Now is Our Time by Andrew Jordan

May 24th, 2013 - Day 5 

Although I have not written in this journal over the last few days, I think it is important to recognize the big things we have done during the last five days.

The way in which I will do this is by recognizing the events we accomplished yesterday. When we woke up early to go to Charlie’s Place, I was put into a situation where I was dispersing medical supplies like medication and other general items for the homeless. To me, this experience of working behind a desk where homeless people arrived showed me the shifting moods of the people who were arriving. After spending a night on the street, these men became elated to eat both breakfast and lunch at Charlie’s Place. I saw men who were battling various ailments yet were in a happy mood. They were appreciative of the services they were receiving.

When working there, I felt like I belonged. I was welcomed by everyone there, especially Paul. Additionally, there was a welcome staff and the homeless people who even helped to clean up following the conclusion of the meal. This showed a strong sense of community that I will remember for the rest of my life.  

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Day 5 by Jacqueline Hubbard

May 24th, 2013 - Day 5 

This mission trip has been amazing. I have learned so much about myself as well as the homeless. It is my hope that I can take everything I learned about myself and apply it to my life at home. I have never considered volunteering a year but after seeing Christ House and CSM people, I strongly want to consider applying. Although a year of service was never in my plan for my future, it is something I am really interested in. Meeting all the new people I did in DC changed my perception of service. I was very nervous to come to DC and I thought it wouldn’t be as great as it is now. We have grown so close and these people, my team, know more about me than my friends from home and school. I hope that we stay close and aside from our differences, take this experience as a way to stay connected.

Today I learned about a homeless man’s life – one to one. He told me how he got laid off after 30 years because the company went bankrupt. I also learned, according to John (the homeless man), if you buy a house in DC you own the house not the land. This means the government can take back your land at any time. That is why there are so many developments in DC. The shelters are also filled with people who got kicked out of Saint Elizabeths (a mental hospital) when it closed. Therefore, many homeless men refuse to go to the shelters. This is also where the idea that homeless people are crazy comes from.

I learned so much from this trip. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything and hope one day everyone can experience some sort of mission or service work. It would humble anyone in the US, which is something we all need every once and awhile.

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A Wider Circle by Jessalyn Marconi

May 24th, 2013 - Day 4 

A circle, a line that never ends

A wider circle, a place for family and friends

One idea about ceasing poverty

One warehouse that opened up my eyes to see

To see that clothing items and furniture go a long way

To realizing sharing human dignity can start today

To be impoverished means to be on the street

To be dirty, cold, and have nothing to eat

It means wandering with no place to go

It means hitting your rock bottom and lowest of lows

A home is much more than where a person lives

It is where comfort is found and serenity begins

It is a place everyone should have to unwind

It is a place one should have to bath and call mine

A wider circle brings a little piece of this to everyone

Where families can shop for clothes, furniture, and have some fun

It is truly a place that is one of a kind

A needle in a haystack that is difficult to find

So thank you to Paul who started this idea

Who puts furniture stores to shame like Bob’s and IKEA

I hope one day there are more services like it

Where God's work is shown and poverty gets beaten bit by bit  

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Christ House and Changing Plans by Maria Pelosi

May 22nd, 2013 - Day 3 

When Jessalyn said we had a choice and a chance to go to a medical center I was very excited. I would like to pursue a career in the health care field as a marriage and family therapist (MFT) specializing in medical care.

I have been inspired by many different things including but not limited to Project Sunshine, Camp Alvernia, Dr. FP’s healthcare class, and now Christ House.

My dad calls me a professional student. Although he may be joking, he is correct. I am blessed to have a love for reading and my fields of study. I love academia as a whole. I have also been fortunate enough to do well enough in my undergraduate work to meet the requirements to apply for multiple MFT graduate programs. Normally I am not a confident person, however I feel confident that even though I am not going to get in all the programs I apply to, the admissions counselors and program directors will be looking at my application multiple times.

I never considered taking a year off until today. Christ House has an amazing holistic outlook on patient care providing not only medical treatment but also multiple forms of mental health counseling, recreation, and case management programs. They also are neighbors with multiple outreach programs including a HIV/AIDS hospice.

Christ House accepts 7-8 volunteers to live at a beautiful house owned by the center for a year. I am considering applying for the positions. Being the obsessive worrier that I am, I have converns incuding but not limited to: “What about my dad or Brother Robert?”, “What if I get into grad school and the program and have to choose?”, “Will Victoria come visit me?” etc.

I wish I had this experience a year ago so I can have more time to decide however my first application is due in July, the next two are due in Dec, the Christ House application will be available in Jan, and the rest of my graduate applications will be done in Feb.

I am a big believer in “applying and seeing what happens” so if I feel this strongly in the winter, I will apply to Christ House. 

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Service, Passion, and MJ by Jasmine Smalls

May 22nd, 2013 - Day 3 

“Heal the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race.” Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s song “Heal the World” is my motivation this week while in D.C. I know that my contribution will not “heal” the world, but it will hopefully begin to heal the many hearts I touch each day. I realized through Braulio, a freshmen, that service is both selfless and selfish. My journey this week will be to combine both to have a rewarding experience. Prior to DC, I was involved in many service opportunities during my undergraduate years and my time at Iona. There is my unending passion to give back but I have started to question or even tried to go deeper to understand what that passion meant to me and what I want to do with it after I leave D.C. Time will only tell but until then I will continue to heal the world one person at a time. 

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