Day 3 Chicago 2016
Day 3 – Senior Adventures
Hello from Chicago, it’s Allyson, Anna, and Lisa! Today was another beautiful day in the Windy City (but, it actually wasn’t windy). Any who, we had a full day of work, playing with kids, and visiting with the senior citizens of the community. We started the morning doing a variety of tasks: cleaning the church, setting up for tomorrow’s community dinner, picking up trash, and filling confirmation retreat goodie good bags for 200 kids. It was a great day in the neighborhood! Here are our personal reflections for the day:
Hello… It’s me…. I’ve been wondering what all the seniors are up to and couldn’t wait to meet them. During our bible study and lunch with the senior citizens, I had the pleasure of meeting Erika. Erika was born in Germany and made her way to the United States after a series of tragic life events. I was privileged to hear about her journey and experiences. Learning about someone’s life and their hardships can really put your life into perspective. Erika has six children who were not only raised by her, but the entire community of West Chicago. Some of the many events that she has encountered were traveling to the US (from Germany) alone with children after her husband lost contact with her in the military. Once here, she struggled to get housing and lived with her sister. She reunited with her husband, only to develop an unhealthy relationship with him. She gave birth to one of her children alone on the kitchen floor, while trying not to awaken the rest of her children upstairs. Her life was threatened by her husband who said if she wanted a divorce, he would behead her and use her head to juggle with. Hearing these horrific stories and many more made my problems and struggles seem so simple and mundane. The best part of spending my afternoon with Erika was seeing the joy that she had. Even after everything she has been through, she always had a smile on her face and cares immensely about this community. The neighbors of West Chicago are her family, even with the many problems that are here. I am personally excited to continue our conversion tomorrow at the community dinner. Just in the short time we talked, I feel like I learned a lot about the need to appreciate the small joys in life. Peace and love to all
– Allyson H.
Hi all!
In preparation for this trip, we have been talking a lot about finding God in others. In mass on Sunday, I was reflecting on this and making a conscious effort to see Christ in every person present. While I was contemplating this, I realized that often times I forget to acknowledge that Christ is within me as well. It made me take a step back and think about how I am reflecting the person of Christ in my everyday encounters. How are my actions demonstrating God’s love and mercy for every person? Thinking about this has helped to guide my actions thus far this week. Not only have I tried recognizing Christ living within me, but in all those I encounter. This afternoon we had the opportunity to hang out with some kids at the after school program down the street. Today, I got to spend time with Lakayla, Jenny, and a few other kindergarten and first grade girls. They are all so full of energy, excitement and joy! It is really life giving to be able to spend time with them. We worked on their homework and they read me a few books. I saw God in their simple joy and enthusiasm for life. After dinner, we headed to the Immaculate Conception parish to have mass with the parishioners there, who were finishing up a parish retreat. After the mass, we went to a reception where we got to visit with some of the members. Don, one of the parishioners, made quite the impression on our group. Don is an incredibly outgoing and friendly man who is about 86 years old. He absolutely loved the fact that we were from Montana and would sing songs about Texas whenever one of us said where we were from… It was great. He had everyone laughing and had something to comment about each of our majors. Don’s love for us was evident, even though we were strangers to him. I think he really demonstrated what it means to be a family of God. Everyone is welcome, invited and loved. His loving, goofy presence is where I saw God the most.
So far, it has been a very blessed and eye opening experience. The people here are truly amazing and I am so excited to see what the rest of the week will bring!
Peace and blessings,
Peace and blessings,
– Anna F.
Hi everyone! Today was another blessed day working with the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of the Angels. After serving with them these past few days, I have come to truly appreciate all the work (especially the behind the scenes jobs) they do and the amazing impact they have on the community here. While dusting and cleaning the back closets of the church this morning, I thought about how every job has meaning and purpose no matter how small it may seem; the Sisters have taught me that. The Sisters do every job, whether minute or important, with such joy and so much energy, it’s infectious! I am having more fun than I ever thought I would working here at the mission. While cleaning out bins yesterday, I reflected on how every person is called to serve God by serving one another in little, indirect ways along with the big, direct ways. I truly see God in every single Sister, especially in the way they treat the people they serve here (who they refer to as their neighbors). I have been very blessed to witness God’s love in all the people I have interacted with thus far (shout out to Ms. Agnes, the adorable elderly lady I visited with this afternoon at bible study!) and am excited to interact more with the kids later this week. Thank you to everyone at home for your prayers and well wishes! Good night and God bless!!
