[Written Aug. 8th]
As I write this, I'm sitting on my (very, very firm) bed in a dormitory with 23 other beds in two neat lines. It would sort of look like a military hospital from WWII movies or like the orphanage I envision Madeline living in except on top of every bed is a sleeping bag, brightly colored towels hang on the walls waiting to dry, and it smells faintly like campfire. Oh, and the sign on the door says "Squids". Welcome to the end of JVC Orientation Southwest Day 2.
Yesterday (Friday), I left the familiarity of St. Louis at 6:30 am to fly across the country to San Jose, CA. At our layover in Minneapolis, my friend from SLU, Jen (serving in Tucson), and I scoped out the crowd, looking anxiously and nervously for other potential JVs (key giveaways: one small suitcase, crunchy looking shoes like Toms or Chacos, a sleeping bag, etc.), trying to see if we recognize any faces from out extensive Facebook stalking (we both struck out on people from our communities, but we did see a couple of girls who fit the description). Once in CA, we got our last cups of Starbucks for a while (a very sad moment for me) before meeting up with other JVCs waiting to drive down to the retreat center, Camp St. Francis. After an hour-ish drive, we were welcomed to what seems like paradise after leaving hot and sticky IL. The retreat center/camp is right on the beach in northern California, so obviously we immediately went for a walk on the beach with a few other girls. Gorgeous. The rest of the evening was filled with meeting our community (more on these awesome people later!), icebreakers, dinner, and getting introduced to the 60ish other JVs getting ready to serve in Tucson, Phoenix, San Diego, LA, Berkeley/Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento.
This morning following an energizing beach run and a fruit-filled breakfast, we began with a prayer session. Each of us had been instructed to bring a prayer symbol to place on the alter. As we gathered for prayer, we were invited to place our symbol on the ground around a large wooden cross as we explained its meaning and tie a ribbon to the cross to recognize each of our intentions for our JVs this year. One of the intentions that struck me the most was the idea that we each need to remember that no talent or talents are worth more than any other. Each of us was given talents and every person we are working with has talents, so we need to work to be mindful of this fact and not be intimidated or boastful of our own strengths or weaknesses, but instead work to use what we were given to best serve God. Personally, I struggle with this idea, sometimes lapsing into the idea that teaching PE is minor to communities when compared to working for homeless teen mothers or with people on the fringes of society who cannot find employment.
Our first large discussion was on the idea of privilege. Most of us realized that we are the most privileged in society, being white, educated, with educated parents, heterosexual, English-speaking, Christian, upper middle class. One very insightful definition that was offered as the idea of what privilege is or means was "social safety net". For example, if I don't find a job or if I am suddenly unemployed and have little to no money, I have layers of security. Not only would my parents be able to financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally support me, but I know my grandparents, siblings, extended family, and friends would, for the most part be able to give me a boost or some sort of aid while I get back on my feet. So ponder that, how many layers, if you really needed aid, do you have in your life? Many people I will be working with don't have financially stable families, or family in the US. Their nets would break very soon after a bout of bad luck. I know white privilege may not seem that important or influential, but read this article first. Obviously, people can't change these privileges that you were born with, but how can we use them to serve God's people better? I also had a really long discussion with 3 other JVs at dinner who all thought that white privilege doesn't exist, so feel free to disagree with me and the article. My understandings were shaped be my experiences, so many of my thoughts are related to the education system and my time at Career Academy with a predominately black student population.
To close the day, we had mass on the beach (talk about picturesque!) with an amazing priest from the Bay Area. Acknowledging that not all of us were Catholic, he tied together a variety of faiths to form the homily, talking about the Jewish faith, Catholicism, and Protestants and how we all work together to work for peace in our world. Communion, he said, is for the hungry, those who desire to be feed in order to go out and do the work of God. His reiterations and different ways of looking at the Catholic faith made me remember why I love the Jesuit order and their mission of reflection and service. Jen and I also met a former JV (FJV) at mass who is probably in her 50s and currently lives in the Bay Area. It was amazing to hear her stories about her work and the people of her house. It's so weird to think of how old the program is and how much it transformed her life and continues to impact her life in huge ways. I'm so excited (and very nervous) to be "ruined for life"!
(For the DGs getting ready for recruitment!)
(sanitary?)
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