Jesuit Volunteer Reflects: When AAA Roadside Assistance isn’t Available…

Written by Jacqueline Shrader | Before I came here, a mentor of mine had told me to be open—to change, to the adventure, to the stories, to everything. I find consistently that being open requires a holistic effort. Often, I am challenged in my experiences physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Despite the sometimes arduous task of being present, my most joy-filled moments thus far in Peru have been when I have been most opened, or to re-state Sr. Peggy O’Neill, most willing to be grasped. Whether that is jumping in a driver’s seat or sitting in a kitchen with women learning about their lives while peeling potatoes, these are the moments I will walk away from this experience remembering with fondness and fullness.

Jesuit Volunteer Reflects: Ruined for Life and Split Plums

Driving home to Gettysburg, PA , I saw a bike alongside the road with a sign tied to it: "The best plums!" I'd finished DisOrientation, the last Jesuit Volunteer retreat. I'd completed my goodbyes, cleaned out my desk, packed up my life on Seven Mile Road in Detroit.

Jesuit Volunteer Reflects: Powerlessness

There is no greater weight nor relief than knowing I am powerless. Lately these words repeat themselves in my mind. I spend time thinking about what I could be doing to create the most change, or dreaming of how the Peruvian government will open up their arms to embrace this marginalized population.