– Lisa V.
Day 3 McAllen 2016
March 8, 2016
McAllen, Texas
Hola Amigos! Today was an eventful day to say the least. We began by celebrating International Women’s day with a march with some other wonderful women (and men)! We heard some amazing stories from amazing women while we ate lunch. These stories ranged from a 75-year-old women still working in the fields, to a woman talking about her success and perseverance in her education. These stories helped us to reflect on the great role that women play in our society, to put it in a nutshell proverbs 31: 10-31.
After our celebracion, we headed to Sacred Heart to continue our work with the immigrants. However, many hands make idle work and in our case there were many hands, so it was a little bit slower today. There were two other groups volunteering, a high school group from Dallas and a college group from Miami. Both of these groups were very enthusiastic and wanted to help out which was really great to see, and despite being slow we were still able to connect with the immigrants and the other volunteers. Even though it was hard to let the other groups step in and take a more interpersonal role with the immigrants we were able to let go and help them with the process of forming these relationships with the immigrants. It will be fun to see these two groups change as we did: going from shy and unsure, to excited and welcoming.
Tonight we went to daily mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan Valle. It was a lovely mass, but sadly no mariachi band tonight! The mass was very much needed, because a lot of us have been swept up with all of the emotions and stories shared while serving and walking with the immigrants. It provided peace and refilled our spirits, so that we can come back tomorrow and better serve those who we are called to encounter. After mass, we received a tour of the Basilica from Sister Rosa. She informed us about the history of the Basilica and some of the miracles behind it. For example, a plane crashed into the original church, which caused it to catch fire. However, despite there being a very damaging fire there was only one causality (the pilot) and the statue of the Immaculate Conception was saved by the religious who inhabited the church. Then, approximately ten years later the new Basilica was built and is a common site for pilgrims to come visit across the nation.
Overall, this experience has pushed us all very much outside of our comfort zone and has forced us to see issues that we never have had to face in Montana. We are excited to see what God has in store for us tomorrow. J
Sincerely,
Alize and Migin (Elise and Megan)
Day 3 Denver 2016
3/8/16, Denver Colorado
Post by Kyle J. Baker
Special thanks to Firestone Complete Auto Care on N. Broadway in Denver for providing me with the free wifi needed to submit this post while I waited for not one, but two tires that picked up nails somewhere on the freeway in Wyoming to be repaired.
This morning we were invited to join the Christ in the City missionaries in their daily practice of attending 6:30am Mass with a community of Missionaries of Charity that also reside at St. Joseph Parish. In modern history no giant stands taller in regard to service to the poor and vulnerable than the foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa (who while walking the earth stood at barely 5’0”). Born in 1910 as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu and known as Sr. Teresa after her entrance into the Sisters of Loreto, she received what she described as a “call within the call,” on a train to Darjeeling which led to the founding of the Missionaries of Charity. During her life on earth, Mother Teresa both inspired and disturbed people with her unflinching commitment to the dignity of every individual person and most particularly society’s most vulnerable, including the unborn, those shunned due to physical or mental disabilities and illnesses such as leprosy, tuberculosis, and AIDS, and those society has left to die in the streets. After her death, Mother Teresa’s profile increased even more when her private writings (which she requested be destroyed upon her death, but the ethics of post-death publishing can and should be discussed in another forum) revealed that she had experienced a distance from God for decades. Again this invited criticism from those greatly discomforted or confused by Mother Teresa’s ministry, and a sense of solidarity for those many of us who know the feeling of starting out over vast horizons and wondering if God does indeed know us in the intimate ways the scriptures suggest. In spite of this “darkness and coldness and emptiness” that Mother Teresa first began writing about in 1957, her Saintly service to the world continued and she began each morning with her sisters in the presence of the Eucharist, just as we were invited to do today.
