Any "A" Day
On Saturday we held our first ever Any "A" Day at the Center. It was inspired by Brian, a volunteer from St. Mary's College who received a heart transplant 10 years ago. With this in mind we themed the Day a celebration of second chances and community. This fits in well with what we are doing at the Center because everyone deserves a second chance and one of the ways to best provide this is through community.
We started the day off with speeches from the many volunteers at the Center. Richard Nivens, who is the head of the committee for the Center, welcomed everyone. I spoke about JVC and my perspective of the Center, followed by the Mission Year guys and then Tyrone. It was good to hear how everybody feels about the Center, especially when it comes from the heart.
After a short break we had a foot washing ceremony, based on the story of Jesus in the bible, led by Lu Cuevas who is the director of the conferences. This was one of the most amazing experiences that I have had since joining JVC and working at the Center. Washing other people's feet helped me get in touch with my humility. I could feel it in the position of supplication that I had to take as a kneeled down before my fellow volunteers and brothers and sisters at the Center. I also realized their humility. It takes a certain amount of intimacy to let someone else kneel before you and wash your feet. This is why both parties involved in the feet washing were able to say thank you. The people getting their feet washed are thankful for the humility that the person kneeling is giving them. I was thankful that the other people in the Center let me humble myself before them, so I could have that experience. It is really a two way street, at least the way I see it.
After another little break we got ready to eat. Paul, from Mission Year, and I led a bread breaking ceremony in which we celebrated our oneness with the world as a community of God and also thanked each other and God for the relationships we have been able to form and the bread that we were able to share together. It was cool and then we feasted on a Thanksgiving dinner of turkery, mashed potatoes and vegetables.
A band palyed for the rest of the day with raps inbetween the sets of songs. The music was great: blues, gospel, jazz all performed by Phil (a client) and his group of family and friends. I even got up and sang Under the Boardwalk. It was awesome to chill with every one and listen to the music. I feel like it brought people together, in the least we were able to relax together.
I had to go home at around 5, but they held an open meeting for people of all the 12 step programs. I do not know how it went, but I am sure that after a day like we had it went well. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had this last weekend. It really created a sense of fellowship in my mind and I am sure that others felt the same way also. It was great to share this experience with everyone present. I will try and post some pictures from the weekend. As Steve and I often talk about, it is amazing what can happen if you get out of the way and let God do a little work.
We started the day off with speeches from the many volunteers at the Center. Richard Nivens, who is the head of the committee for the Center, welcomed everyone. I spoke about JVC and my perspective of the Center, followed by the Mission Year guys and then Tyrone. It was good to hear how everybody feels about the Center, especially when it comes from the heart.
After a short break we had a foot washing ceremony, based on the story of Jesus in the bible, led by Lu Cuevas who is the director of the conferences. This was one of the most amazing experiences that I have had since joining JVC and working at the Center. Washing other people's feet helped me get in touch with my humility. I could feel it in the position of supplication that I had to take as a kneeled down before my fellow volunteers and brothers and sisters at the Center. I also realized their humility. It takes a certain amount of intimacy to let someone else kneel before you and wash your feet. This is why both parties involved in the feet washing were able to say thank you. The people getting their feet washed are thankful for the humility that the person kneeling is giving them. I was thankful that the other people in the Center let me humble myself before them, so I could have that experience. It is really a two way street, at least the way I see it.
After another little break we got ready to eat. Paul, from Mission Year, and I led a bread breaking ceremony in which we celebrated our oneness with the world as a community of God and also thanked each other and God for the relationships we have been able to form and the bread that we were able to share together. It was cool and then we feasted on a Thanksgiving dinner of turkery, mashed potatoes and vegetables.
A band palyed for the rest of the day with raps inbetween the sets of songs. The music was great: blues, gospel, jazz all performed by Phil (a client) and his group of family and friends. I even got up and sang Under the Boardwalk. It was awesome to chill with every one and listen to the music. I feel like it brought people together, in the least we were able to relax together.
I had to go home at around 5, but they held an open meeting for people of all the 12 step programs. I do not know how it went, but I am sure that after a day like we had it went well. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had this last weekend. It really created a sense of fellowship in my mind and I am sure that others felt the same way also. It was great to share this experience with everyone present. I will try and post some pictures from the weekend. As Steve and I often talk about, it is amazing what can happen if you get out of the way and let God do a little work.
posted by Ryan at 1:34 PM
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