Update Part 2

I spent my month of December saying good-bye to friends and family. One good-bye moment took place in St. Louis. Ah.. St. Louis is a city that I fell completely in love with. It is a city of “firsts.” I volunteered for a year after college through the Gateway Vincentian Volunteers. My volunteer placement site was Places for People. Places for People then became my first job. I got into first car accident and consequently, it was my first car that I took to the junk yard. I became part of the peace and justice movement. I even offered to go to jail for peace. I did not go to jail. However, I met so many people whose focus is creating a just world and will work for it. I became part of a parish that is loving and welcoming to anyone who enters through its doors. I met my friends that have been so crucial for me in getting to this point in my life. I became an adult.

My visit to St. Louis was filled with so much love. I experienced this love when I walked through the doors at Places for People. Every client had their arms open for a hug; their eyes lit up with excitement; their smiles became bigger and bigger. This was only the entrance. I still needed to make my way through the rest of the building. A dance was held in my honor. As I danced with my clients, I kept hearing, “Is she back for good? She lost weight. She looks happy. Did she meet her husband in DC?” I had my favorite lunch. It included lasagna, salad, and jello cake. My favorite part of this Places for People moment was seeing my best friend. She got off work early and came by to see me. We then talked endlessly to our friends at Places. She later took me to our favorite coffee shop and to dinner with our friends. This by far was the best welcome that I could ever receive. It is a moment that I will never forget.

This was only one of my many wonderful experiences in St. Louis. Each experience taught me that I will not be forgotten. Each friend has a story that has helped me get to this moment. Each client at Places for People can remember something about me whether it was my favorite food or riding my bike to work even in the coldest weather. There are so many stories about me that it is impossible to forget me. This is a good feeling to have as I prepare to go to mission. I know that I have a huge community in St. Louis. This huge community is supporting me in wanting me to be the best person that I can be. It is such an amazing moment to have in my memory. I am a lucky girl to be loved by so many people.

Update Long Overdue

Yikes! It has been a while since I last wrote. Well, I can give an update as to what has happened to me. I celebrated my birthday in November. It is a birthday that I will remember because it was the last one in the United States until I come back from mission. It was special in that the focus was spending time with my brother and his family rather than gift giving. For a brief weekend, it was as if I had been living in New Jersey for my entire life. I was absorbed into all of their family activities. We went to their garden and planted autumn vegetables. I went grocery shopping and chose what I wanted for my birthday breakfast which was raspberry whole wheat pancakes and soy chocolate milk. I went trick or treating my niece who was dressed up as Lady train from Thomas and Friends. I attended mass and received many kisses and hugs from my brother and his family. I went to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese because it was my niece’s friend’s birthday. After the birthday party, my niece and I played at lot of games while my brother made dinner. Then, after playing and eating dinner, we all walked to CVS and picked out birthday ice cream. It was amazing because my gift from brother involved just being present to him and his family.

Another event in November involved my commissioning as a Franciscan Lay Missioner at St. Camillus Catholic Church in Silver Spring, Md. This experience was absolutely incredible. I as well as my other missioners stood in front of this community. As I stood in front of this community, I was thinking that I am doing this. There is no going back now. I am going to Bolivia to learn a way of life that is completely different from my own. I am going to be present to a people that are strangers to me now, but soon they will be part of my community. I am going to be transformed in ways that are unknown to me right now. My capacity to love is going to increase because my heart will be open to receiving love. I am answering the call to mission.