This particular community of the Missionaries of Charity was established in remarkable fashion by Mother Teresa herself, and is part of the incredible story of how Denver has become the seat of the New Evangelization in the US. Since entering the Catholic Church ten years ago, I have found the charisms and practices of religious orders and communities within them fascinating. Each religious order and communities within them establish specific operational expressions of spirituality, often called “rules.” Another way of describing how religious orders develop this might be to say that they establish the way in which the members of the community individually and collectively live in relationship to God and others. Being invited to join in the practices of a community is similar to being invited to the most personal areas of your home, and I am always honored when I am invited to do so. The opportunity to join at the Eucharistic table in the community’s small chapel with Carroll students was very special.
I wonder what in that experience moved them. Was it similar to what struck me? Did the thorns on the crown of the crucified Jesus remind them of the tortured he endured? Did the photograph of a laughing Mother Teresa next to the altar remind them of the joy which God intends us to experience, even in the midst of trial and heartbreak? Did they wonder if being 5’0” or under was some kind of secret requirement for entering the order after seeing the four barefoot women clothed in white and blue kneel on the floor in the front of the room? Did they wonder if the celebrant was part of the Capuchin community I used to rent a house from? (Okay, I am sure they did not wonder that, but perhaps they were intrigued by his brown habit?).
And were they moved to tears by the same names that I was? Sister Margherite, Sr. Reginette, Sr. Judeth, and Sr. Anslem. The four Missionaries of Charity who along with a number of others (including those they were caring for) were killed in Yemen last week. Did they contemplate the horrible pain the sisters in front of us must have experienced upon hearing the news? Did they wonder if their killing had strengthened these sisters’ commitment to their vocation, or make them question it, or both? Did they wonder if any of these sisters in Denver knew the sisters that were killed in Yemen? Did they hear these names during the prayers of the faithful and know who they were; did they see the names written on the small chalkboard next to the number that showed them which hymn to sing?
What a powerful reminder of the commitment that we are invited (and this is such an important word, because it is not forced upon us, it is something we must choose in each moment) to in our faith. Our Bishop Thomas of Helena has often stated that now is not the time for “lukewarm Catholics.” Sometimes in the developed western world faith is to conveniently lived out. Parishes are places where people get dressed up for Easter and Christmas. A cross is a nice piece of jewelry. People state that they are praying for another person when they don’t know what else to say. I don’t mean to say that there not people who live their faith in deep, purposeful, and committed ways, there certainly are, but I would count myself among the many who must accept the invitation to grow in relationship and commitment to God, and in doing so serve those around me more consistently and in more compassionate ways.
Is the crucifix not the greatest reminder of what this commitment requires? After all, that is one of the reasons why we as Catholics venerate the crucifix and not just a bare cross (whose simplicity and symbolism also certainly have their place). Perhaps. But this morning, contemplating the realities that people face on the street every day here in Denver but also all around the world, there could have been no greater reminder for me of the limitless commitment that God is constantly inviting us to than to see the names of Sister Margherite, Sr. Reginette, Sr. Judeth, and Sr. Anslem scrawled on that tiny chalkboard through eyes filled with tears.
Day 2 Denver 2016
The First Encounter Monday March 7
By Mariah Schell and Ashley Maes
After a long day of travel and a good night’s rest, the Denvarians were ready for whatever the Lord had to show us today alongside our fellow missionaries here at Christ in the City. We woke up bright and early to start the day off in prayer, with mass celebrated at 7am in a renovated convent that now houses the CIC missionaries who have committed to a year of service here in Denver. If your question is, “how did a group of sleep-deprived college kids stay awake through a mass that early in the morning?” Well, the answer would be… not very easily. In fact, some of us may have closed our eyes and “prayed” for a while before snapping out of it again with the sounds of the original hardwood floors and pews creaking with every movement.
