Friends,
This week I promise to get my act together with this blog. I really desire this to be a good experience where we can learn from one another. Too often, as I have said, the teacher is the only person who gets the privilege of reading others' work. This is really sad. Students have good experiences and they should be shared. Even when experiences at service learning sites are difficult, they too need to be shared with others for the sake of support.
Post a comment if you served in Week 5 to this post!
Dean
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I had my second service learning experience on Sunday September 24th. I met my supervisor at the United Methodist Church, and she showed me some of the activities we would be performing with the youth. I was set up as one of the leaders, and the youth were split into teams. Each team had a list of things they needed to do in front of each of the leaders, in order to move onto the next leader's station. These activities showed just how important it is to work together in a community to meet needs and goals. We then talked about upcoming service we are going to offer to the community of Dubuque, and we talked about and dealt with issues about trust, and we gave examples of the people we trust, and were asked to decide we we, ourselves, think we are trustworthy.
I went to the Maria House tonight, Thurs. Oct. 28. I arrived at supper time and we had pizza. I did not have a drink and one of the women stopped what she was doing to offer me a drink. I was really impressed that one lady made a point of letting me know she remembered my name. Everyone there is very friendly and they all work together to get their chores done.If a person is not their to get thier's done, all of the women pitch in to make sure it gets done. It is a wonderful "family'. After dinner, I watched the chidren which included, a four year old, 22 mo.old, 14 mo old and a young baby. We had a great time. We played with legos and just goofed around. The mothers had gone out for their recreation night. The members really seem to value each other and the help they recieve from each other. Both times that I have been their I have observed them giving advice to each other and caring for each others needs.
this week I visited a lady that lives in a retirement apartment at the age of 56. She is wheelchair bound, but that doesn't slow her down. she keeps busy by making rosaries for the 1st communion kids of st. joseph the worker parish. She also makes a gift for every one of her neices and nephews every year for christmas. While we were talking we found out that her great nephew was in my high school graduating class. Its a small world. She told me about her life in Dubuque and the surrounding areas. She has really lived her life, and she is still living every day. She is a very positive person. She has been widowed for 15 years now and told me about the night her husband died. She told me she felt something was wrong but she knew that if God wanted him, she couldn't stop God. She is a very religious woman.
Last Friday, the 28th was my second week of service at the Sinsinawa Mound. We were once again met by Sister Sarah who now meets us at the door and asks how we are. We went straight to work once again working on the inner rock garden. Sister Sarah told us that this week should be pretty easy becasue we were only working and cleaning the first layer of rocks. We started talking with her first about our families and the talked to her about hers. She told us that she was born in Rockford, Illinois. She told us about her sense of strong faith when she was younger and her decision to follow God's plan for her. She asked about our own families and about school. As we continued to work we found that many eldery sisters would walk by and look in the window at us. We would smile and wave to them as they passed. A few would stop in to saw hi and ask what we were doing and after we told them, they told us of thier appreciation for the work we were contributing to enhance the beauty of their rock garden. After two hours we started to clean up, and Sister Sarah asked if we'd like to eat supper with her and other sisters the other times when we come. It was nice to develop a deeper connection and appreciation for Sister Sarah and understand more about her.
This past Friday we went back to Sinsinawa Mound and met with Sister Sarah again to work in the garden. We did the same work as before, cleaning and patterning the rocks. We chat as we go which makes the work a breeze. We learned more about Sister Sarah's background while conversing. She has always felt a connection with her faith and God since she was young. She grew up in Rockford, Illinois and then followed her faith into the path of wanting to be a sister. Her devotion and beliefs are strong and that truly impresses upon me the fact that someone can feel and find their calling. I look forward to our next visit because we may have the chance to chat and have dinner with the sisters.
Tonight, I went to the Hope House for the third time. When I arrived I went to the kitchen to see if any help was needed. After, I went into the dining room and stood and waited to see if anyone needed assistance. The man I sat next to last week told me I better take a seat or there may not be any left. While at dinner I talked to many different people. After dinner I helped to clear the table and clean up. A group of people from UD supplied the meal tonight and they did the dishes. So while they did dishes I waited to see if they wanted help. While waiting I talked to Miranda and another woman who lives at the house. While the dishes were being done, a boy that lives in the house came into the house in pain from falling of his bike. While someone went to get his mother, Miranda got the peroxide, while I went to get him some ice. I liked how people cared about others. A man that lives in the house went and got his own triple antibiotic so that the boys mother could use it. After everything in the house was taken care of, I listened to a lecture on Prison Ministry.
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