Solidarity Archive

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Humility Found Through Service

– December 5, 2012Posted in: Weekly Service Blog

One of the best parts of working here in the CCSJ Office is getting to lead a weekly service site. The site that I co-lead every week is to Siena/Francis House.

Every Thursday, I run out of class and meet my group down in Deglman Circle, and we embark on our 4 block ride to the Siena/Francis House, the largest homeless shelter in the area.

For the first half of our time there, we sit down and eat with the other people getting meals there. This is something that is often a little unexpected for first-time participants, because they usually expect to be serving the meal, and not being served. This, however, is one of the most special parts of the day for me because we get to sit in communion and commonality with the guests there, who are really members of our community.

After we have all finished our meals, we head over to an adjoining building where we are greeted by Tim Sully, a director at Siena/Francis House, and someone who is currently enrolled in their drug and alcohol recovery program. We all head back to one of the overflow rooms they have for women and children and sit in a circle.

As we sit there, we listen to the story of the person who is in the recovery program. This can be one of the most difficult aspects of the site because we hear stories of drug use, incarceration, and abuse. Although these stories can be shocking or challenging, I find that they are incredibly humbling to listen to.

It is very common for addicts to have the mentality that they are in control of their addiction, or that they need to be able to control their situation–let’s face it, we all feel that way sometimes. For them to come to Siena/Francis and give up full control and completely trust in the program and God (or whatever higher power), is a true expression of humility. This never ceases to amaze me and make God’s presence feel real to me.

Ryan Freeman

Class of 2013

 

The CCSJ blogs are meant to be a place for Creighton students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and friends to reflect on their experiences with programs sponsored by the office or related to its mission. The views expressed in these reflections, and all other blogs found on or linked to from this website, are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of Creighton University, the Creighton Center for Service and Justice (CCSJ), or any of the University’s affiliates. The University and the CCSJ are not responsible for the actions, content, accuracy, or opinions expressed in these blogs.

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Stroud Proud

– November 28, 2012Posted in: Service & Justice Trips Reflections

The town of Stroud is generally frowned upon by Oklahomans. Before our service trip, I talked to a few friends from Oklahoma.

“Oh, you’re going to Stroud?” they would say. “I’m sorry.”

I didn’t understand why people seemed to dislike my service site so much, but I figured that maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were going there to do service in the first place. When we first got to Stroud, I started to wonder if the Stroud-haters had been right in their opinion. The town is tiny with only 2,500 people and a high poverty rate. Driving down the main street in our Creighton van, we couldn’t help but notice the similarity between the empty street and deserted towns in horror movies where something terrifying always happens. It didn’t seem like Stroud had much to offer at first glance.

But that impression didn’t last long.

Melanie and her Fall Break group at the Pink-Out Game

Our service group soon learned that in the small town of Stroud, we were celebrities. Everybody knew about the fall break service group that had been coming for years to help with Habitat, and everybody wanted to meet us.

We had different churches and families cooking us elaborate meals day after day, kindhearted individuals inviting us over to their houses for evening games, and seemingly random people baking cookies for our nearly constant consumption.

On Thursday night, we went to Stroud High School’s pink-out football game with our faces painted in support of the Tigers. We cheered so loudly that the school’s mascot came to talk to us and beg us to come to more games. Our group was recognized during halftime and thanked profusely for our willingness to spend our fall break in service. It was an amazing night and made us feel more a part of the community than we could have imagined.

During the whole trip, the people of Stroud treated us like family and taught us what it meant to accept and take care of a group of strangers. They did not know us, but they were so genuinely grateful for our small act of helping them build one little house that they were willing to do absolutely anything to make us feel welcome. I think every person on the Stroud service trip came back with a new meaning of community, thanks to that little town. I am still baffled by some people’s poor opinion of our service site, but it does not bother me so much anymore.

I know, and the eleven others on my trip know, that Stroud has something special, and we will always have a special place for Stroud in our hearts.