Our nerves were running high as we wondered what our first day would look like. We had very little information about what we would be doing, but the missionaries came to our rescue with (quite a few) slideshow presentations letting us know what we were getting into. We learned more about CIC, which has only been in Denver for 6 years, the “do’s and don’ts” of street ministry and how to have a meaningful conversation with the homeless we would inevitably encounter on our street walks. There were several groups that split up throughout the downtown Denver area; a few to the Capitol district, Speer Park and a couple to the 16th Street walking mall. Ashley and I were in one of the 16th street groups and our very first encounter was a surprising one. We approached a group of men who were sitting under a ledge getting shelter from the rain just off 16th street. They were immediately happy to see us and started chatting us up about their travels, hobbies and hometowns. In case you didn’t think this world is small enough, one of the men was originally from Butte, MT. That hit us Montana kids pretty hard, especially hearing his story about how he ended up as a homeless man in Denver, CO. Our eyes and hearts were immediately opened to the reality of poverty and to the individuals who are experiencing it.
Our second and final encounter, lasting two hours, was found on the walking mall itself. We approached two men, who had only been in Denver for 3 days so far. Jay was only 19 years old and a five-year traveller, while Matt was 28 and a ten-year traveller. They were sitting on a cement wall, their belongings only filling a backpack and small duffle bag. They didn’t hesitate to answer our questions and tell us their life stories, sometimes even telling us deep personal experiences without our prompting. There was never a break in the conversation, and you could see the gratitude in their eyes throughout the two-hour encounter. Most of the people that Christ in the City missionaries and volunteers encounter just want to be known and loved for who they are, instead of ignored or scowled at by normal people who pass them by on the streets. As our friend Jay told us, “It would make all the difference to us if more people like you would just stop and get to know us. We actually have personalities.”
Overall, the Denvarian Saints had an amazing first day in Denver. We had many stories to share at our group discussion and also some reflection time about what we saw. We spent time in silence and prayer after a day full of conversation with the impoverished citizens on the margins of Denver. At the end of the day, even though we may be in very different situations then they are, if we take the time to get to know them, we find out that a lot of us share some of the same struggles.
Day 2 McAllen 2016
Welcome to the blog post of AJ and Taylor! Proceed with caution…
Beginning the day with mass at Sacred Heart Parish was a great way to get our corazones de servicios started. From there, things only got better. We spent the next part of the morning helping clean and organize the inventory. Eli, who is in charge of the Sacred Heart Refugee Center, took us to the El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras consulates, where we were able to see and hear from the people that work at them. They opened our eyes to the different types of lives which people have that come across the border. The crime and dangers that surround them in their home countries are greater than we could ever imagine. Each country has its one issue and reasons as to why they leave. For Guatemala, it is because of the poor economy and lack of jobs where as Honduras and El Salvador are filled with violent cartels, which threaten lives. Young men are at great risk of being taken by the cartels and if they refuse, the cartels threaten the lives their families.
From there we went to lunch at Maria’s where the laughter was flowin’! Between the funny jokes and lighthearted conversations, this group is one that we are sure thankful to be apart of. Katie managed to close line herself in front of the restaurant, which gave everyone quite the laugh. After that we headed back to Sacred Heart where there were 14 migrants that we were able to be with. Thinking of their journey, it was hard for us to imagine ourselves in their shoes with the amount of danger and perils that they have to face. There is little to no security and everything they own was on their backs. They didn’t have anything to go back to and everything in front of them was risky and undetermined.
Along with these, so many blessing filled our day. Today was filled with eye opening experiences that is giving a wider perspective of the world around us. We are excited to see what tomorrow will bring.
Taylor and AJ
(Representatives of the unicorns in McAllen, Texas)
Day 1 and 2 Chicago 2016
Greetings from Chicago! Ben and Kelsey here to catch you up on the first two days of our week. We can’t really complain, our trip started out by arriving safely at the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist mission where, yes, we get to eat the delicious food of Chopped Champion Sr. Alica Torres. Sunday was our first official day where we went to Mass at the Cathedral. When people tell you that deep dish pizza is the best pizza you will ever have in America, they are not lying. We ate at Giordano’s restaurant. We can all according to Savanna, now say “we’ve officially “BEAN” tourist’s in Chicago” after we visited the bean. We also took the time to stop at The Chicago Art Institute. Today, we worked around the mission doing different tasks such as cleaning and organizing bins (which I (Kelsey) will probably dream of, there were so many). Cleaning pews in the church. Experiencing working with kids at Kelly Hall YMCA after school program and reflecting on the many adventures we have had thus far.
