First Day

This last Wednesday was my first day at my service learning site. I am doing my service learning at Mt. Carmel where I am working with elderly sisters who can no longer manage to get themselves to their physical therapy appointments. This is my second time working at Mt. Carmel and I was welcomed back with open arms. I was shocked at how many of the sisters not only remembered me, but remembered that I am an elementary education major from Clarke College.
I love working with these nuns because they take a personal interest as me and I feel that they really appreciate all that I am trying to do for them. Even though, to me, it doesn't seem like I'm doing all that much, to them it means the world. All too often we take for granted the fact that if we want to go somewhere there isn’t much holding us back. Sure some of us may not have say a car to get to the grocery store, but at least we are able to get up and walk down to the kitchen or dining hall to get some breakfast. Working with these sisters has helped to show me that we must not take for granted the little things in our lives.
It is these people who we consider to be poor, but they are certainty not poor in spirit. Even though one of the sisters has a very progressive form of Parkinson’s disease, she still has a smile on her face and greets everyone she sees with a “Good Morning!” and when asked how she is doing she replies with “Wonderful!”. She doesn’t try to burden others with her problems, but tries to lift people up by displaying her courage and her ability to triumph over adversity.
I am looking forward to spending more time with these sisters.