Melanie Kim
2015 Graduate
Major: English, Pre-Med
Host Site: Habitat for Humanity, Stroud, OK

 

The CCSJ blogs are meant to be a place for Creighton students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and friends to reflect on their experiences with programs sponsored by the office or related to its mission. The views expressed in these reflections, and all other blogs found on or linked to from this website, are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of Creighton University, the Creighton Center for Service and Justice (CCSJ), or any of the University’s affiliates. The University and the CCSJ are not responsible for the actions, content, accuracy, or opinions expressed in these blogs.

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Cookies as a Common Language

– November 19, 2012Posted in: Service & Justice Trips Reflections

Of all of the inspiring people I encountered in El Paso, the most touching relationship I made was with six-year-old Thiago. He got caught crossing the border into the United States and therefore was assigned to live with a foster family that works with the child detention center.

The El Paso Group

We spent about an hour with the kids from the center and the whole time Thiago had a wide-spread grin across his face to accompany his sparkling brown eyes. He always had something to say no matter the time of day: song time, snack time, or craft time. During craft time I was helping him decorate a box with stickers and sequins, gluing things on and sticking things together. Apparently, assistance is not something he accepts often.

“He must like you! He never lets anyone help him work,” the volunteers told me. “Thiago, you like her, you think she’s pretty!”

He just smiled even bigger and continued working.

Although the only Spanish I remember is from middle and high school language classes, we were still able to converse. We talked a lot about the alphabet and his cookies and milk, but eventually we began to play a game. He would say a word in Spanish and I would respond by telling him what it was in English. The words were simple like dog, window, mirror, star, cookie, and even after we went through a whole roll of them we would start over from the beginning. Each sequence made me smile.

Thiago taught me that even when you go through hard times in your life it is okay to continue living in the present as a being who has the ability to encompass happiness and share it as well, even if the person you share it with is someone you just met.

He helps me put a name to one of the many faces of immigration who are categorized as aliens, drug dealers, and terrorists. In reality the majority of them are normal humans who deserve to lead a better way of life.

Natalie Davies
2015 Graduate
Host Site: El Paso, TX – Columban

 

The CCSJ blogs are meant to be a place for Creighton students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and friends to reflect on their experiences with programs sponsored by the office or related to its mission. The views expressed in these reflections, and all other blogs found on or linked to from this website, are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of Creighton University, the Creighton Center for Service and Justice (CCSJ), or any of the University’s affiliates. The University and the CCSJ are not responsible for the actions, content, accuracy, or opinions expressed in these blogs.

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A Moment of Solidarity

– November 13, 2012Posted in: Service & Justice Trips Reflections

Pilsen is a vibrant Latino community on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. Spanish is the first language of the majority of the inhabitants of Pilsen, but because they are living in the United States and looking for employment, learning English becomes more and more of a necessity. Seven other Creighton students and I spent most of the week helping Latino adults practice their English in the morning and then helping out at an after-school program later in the day.

One of many special moments for me in this community occurred one afternoon at the after-school program. I was working with 3rd and 4th graders. The four students sitting by me were working on homework, and none of them needed my help at the moment. Instead of just sitting there, I decided I would read one of the picture books in the classroom, and this particular book happened to be in all Spanish. I thought it would be good to practice my Spanish while I was immersed in a predominately Spanish-speaking area.

I’ve only studied Spanish for one and a half semesters, so honestly, my Spanish is pretty much non-existent. I can only pick out certain words here and there. Fully aware of this, I opened the book to the first page and realized I didn’t know what half the words on the page meant. I tried to figure out the meanings of these words using the other words I could translate, but I just got more frustrated as the minutes passed. I then proceeded to bother the eight-year-old sitting next to me, asking “Qué es [insert unknown Spanish word here]?” every five seconds in order to try to understand what the other words meant in English. I needed an eight-year-old’s help to read one page of a picture book. I felt frustrated in the fact that I could not get though a page in a children’s book using my own knowledge of Spanish.

I thought back to the adults we were tutoring that morning, and for the first time felt what it was like to be in their shoes. It is certainly hard and frustrating to learn a foreign language as an adult. I can’t imagine how frustrated they feel outside of the Pilsen community, where speaking English is the only option.

Out of all the memorable moments on my trip, I feel particularly blessed and lucky to have experienced this one. I was fortunate enough to feel that connection to the community, to the people I was serving, in that moment. In that moment, I experienced the pillar of solidarity, and it was an experience I will never forget.

