Fred and Matea
Hey there everybody!!!!
This is Mr. Fred and Matea. We have just come back from a long day of service, and let’s just say today IT WAS AWESOME. We started out the day with assembly with the whole school. What a great way to meet the students and staff. Then, we had a few hours of orientation to learn about what the mission of Cristo Rey is. We were so inspired to learn how the school works and how much passion is poured into the students’ education. This morning Fred got to hang out in an American Literature class with Kirsten. It was really great to see the combination of extreme enthusiasm and legit learning that these students portrayed. It was refreshing to see the balance of fun and academics in the classroom. The connection of the students and teachers was phenomenal and the students had an obvious respect for the teachers. Fred also had the PRIVILEGE to download software onto computers that were donated to the school for students that don’t have computers available to them at home. During this time, Mr. Fred got to know one of the students at Cristo Rey. He is an IT assistant for the high school and Fred was great to get to know him and understand a little more about him and his journey through high school thus far. It was great to hear his excitement about his future and his appreciation for the opportunities he has been given at Cristo Rey. Fred can’t wait for tomorrow!
So, Matea had a much different yet very similar experience. She was in a theology class with Sister Suzanne. The classes were all seniors and they were hilarious. Matea had a chance to share a little bit about her experience at college and what a great experience it is. The students were very interested about Montana, Carroll, and college in general. They wanted to know what to expect, what to prepare for, and what to do when they get to college. It was so wonderful to see the students excited to know more about college. Many of the students already knew where they were going. It was so awesome to witness. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for us. The students have already taught us so much and I know we have even more to learn. Fred and I say goodnight for now, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow!
Peace and blessings,
Fred and Matea
Feeling Welcome
Hello All
Today was our first day at Cristo Rey High School. We were assigned to different teachers in different subjects. I was assigned to a history teacher and an administrator at the school. The first thing we did at Cristo Rey was going to an assembly, and it was way different than any assembly I had ever been to going to a public high school. They were very respectful of all of their peers and respectful to their teachers. This was something that I saw throughout the day as I watched students say hi and chat with to their teachers and be friendly with everyone. I was able to talk to a lot of the administration at Cristo Rey and I can tell how passionate people are about the students and how much they want to help them. I was able to go to a world history class and the student there were awesome and friendly. Throughout the day I was asked a lot where I was from and one person asked if Idaho Falls was in Virginia…. pretty sure it’s in Idaho ;). It amazed me how strict the dress code is at Cristo Rey because I have never had anything like that, but after talking to a couple of students they seem to like it because everyone looks professional and it helps them when they go out and work to know how to dress already. The way they structure their school to help high school kids who are economically disadvantaged is enlightening, and it has been eye opening to get to see a different culture outside of my own. I think what struck me the most today was how appreciated our help seemed to everyone. All of the students wanted to know more about us and were excited to have us there.
Now we are going to have dinner with the Sisters of Leavenworth, and I am looking forward to going back to the High School tomorrow.
Peace, Amy Sherman
Tales of a lone freshman
So here I am, sitting in a dining room of a huge Victorian-era house in the middle of Rochester, exhausted and trying to think of ways to help children understand the meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.
I’m not going to lie; this is not how I pictured my spring break to be at the beginning of my freshman year.
However, I wouldn’t change the events that have already place here with this group of students plus staff member. We all come from different places and different majors but have all found a common ground on which we can grow more in our faith and our adult life. Now, confession time right now, I am not extremely Catholic in the sense that I go to Church every Sunday and based my life solely on the facts from the Bible. I know that someone is watching over me, guiding me on a path in which I have never been on but will so become my own. In this house, I don’t feel judged for my certain beliefs, which I was completely afraid of happening.
So now comes the classroom 106 where I will be all week with thirteen rambunctious first graders. When I walk into the brightly colored room, a little girl greeted me with a loud “YOU’RE PRETTY!!!!!!” It literally made my jaw drop because it was so innocent and sweet, then as the day went on the kids were begging me to answer their spelling questions…….just for the record I am an AWFUL speller so the pressure was on. I have never fallen in love with children so fast, they all hit a special part in my heart and it makes me smile when they are so willing to learn. What shocked me the most is that they wanted me to join them on our incredible journey. It was a great reminder at how me, a small human being, matters to someone. I had been feeling extremely inadequate lately in my life, in the whole matter of what is my propose on this earth or if my life means anything. These children truly brought to live a cheesy quote that I love ‘you may be one person in the world, but to one person you are their world.’
So I leave this post with that thought, off to bed to be rested for another day at Nazareth Hall!
