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In the Spotlight
Theresa Voors '10
MVC Volunteer
St. Michaels Association for Special Education
St. Michaels, Arizona
"God is watching out for us out here." Mercy Volunteer Corps (MVC) member, Kate Wallace, said that to me as a "goodnight" recently. Her statement allowed me to take a step back to realize how wonderful, unique, and irreplaceable my time in St. Michaels, Arizona on this Navajo Reservation has been.
We came down as a group of five from varying backgrounds. Dan Frank and Leo Vaccaro came down to teach, after volunteering with other organizations last year. Marie Dube-Smith came with a lifetime experience as a nurse, wanting to use her skills in a new realm of practice. Kate and I came as new college graduates. She arrived with her masters in physical therapy, and I had recently passed my nursing boards. As a community, we've been able to explore the beautiful Southwest, taking car trips to the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell, as well as sticking around the area to hike Window Rock and Canyon de Chelly. The beauty around us never ceases to astound us, from sunsets to star-filled skies, and from the red rock to snow-capped mountains (Yes, snow. I know we're in Arizona -- but in the high desert, elevation 7,000 feet).
Individually, I have been blessed to work with beautiful children and adults who live with mental or physical handicaps in my work at St. Michaels Association for Special Education. Every day I'm amazed at how beautiful their personalities are. As a nurse, I've worked with these individuals at some of their most vulnerable moments. I'm forming relationships with my 'patients' that would never happen in a hospital setting. And the greatest accomplishment comes when I gain trust from a child who lives life with her guard up.
While I continue to work on my relationship with God during my experience, what I'm amazed with most is the similarities between my Catholic faith and the Navajo spirituality. The following is a reflection I wrote back in November, after attending a ceremony for one of our students:
"To a lot of people, ceremonies such as this seem, well, crazy. The idea that they really work for a specific purpose is hard to grasp, and at times the concept is mocked. But last night, I saw the power of them. I saw that these ceremonies are truly a deep prayer. Sure there are herbs, oils, and actions involved that seem a little extravagant or excessive, but as I was present there tonight, I saw that it's no different from our use of incense, ashes, Holy water, or the Precious Blood and Body of Christ. What more are the Great Spirits than our God and saints?"
God is watching out for us out here. He has taken five individuals from suburbs or big cities and guides us as we learn to live on a reservation where half of the roads are either dirt or full of potholes, and we have to drive 30 minutes for anything more than a grocery store. At times it's been difficult, but we lean on each other, on our coworkers, and on our support from home. This location is a challenge. But it's a challenge that has helped each of us to strengthen our character and grow in our profession. We thank you for your prayers. God bless!
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UPCOMING MVC EVENTS
May 12-15
Guyana Transition Retreat
May 15
Final deadline for US applicants
June 9-13
Transition Retreat for US volunteers
June 17
Board Meeting
July 31 - August 7
Orientation Retreat (Gwynedd Valley, PA)
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2009-2010 Annual Report
Check out our Annual Report by visiting our website at www.mercyvolunteers.org and click on the link to view the report. |
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Mercy Volunteer Corps' Mission Statement
In partnership with the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, lay women and men of Mercy Volunteer Corps (MVC), enter into relationship with people who are economically poor and marginalized. In a spirit of mutuality, volunteers cultivate mercy and justice in the world by embracing compassionate service, social justice, spirituality and a simple lifestyle in community.
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Greetings!
Over the years, Mercy Volunteer Corps has been blessed to have volunteers from the same family serve with us. This month, we feature reflections from Linda Youth '10, currently serving in Savannah and her son, Michael Youth '96, who served in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Additionally, we welcome St. Francis of Assisi Church and School Community, our new site in Baltimore. Easter Blessings! |
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Featured Article
"I Have Received Much More Than I've Given"
Linda Youth '10 Reflects on Her Year of Service
With Mercy Volunteer Corps
 | | Savannah '10 volunteers from left to right: Carla DeSisto, Regina Byrnes, Linda Youth and Mike Grathwol |
My introduction to Mercy Volunteer Corps was through a church bulletin. My son, Michael, was graduating from college that spring so I gave him the information. He applied, was accepted and served his year in Sante Fe, New Mexico. I kept up with MVC through the years and when it became possible, I began to seriously consider applying to MVC myself. It seemed like a perfect way to "give back" and have an adventure. Michael was enthusiastic and supportive from the beginning.
