Aquí Estoy
inspirada en la vida de Chris Posch, nuestro hermano inspired by the life of Chris Posch, our brother Here I am, aquí estoy, open heart, open arms, present to God who is with you. Para cantar y para bailar, (to sing and to dance) to rejoice in God’s goodness to us. Para alabar unidos (to praise together) with our siblings in all of creation. Aquí estoy, (here I am) Para compartir y para escuchar, (to share and to listen) to learn from each other, and walk with each other, amando en comunidad. (loving in community) Here I am, aquí estoy, open heart, open arms, present to God who is with you. Para trabajar, (to work) to work for justice. Para dialogar, (to have dialogue) to practice peace. Here [...]
Service During COVID-19
For most people, I’d be willing to bet that the past year or so has changed their general relationship with expectations or assumptions. I know that for myself, this switch has been major, especially as it applies to my time as an FVM. I had planned on a year of service for at least half of my time in college. Though I didn’t quite have an equivalent experience to know exactly what it would be like, I had some overall assumptions that probably would have been sound had it been any other year. As it happened, however, COVID-19 arrived into our lives and left no stone unturned. Now, instead of explaining to confused relatives why I would ever want to do a year of service, I had to explain [...]
Not Just Any Job
My first days as an FVM at the St. Francis Inn are a blur. There was some nervousness, self-consciousness, and a little homesickness. These are the earmarks of an enormous life change. Somehow, though, all those feelings disappeared in the whirl of learning how to do 100 new tasks; meeting a multitude of new people; and getting to know my coworkers, who quickly became my second family. I quickly learned how to drive the enormous van to pick up daily donations of bread and various other baked goods. I now have the satisfaction of knowing I have, on many occasions, helped prepare a meal for over 400 people. I have had the opportunity to truly minister to people. I have listened to people who had no one else to [...]
The Importance of Names
It isn’t an easy year to do service. Because of social distancing requirements, guests aren’t allowed to come into the St. Francis Inn as they used to, where we would serve them meals, restaurant style; instead, we’ve been giving them bagged meals to-go. When I’m at the bag window, most conversations are limited as I hand out one bag to a guest, then the next. Regretfully, you have to tell a guest who does try to chat you up that they have to step aside, as others are behind them. But there are always ways of connecting with others, even small ones. What I’ve tried to do is learn the names of many of the guests who come to the inn frequently; when I’m at the bag window, I [...]
RESPECT
At the St. Francis Inn, there is a sign on the inside of the door that says “Smile--Jesus is at the door!”, reminding team members and volunteers that no matter how late they are after the meal, no matter what their request is, whoever is at the door holds God within them. What a gift that year was to me. However, instead of always wishing I could go back to that year and feeling like no experience after that could measure up, I can remember that what I learned during my FVM year and the relationships I formed are within me forever. A quote I’ve fallen in love with recently that makes the same beautiful point as that sign at the Inn is this: Remember Everyone Suffers Painful Experiences; [...]