost midnight so I should be getting to bed.
That's the entry I wrote for up until Sunday night. I'll write more about this week later :-)
Thursday was my first experience working in the classroom. It was quite a strange feeling to have thirty 14 year olds staring at you. My job for the day was to have the students fill out their I-9 forms. In each session, we got them completed rather quickly, so I moved into introduction and discussion on Cristo Rey. I had some students ask me why I chose to volunteer there, I had others who came up to me in private to share that they wanted to help with peer mediation. I even had one student wait after class and then show me her poetry notebook, because I had mentioned that I was going to start a creative writing extracurricular. It was cool that she already trusted me and wanted to share something so intimate with me.
Friday was the retreat for all new students, freshmen and sophomore transfers. We had Mass in the morning, and Fr. Jose gave a beautiful homily about God’s ability to bring each of us through obstacles we face, and that each of us were still standing here together for a reason. I think that was a message that everyone, including the adults (so weird that I’m considered an ‘adult’ now) in the room, needed to hear. The group was then split into two separate groups. I went with Mr. Lacross and Mr. Dixon with a group of students outside to the ropes course. It was a serious of obstacles that required team work and communication in order for the entire group to accomplish the task. There was a group of girls in our group that were very stand-offish and scared, but I would have been (and probably still am to this day) the same way. I made sure to take extra time and encourage them through the tasks. I turned two of the four around, they started volunteering first and being more active. In a conversation with Mr. Dixon later, I had another revelation about myself. He said “It’s too bad that some kids are too afraid of what others think or of hurting others to put themselves out there.” That is exactly my issue. I fear hurting other’s feelings or what they will think so much that it puts restrictions on what I push myself to do. However, I can honestly and proudly say that during these past three weeks, I have pushed myself out there more than I have in years.
That night, the four of us went to Sr. Cecilia’s house for Bible Study night which she hosts every month with friends from her church. She was ecstatic that we attended, as were her friends. First we did contemplation, and then we read the readings for mass this Sunday and discussed them. It was a great experience to hear views and thoughts from many different backgrounds. The one thing I pulled from the discussion was that “God is Love”. So simple, yet so complex at the same time. Dave and I had a nice little conversation after the Bible Study about putting God first and having love in our hearts. The four of us then had dinner together, which Nate and Katie cooked. I love our community meals, sharing conversation and ideas with one another.
Saturday we headed over to Eastern Market with our fabulous, one of a kind neighbor, Frank. We didn’t do much shopping but looked around and got a feel for prices and selection. It was great seeing so many people involved in the city. Later we took a trip out to Dearborn for Dave to get a tux for his friend’s wedding and to get a few small items at Wal-Mart. We’ve still spent very little of our personal money. I even denied Starbucks because I don’t want to waste my money on expensive coffee. That night we decided to treat ourselves to eating out for dinner. We went to one of the local Corktown bars, actually one that is quite famous for game days. We wanted to go somewhere local to meet people, but ended up being the only ones in there. It was still nice to get out of the house though. We came home and watched Dogma and SNL together.
Sunday we visited our second stop of our “Church Crawl”, St. Aloysius. We loved it! The congregation was very diverse, we knew people, and the priest was awesome. We met up with three of the seven Jesuit Volunteers. Sr. Cecilia was there and made us feel very welcomed. After Mass, Katie and Dave went to the grocery store while Nate and I just hung out at home. I went over to Sr. Mary Kelly and Renee’s house down the block to do my laundry (we don’t have a dryer, so they let us use their’s) and had a nice chat with Renee. Came home for dinner and was in the middle of typing this when Dave knocked on my door and said Robert (former MVC) invited us to a free concert downtown. I knew I had to wake up early and that I should go to sleep early, but I also knew I should take advantage of the opportunity. So the four of us met up with Robert, had a beer, and got a sense of the local Detroit music scene. Even though I’ve lived here all my life I’ve never been to a local band concert. It was cool to see different people from the city gathering. We just dropped in and it’s almost midnight so I should be getting to bed.
That's the entry I wrote for up until Sunday night. I'll write more about this week later :-)
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