Amanda
Day of Firsts
Today marks our first day of service. All 14 of us have been placed at sites around the city of Rochester to serve in places such as schools, soup kitchens, clinics and day cares. I was amazed to hear at the end of the day about the vastly different experiences that each of us has had thus far. For me personally the experience of diversity has humbled me greatly. Working in the clinic we served people who have no insurance. As I shadowed the nurse practitioner at the clinic and preformed very routine tasks such as blood pressure screenings, head to toe assessments and chart reviews I could not help but contrast the population of Rochester to the patients I serve at St. Peters. The faces and problems of the city are very different than the faces of Helena yet a smile and the presence of a health care provider serve the same basic need for love and comfort. I am trying to cement the faces of our patients in my mind from single mothers to homeless fathers I want to remember that the population of people is not limited to those in a hospital bed or those fortunate enough to seek care from doctors working in billion dollar hospitals. This my first experience in a community health setting and I really could not have asked for a better opportunity.
I also would like to add that we are supplementing our serious discussions on service and how God is working in our life with plenty of laughs. The funniest stories come from the people serving in schools-they are all realizing the gift that young children have for looking at life very simply. Some of us are finding the comfort of a child and the love that happens when you hold such innocent young life in your own hands. So from teaching to providing healthcare to serving food we have all been challenged and we have all laughed lots. Even those of us struggling with our service sites and why we felt called to come here I can guarantee (for all those parents reading this) we are all warm and safe which at this point we are realizing is one of the biggest blessings we are fortunate enough to have.
Peace and Blessings to everyone especially those servings serving in Kansas City.
Chelsea
1200 Miles!
Hello and Thanks for following the Headlights Blog!
After two long days of driving we are safely in Kansas City. Since yesterday morning, we have covered 6 states (Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas) and driven 1200 miles. Thankfully everything went well and we had no problems at all. A highlight of our trip was meeting Clete Helvey and Julian Rogers in Omaha for lunch, two Carroll grads and former Headlights trip participants. It was great to see them both.
We arrived in Kansas City, Missouri and had dinner with Christian Brothers Dale and Jim and two Lasallian volunteers. After working for 1199 miles the GPS decided to give out on the last mile and we got lost, so after arriving a bit late to dinner we had a great conversation with them and learned a lot about the school we will be at this week. We also figured that it is possible that Brother Jim crossed paths with our Headlights group in San Lucas Toliman last May in Guatemala. Yes, it is a small world.
We are now with the Sisters of Charity in Kansas City, Kansas for the night and were happy to arrive and get settled in. Three of the sisters who live in the house here are from Montana. So we also found a few more connections between our group and the sisters – again proving the small world theory. It is good to be here.
I am excited for the experiences that await us this week. We have a busy week ahead but I am confident it will be a good one and I feel blessed to be with these 12 students. Rochester group, you are in our prayers!
Peace,
Colleen
Starting Off With Prayer
Sunday Night, 3/6/11
We are finally in Kansas City after two days of driving! The car ride was great, but it’s nice to be done. It has been a good opportunity to get to know everyone in our group. We went to Mass this morning in Mitchell, SD. The Priest was talking about preparing for Lent, because Ash Wednesday is this week. I have been thinking about how good it is to have seasons of the Church year where we are reminded to examine our lives and prayer. I have noticed that it is so easy to get lazy in the spiritual life and fall away from relationship with Christ. Recently I learned a good lesson about prayer. I had gotten lazy, and I saw my outlook on life was becoming negative. A good friend reminded me to pray, and it is amazing how just ten extra minutes in the chapel can change how we look at everything. The priest this morning encouraged us to challenge ourselves this lent; to do something out of the ordinary that we would not usually do, whether it be service or fasting or prayer. I was thinking about this Headlights trip and how it is a great way to begin Lent – by serving others. But I also want to make sure that it doesn’t stop there. This is just another step to bring us closer to God.
I have been reading the Diary of Saint Faustina. One thing she says that strikes me is that we ought to continue praying even when it seems like our prayer means nothing, when we can’t focus or feel like our words are empty and we are not being sincere. God does not always show himself to us, but He wants us to be close to him especially then, because He loves us. My prayer for this trip is that God will challenge us and bring us out of our comfort zone. He is the best one to challenge us because he knows what we can handle, and he knows where we need to grow – usually in the very place we are weak and would rather not be tested. I hope we will not be afraid to accept whatever challenges He brings our way this week.
We are staying at a house with the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. They are all very sweet and friendly and I am looking forward to spending time with them this week. We will be getting up and going to the High School at 6:30 tomorrow where we will be spending the week in service. I am looking forward to learning a lot and building relationships this week.