Madeline Zukowski
2015 Graduate
Major: Journalism
Host Site: Pilsen, Chicago

 

The CCSJ blogs are meant to be a place for Creighton students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and friends to reflect on their experiences with programs sponsored by the office or related to its mission. The views expressed in these reflections, and all other blogs found on or linked to from this website, are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of Creighton University, the Creighton Center for Service and Justice (CCSJ), or any of the University’s affiliates. The University and the CCSJ are not responsible for the actions, content, accuracy, or opinions expressed in these blogs.

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Justice through Solidarity Week

– November 7, 2012Posted in: Upcoming Events

The Peace and Justice Cooperative would like to invite you to participate in events, sponsored by various groups and organizations, inspired by various social justice issues.

Monday, November 12

  • NETwork Against Malaria will be having a sale of their handmade jewelry in order to benefit those in Africa who need bed nets. The sale will be from 10am – 2pm in the CCSJ (Harper 2067).
  • Honors Program Panel. Join Dr. O’Keefe, the History Department, and Students in Free Enterprise for a discussion on where social justice interacts with society. Harper 3028 5:30-6:30 P.M.
  • Justice Without Borders will be hosting a Worker Appreciation Pie Day to thank our wonderful workers while building relationship with them! Come to Lower St. John’s between 1-3:30 PM or 6-8:30 PM to sit down and eat some pie with wonderful people!

Tuesday, November 13

  • “Go Bannanas!” Learn more about the impact of purchasing Fair Trade bananas on growers. Come for the movie Banana Split and stay to sign a petition to get Fair Trade bananas on campus. The movie and petition signing will be from 6:00 – 8:30pm in Harper 2066.

Wednesday, November 14

  • Be a voice for change! Join the CCSJ’s advocacy team for a letter-writing campaign about hunger. Stop by the CCSJ (Harper 2067) anytime between 6:00 – 7:30pm to participate in the campaign.

Thursday, November 15

  • Counting trash with the Sustainability Council. Harper Center loading dock, 4:30pm.
  • Campus Ministry Praise and Worship. Campus Ministry (Lower Swanson) at 9pm.
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The Art of Letting Go To Serve In Solidarity

– November 5, 2012Posted in: Service & Justice Trips Reflections

Our first hours in New Orleans were celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where our service group was welcomed and introduced as the hope of the city. The delightful, lively, and wise Father Anthony expressed his homily through an analogy.

The Duchesne House Group in New Orleans

There once was a monkey at the zoo, which noticed a walnut outside of his cage. He reached through the tight bars. Despite his lack of mobility, the monkey couldn’t bring himself to let go of his prized possession. Hence, the monkey was hindered from experiencing anything else because he was held back through his sole desire to hold on to the walnut. Like the monkey, we had to let go of the distractions in our lives and be fully present.

Before that mass, I was not fully aware of the immense devastation that still is a part of the city since Hurricane Katrina happened. The people of New Orleans were forced to let go of their “walnut.” Nature washed away their homes, communities, and in some cases their loved ones. It was awing to see how grateful individuals were for our presence in the city, specifically at our work site, the home of Larry and Donna Breaux, a couple who have not lived in their home in six years.

Laying vinyl tile, painting trim and doors, cleaning up adhesive, stapling tyvek paper to keep out added moisture was the least we could do. In those productive filled days, I learned about the compassionate people around me as well as the need that still exists in the city for volunteers to return citizens to their homes and communities.

We as a community need to let go of the “walnuts” in our lives in order to serve the people around us and be in solidarity with them.

Stacey Georgopoulos
2015 Graduate
Host Site: Duchsene House, New Orleans LA

 

The CCSJ blogs are meant to be a place for Creighton students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and friends to reflect on their experiences with programs sponsored by the office or related to its mission. The views expressed in these reflections, and all other blogs found on or linked to from this website, are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of Creighton University, the Creighton Center for Service and Justice (CCSJ), or any of the University’s affiliates. The University and the CCSJ are not responsible for the actions, content, accuracy, or opinions expressed in these blogs.

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