Ben Dulaney
Even as I continue to step out of my bounds and into this crazy world of adulthood, I still find myself running into the metaphorical brick walls of differing cultures. Today we traveled to Kelly Hall, a YMCA center that is a part the mission for this neighborhood. The after school program there is designed to keep kids off the streets while giving them a safe haven for a couple hours after school. While talking with some of the older kids, I quickly realized that I held very little in common with them. While their sports were basketball and football, mine were rowing and gymnastics. Their lives differed from mine in almost every way possible and I sat their awkwardly while trying to think of something to say. For me it begged the question, what have I done to deserve the life I have been given? I know in my heart that I have been blessed by the grace of God, yet it is still difficult for me to be content that this is merely how things are. Nothing I do will drastically change these people’s lives in a week, but my hope is that through these awkward exchanges, that I will learn to better communicate with a people I don’t always fully understand.
The Hidden Christ (Kelsey Bogumill)
I am a person who loves to understand, well, pretty much everything in life! Symbolism and reflection hold much meaning in my heart! So, one would assume that walking around The Chicago Art Institute is the perfect place to encounter meaning through symbolism and reflection. However, walking around the Modern Art exhibit was everything except being able to make sense of the art before us, which included paintings with just plain orange and white stripes, abstract art that made you question if you should submit your own abstract art to the Chicago Institute, and blank canvas’s in the color of white and blue (yes, I did say blank). This is not to stir you away from the Chicago Art Institute, we saw many truly beautiful pieces. It just shows that wandering around this exhibit, I was very quick to judge. Not just the art, but the people who made the art. Until I stumbled across a painting titled, “Heaven”…
Standing before this piece, I found myself (as I did with every other piece I came across) trying so hard to understand it. If I didn’t understand it, I was quick to judge it, and in my mind it shouldn’t be up on the wall. Art isn’t supposed to be hard to look at, right!? Then, something hit me. A word that truly we don’t understand, empathy. I started to let go of understanding, and began to view this piece through the lens of empathy. I tried to put myself into the shoes of this young woman. Instead of trying to understand this creative beauty, I let go, and tried to see what this artist see’s. That her painting reveals to the world what “heaven” is to her. What life is to her. What beauty, truth, and goodness are to her. But, most importantly, what love means to her. Woah!
This experience changed how I was going to enter into the rest of the week. I didn’t come to Chicago to “understand” a new culture of people, their world, or even who they are. I came to Chicago to serve! I came to put myself in the shoes of “the other”, to be with these people in their world as it is and love them there. Understanding is my way of grasping to make the uncomfortable, well, comfortable. Like the painting, it was time to let that go. As St. John Paull II famously stated, “Do not be afraid”. This week, will be a week of being open to where Christ is inside these people and sharing that love to help their poverties become less of a poverty, and more a grace and love that takes a deep root! It’s time to “go out” and meet Christ in the lives that we encounter.
Day 1 Denver 2016
The Maiden Voyage
5 am wake up and we’re off. We cram in Black Panther and Flash, our suburban and our Tahoe respectively, and hit the rode for the next 16 hours to Denver with plenty of bathroom breaks in between, thanks Ashley. Before we finished the first leg of our journey masks started to fade as we got to know each other on a deeper level instead of just 13 randos going on a Headlights trip together. Madlibs, Hangman, and mini info sessions on the lives of the Denvarians breaking barriers right and left. Some good questions asked include: If you were a food what would you be and why? What was a moment in your life that defines who you are? Who is a teacher that has had an impact on your life? And, what has made you happy this week? Mmm bonding, gotta love it. Our first leg concluded at the Bumble Bee Café in Buffalo, Wyoming, a quaint diner with great service if you’re ever in the area. Our first meal a success!