~Sarena Plesner (first time Headlighter)
Praying the City
I woke up this morning and it was almost like we had never left home, there was snow everywhere, but then I remembered something was different, maybe because I had woken up in a room with 6 other girls or because there was a definite level of excitement for the unknown of the upcoming day. After breakfast and Mass we went to “Pray the City.” It was a known experience for me because I was here in Rochester last year for Headlights, but it was still wonderful to be able to do it again, and a different Sister led it this year so it was a whole new experience. In “Praying the City” we went to everybody’s service sites for the week, Nazareth Academy, Day Star, St. Peter’s Soup Kitchen, Hope Hall, Nativity Prep, and St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center. At each stop we learned a little about each service site and prayed over the people who would be serving there. We also drove through Rochester and once again my eyes were really opened by seeing the poverty that was so common throughout the city. Sister Marilyn talked to us a little bit about the history that surrounded the places we drove through and about some of the problems each little community faced. We came back from “Praying the City” and had some time to relax and play games. After dinner, which was fabulous (I can’t express how nice it is to have a home cooked meal at a table with friends) we went and had reflection time with the Sisters. We all shared a little bit about why we had chosen to come on Headlights and what we were looking forward to, and some of the things I heard were truly inspiring. I am really looking forward to growing in my faith and in relationship with the people around me. We begin at our service sites tomorrow and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for us this year.
Thank you all for your prayers and support, keep reading to see what the week shapes up to be for each of us.
Love you and thanks again.
~Andrea
Arriving in Rochester
After a long day of travel, one that started well before dawn in Helena and came to an end well after dark in Rochester, our team of 14 arrived at the home of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Rochester. We were greeted at the airport by Sisters Marilyn and Donna and the short bus with ample space for luggage. The short drive to our home for the week allowed us to share stories of the day and the sisters their first impressions of their excited guests for the week. Our treat upon arrival wasn’t just a warm meal made up of pasta and bread, but their amazing ability to remember our names so quickly. Smiles abounded, from our group traveling over 2,000 miles and eager to serve, and from the sisters, who have another group of Carroll students visiting for the thirteenth consecutive year.
Our team is appreciative of many things today, for safe travels, for good fellowship, for this experience, and for our gracious hosts Donna, Marilyn, Lorraine, Beth and Julia. We pray for the Kansas City Headlights cohort as they continue their travels on Sunday. We’re looking forward to sharing more in the coming days.
Be blessed,
Dan
Take Notes
Headlights Reflection
When I went on my first Headlights trip to Cincinnati, I kept a diligent journal of the places we went and everything I experienced — thoughts, frustrations, loving people, and feelings. As I go back through that journal this morning while sipping on a cup of coffee, I am amazed at some of the experiences I had. Even though I vowed never to forget them, I honestly admit that life at Carroll can be so hectic and I have let the memories slip from the front of my brain. Good thing I have my journal to remind me of all the blessings, struggles, and triumphs of the week!
I hope all of you have heard Brandon Heath’s song “Give Me Your Eyes.” If you haven’t, please have a listen sometime on over your trip. That song had a reoccurring appearance in my journal. I think the reason I reflected on that song so much was because of my deep desire to understand God’s love in this world. We can be so sheltered in our lives to the harsh realities of the world — we have warm dorms/houses, good food, lots of layers to put on in the cold (and the list goes on and on).
My challenge for you this week is to immerse yourself in a culture outside your comfort zone. Each of you will walk away with a different insight of this week. Maybe there will by one child who stares into your eyes with a longing face. Maybe one person will be feeding hundreds everyday and showing her love. Maybe in one of your nightly reflections you will be touched by a scripture. Just open your eyes to God’s love, in whatever capacity that may be. Then, write down your reflections. Even if you’re not a big journal person, at least write down a list of the people and feelings to spark your memory later. You will be thankful later (when Colleen drops you a text to see if you’ll share with a future group!).
Know of my prayers for each of you as you serve! – Heidi
“Give me your eyes for just one second, give me your eyes so I can see everything that I keep missing. Give me your love for humanity. Give me your arms for the broken hearted, the ones that are far beyond my reach. Give my your heart for the one’s forgotten. Give me your eyes so I can see.” – Brandon Heath
New Eyes
Headlights was such an important and influential part of my experience as a student that I wanted to write and let all of you know that you will be in my prayers. I’ll pray that your hearts and minds remain open to new experiences, that you are challenged to explore deeper issues of justice, and that this trip sparks within you a commitment to serving others for the rest of your lives.
I encourage you to not only remain attentive the particular community and people that you serve, but to also consider what you can bring back to your own community. I challenge you to return to Montana with new eyes, ready to seek out injustice at a local level, and prepared to do something about it! So often a service immersion experience becomes something we stick in our back pocket and reflect upon as an experience with both a beginning and an end. I hope that for each of you, Headlights isn’t just something you look back on and remember, but that it’s an experience you continue to consciously live.
Stephanie Pung
Carroll College Campus Ministry 