I have been serving at St. Mary's Community Center in Savannah since August, 2010. And I was right -- it has been an adventure. I am living with three incredible twenty-two year olds whose compassion and commitment reassure me about the future of our world. My work at the Community Center has expanded my horizons in ways I could have never anticipated. I will be here only a year but the devotion of the permanent staff is boundless. They awe me daily.
To conclude, I hope that I have, to some extent, "given back." However, I am sure I have received much more than I've given and will be eternally grateful to MVC and the magnificent women at St. Mary's Community Center.
Michael Youth '96 Reflects on His Year of Service and His Mother's Decision to Serve With Mercy Volunteer Corps
There are two camps in this world. (No, I'm not talking about Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts camps.) Most of us don't even realize we're doing it, but -- decision by decision, choice by choice -- we ultimately come to stand in one camp or the other. When I started my Mercy Volunteer Corps year, I still had one foot in each camp; but by year's end, I had chosen my camp. For younger volunteers, this is where Mercy Volunteer Corps' real value lies. Though you may be standing at the dividing line, where there is little appreciable difference between the camps or those who inhabit them, Mercy Volunteer Corps exposes you to the unsung heroes residing in the heart of the one camp and the victims of those who dwell in the heart of the other. Seeing what's at the core of each camp enables you to make an informed choice.
Of course, choosing isn't the end of the story. Having picked, some of us move straightaway into the heart of our chosen camp; others of us loiter just this side of the dividing line. A lot of us, including me, loiter for years on the periphery. We pursue our careers; we raise families. The problem is that when you live on the outskirts of camp long enough, you can forget that two camps exist at all. For older volunteers, like my mother, a year in Mercy Volunteer Corps serves as a reminder that the two camps still exist; it also serves as an invitation to take up permanent residence in the heart of our camp among the unsung heroes.
I'm proud of my mom. I'm sure she'll accept the invitation and continue to serve in Mercy Volunteer Corps or elsewhere. And I'm sure I'll follow her example and return to full-time service in the years ahead. |
Mercy Volunteer Corps Welcomes St. Francis of Assisi Church and School Community in Baltimore, Maryland as our Newest Site!
 | | Students at St. Francis of Assisi School |
MISSION: We are a Catholic Christian Community of faith whose goal is to proclaim the message of Jesus to the total community, ministering in love and justice to all of God's people.
With him as patron and model, St. Francis of Assisi Church, established in 1927, and its school, established in 1955, serve the urban northeast Baltimore community. Social justice has been a particular hallmark of the parish for many decades. A Mercy Volunteer will be the social justice coordinator, coordinating social justice ministry in both the school and the parish through community outreach, parish activities, and the school's curriculum.
To learn more about our new site, check them out on their website, http://www.sfa-school.org/. |
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ALUMNI CORNER
Colette (Graham) Scrimger '93 and her husband Gregg welcomed Maeve Eileen in July 2010. Maeve joins her two brothers, Jack (11) and James (8) and a sister, Maureen (5). Colette and her husband Gregg live in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, where she continues working in local public health. Congrats Colette and Gregg!
Alumni, please send your updates to Lisa Stellino at stellino.l@gmc.edu. We enjoy hearing from you!
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Extending the Circle 
Extending the Circle is a unique program offered by Mercy Volunteer Corps to enable our volunteers to share their MVC experiences with friends and family.
So far, our volunteers have raised $14,963. Check out the website at www.mercyvolunteers.org to view their personalized web pages.
Please consider sponsoring mercy volunteers in their commitment to service, thereby extending their circle of support. |
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