AND THEN CRISIS. Pop pssssssss. Flat tire. Left behind by Kyle’s car, Tyler and Heather, our fearless leaders, sprung into action only to be stiff armed by a freshman–Jennifer Woyak to the rescue. Over the course of the next hour, 3 fully functional adults learned how to change a flat on a new vehicle while the rest properly documented the experience. Freshman sure know how to selfie.
Our second leg ended at Guadalajara in Wheatland, WY–home of Carroll College’s own Vice President, Pierce Peasley–where we celebrated Alex’s first birthday in America. In Alex’s own words, “A Chinese kid in America celebrating at a Mexican restaurant, can you picture that?” Well we have pictures so you can.
Here’s to smooth sailing, no bathroom breaks, and many more Madlibs from Ashley on our last leg to Denver.
Goodnight from your fearless leaders, or I guess the elderly if you’re anyone else on the trip,
Heather and Tyler
Day 1 McAllen 2016
March 6, 2016
Hola amigos! Today, we started our morning with a beautiful mass at the Basillica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle. The mass was in English (while they do offer bilingual masses) with a mariachi band that lead us in song. It was unlike any other mass we’ve been to before. After, we enjoyed some breakfast burritos at the cafeteria located next to the Basillica, we then journeyed to Sacred Heart, located in McAllen, to begin our service. At first, we toured the facility and learned about some of the refugees/immigrants and their stories. Since the first group didn’t come in until 3:30, we grabbed lunch and visited a park located right next to the river that separated the US from Mexico. After some reflection and good food, we headed back to Sacred Heart to begin our service. There, approximately 13 immigrants entered the building. We welcomed them with a well-deserved applause, warm smiles, and a big “bienvenidos” to acknowledge their journey to the states.
From there, the families sat down to fill out paperwork and talk about the next step to get to their final destination. Some were staying in Texas and others were going far beyond McAllen to places such as Los Angeles or North Carolina. After, they were directed to a table where the facility provided hygiene packs filled with toothpaste, combs, lotion, shampoo, etc. We then fed them with soup and tortillas while we asked about their clothing sizes and picked out a new and clean outfit for them. The families then had the opportunity to shower and get all cleaned up. Throughout this process, many graces were received and God’s presence was apparent. First off, not many of us speak Spanish, adding a frustrating but beautiful struggle to the way we all interacted and attempted to learn the stories of the families. The young children in particular were so full of joy, laughter, and life even in the face of the hardships they encountered traveling to America. The strength of the families was overwhelming, and learning about the realities they had been facing in their country and the means by which they traveled exposed our ignorance. We have experienced many emotions, learned many things, and are anxious for what the days ahead hold for us.
Hasta luego amigos!
Karlie and Val
Day 5 Browning 2016
In honor of it being the one and only Day 5, we all woke up at five in the morning. We then proceeded to clean up the bunkhouse while meditating on the meaning of life. We then hopped into the van and car and dance partied our way the school. We all took part in making the most scrumptious breakfast whilst bumpin’ the tunes for the students. We were making such a fabulous breakfast so that the children would be well nourished before the infamous MAP testing. All of the children departed to their rooms and, for once, settled to a semi-low roar, sounding similar to the distant rolling thunder of the rainy season. After Mr. H fixed any and all technical issues with the iPads, the students began testing and we started to settle in to the first peaceful activities of the week, including pastel drawings and reading of literature. Suddenly, our ruthless leader, Dan, violently tore us away from the one peaceful moment we had experienced all week. Dan was able to make up for his violent actions by taking us to a super interesting speaker named Darren Kipp. After a week where it can be easy to become discouraged by all of the struggles and hardships that these people have to go through, Darren was able to instill hope in our hearts before we headed home. His father, Darrell Kipp, started the school Cut Woods to save the Blackfeet language. They’re goal was to take around 20-25 children and immerse them into the language and culture in their lessons and games that they play during the day. Then, you know, we carried on with the normal school day…oh my goodness I forgot we went to mass before that! The mass was hosted by the seventh grade class. The students crushed the final song, belting out the refrain to Eagle’s Wings. After enjoying a nutritious lunch and blowing off steam at recess, the students prepared to take the reading portion of the MAP tests. By the time they were done, it was time for us to head out. We said goodbyes and had lots of hugs and fist-bumps with the students and teachers before hitting the road. We made one more stop on the way out of town to the Cut Woods school that Darren had told us about. We were able to get a tour of the classrooms and kitchen while we were explained how each day goes for the students. They told us about how it’s not only the language that the students learn, but also the traditional games. Another important aspect of their education is to talk to elders in order to save and preserve the whole Blackfeet culture. Before leaving the school, we were able to listen to Robert Hall, one of the teachers. We were all captivated by the amazing conversation about the Pikani (Blackfeet) language, and our desire to understand grew tremendously.
