Alumni

Something that I’ve learned a lot about is social justice and how to participate in that. Coming from a context of being a college student and hearing about all of these protests but not really being involved in any of them, it’s been really cool to learn more about that process and get involved and be able to make my voice heard in some of these actions.

At the Homeless Prenatal Program, more than half the staff are former clients that have moved up to be case managers and service providers. I am truly humbled every day by my co-workers’ and clients’ stories of perseverance, hope and strength, as well as their continued humility and service.

Tucson, is an intergenerational community. The Shalom Fellowship, especially, is intergenerational. It’s something that I want to continue being a part of. I think it’s important to have community with people who are the same age as me and doing similar things, but also to be in community with people who are younger than me and people who are older than me. Both sides have a lot of wisdom to share and I have things to share with everyone else as well.

Tucson is technically a border town. Our unit went on a border delegation trip with a Presbyterian mission called Frontera de Cristo. We went to Douglas, Arizona’s sister city, Agua Prieta, Sonora. We learned the reasons why people choose, or have to immigrate. It really expanded my knowledge on a complicated issue and I have more empathy for people who, for some of them, immigration isn’t a choice.

Why wouldn’t you do MVS? You get to live in a new city for a year or two. You’re not really paying for anything besides what you choose to. And, you get to take a break from whatever path you’re on and try something else. If it doesn’t end up being for you, then that’s fine and you can hop right back to where you were. But you might learn a lot about yourself along the way or find something new that you really love. I think that’s a risk worth taking.

I would never have know about or understood to the level that I do now, having participated in MVS, the homelessness crisis in San Francisco and all of the complexities associated with it. Its been eye-opening and thought-shifting in terms of the beliefs that I’ve grown up around and intrinsically had towards homelessness and the people who are homeless. That’s been really powerful.

Psalm 133 is almost an addition to Mary’s Magnificat for me, as I think about the blessing promised when we work together in unity. This is what the churches in Africa are beginning to do very well — to unite across boundaries — transboundary unity and regional unity. And calling upon each other to share gifts across regions and boundaries. Psalm 133 is such a consolidating scripture, calling us to unity and the mystery of God releasing a blessing when the beloved community is united.

I think MVS is a good transition place, if you’re not quite sure what you want to do. It’s a place where you can really reflect with a community who’s behind you and wants to support you. Just do it!

My year of serving with RAICES through the MVS program strengthened the idea of the importance of helping populations that need assistance as well as my desire to go into law. I became more aware of both the rewarding aspects of the work and the arduous, difficult parts in a legal position.

I chose MVS because I was excited about serving God in a new city that I get to explore every day.