We piled back into the cars for our trek home to Helena, saying goodbye to two of our own along the way. We left with a mission. The De la Salle children and the Pikani people left a mark on our hearts and we know this was only a “see you later” not a “goodbye.”
Colter and Anna
Day 4 in Browning 2016
Today was another action-packed day at the De La Salle Blackfeet School. We arrived prior to the beginning of classes and had time to play with the students. What started as shooting around, slowly transformed into a highly competitive game of lightning. Although our basketball skills are still lacking, we managed to hang in there for much of the game.
Following morning assembly, we moved into our respective classrooms (4th for Kaycee and 6th for Kurt). The excitement from shooting around carried into the classrooms and brought an energy you could not overlook!
In 6th grade, the day began with science which is difficult for the best of us, but especially so for these riled up kids. After the previous discussion on mitosis and meiosis, the kids were ready for something…more. So of course, the teacher rolled out Magic School Bus to illustrate the formation of a baby chick in detail. This video surprisingly encapsulated all the energy the children contained and brought their focus to a deeper understanding of the chick life cycle.
Back in fourth grade, we also were struggling with this difficult subject and were treated to a Magic School Bus episode on plant growth. This helped with the students understanding of plant nutrition, and brought me back to my days in elementary school.
Throughout the day, we were reminded of all the blessings that come with assisting in classrooms full of bright, excited children. One was a blessing of patience. In the sixth grade classroom, Leah somehow found it funny to repeatedly splash me (Kurt) with water throughout their religion lesson. Even though at first I thought about telling her to knock it off, I tried my best to contain my frustration. I knew that she might never stop no matter what I said, so I decided to take it from her perspective and laugh at myself. This reminded me that I shouldn’t always take the moment so seriously and it helped me to patiently find the humor in moments of frustration. Another blessing I (Kaycee) experienced was the seemingly unending energy of children. While this sometimes seemed like a curse (especially late in the day), it was refreshing to remember to find excitement in every aspect of my day—even boring science classes. One particular student, Brooke, seemed to always be laughing. I loved the joy she contained and the reminder to me to take the time to enjoy myself regardless of the situation. As well as patience and laughter, another blessing we experienced was a blessing of awareness. When sixth grade was in the language lesson, Mr. P asked if I (Kurt again) could work with a student named Shawn. Previously, from our interactions I did not believe that Shawn wanted anything to do with me. While we were working one-on-one I decided to give Shawn a little break from his schoolwork and I asked him if he had made an origami fortuneteller that he picked up off the ground. He told me that he did make it and explained to me how to use it. I asked him if he could make anything else, and he said he could make a paper crane. I told him about my attempt at making a paper crane and how the wings couldn’t flap. So he proceeded to show me how to make a proper paper crane, and then gave it to me when he was done. We carried on a short conversation before we had to return to class. This conversation made me aware of what a nice and courageous gesture this was from Shawn. Even though I had only been around for a few days, he was able to open up about himself and teach me a few things along the way.
Although this is our last night here, we are looking forward to a full day tomorrow and more blessings to come!
Brought to you by, Kurt and Kaycee
Carroll College Campus Ministry 