Jul 29, 2017
2017-2018 Volunteer Martin Echtler
Martin Echtler grew up in Bernbeuren, Germany, a village in rural Bavaria near the Austrian border. He currently resides in Munich, Germany. He will be serving for six months in Kansas City at Bishop Sullivan Center living in community at Gaspar Mission House. He has received a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in human resource education & management along with Catholic theology studies from Ludwig-Maximillians University in Munich. He also has degrees in business management. Martin worked for several years in the banking industry in Germany before returning to school.
- Why do you want to volunteer?
“During my time as a bank clerk in the Savings Bank, I was involved in account management for socially disadvantaged people. The Savings Bank in Germany has a public contract to enable bank business who are socially disadvantaged. For a few years I’ve been advising people with large social problems in a variety of financial topics. I’ve worked with these people gladly, because most of them were thankful and friendly, particularly when they’ve noticed that I counter them in a respectful manner and consequently take their problems seriously or rather take care about it. These experiences had a large impact on me. While I was working in the Savings Bank I realized more and more that the possibility to help socially disadvantaged people within this occupation is rather limited, because the bank’s main goal is to make a profit and not to provide social help. At many points this status had dissatisfied me. Based on these experiences I want to volunteer.”
- Why do you want to volunteer with Precious Blood Volunteers?
“The Precious Blood concerns – grow in faith, seek reconciliation, walk with those who suffer and build community – are very important concerns for my life, too. I identify myself with it. In addition to this I always wanted to do a service for the society abroad after the years at the university before I’ll start my career as teacher in Germany. Furthermore I’ve been working as volunteer in my church community for about two years now. This experience encouraged me, too.”
- What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?
“I hope I can do good to others and gain sustainable experiences for my prospective life. For me it is going be a large change to move from Munich to Kansas City. I expect, that nearly everything will be new – and I’m looking forward to this. I’m sure, to become familiar with the American culture and to meet a variety of people from different cultures in a charitable environment will influence my life in a positive way. I’m sure, with God’s blessing it will be a great experience to be a Precious Blood Volunteer.”
Jul 28, 2017
2017-2018 Volunteer Marijo Gabriel
Marijo Gabriel is from Phoenix, Arizona and completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Creighton University in May. She will be serving at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in Chicago and living in community with the Dayton Precious Blood sisters who live and serve in Chicago. Her term of service will run from September 2017 to June 2018
- Why do you want to volunteer?
“I want to serve as a volunteer for a year because I want to be able to give of myself to those who may not be able to repay me. At Creighton we are taught to live for others and with others and that is why living in solidarity with those that are suffering and marginalized is important. I want to live in community with like- minded individuals who are working for a better tomorrow and do what they can to make the place they are living in better. I want to invest in the future, invest in people and start conversations. I may not be able to see the immediate benefit but I want to have a part in making a difference. I want to be poor and serve like Jesus did. I want to grow as a person and learn more about what gives me consolation. Serving as a volunteer allows me to love the Lord and the world by sharing my time, talents and gifts.”
- Why do you want to volunteer with Precious Blood Volunteers?
“I want to volunteer with PBMR because the work they are doing is important, necessary and more need to be involved. In the world we are living in today, there needs to be more healing, reconciliation, understanding, support and hope and that is what PBMR does. PBMR inspires and actively works to better the lives of those they encounter. They have many ministries that take care of the whole person and the situation they are in. To those who society wants to forget or ignore or lost faith PBMR acknowledges and accompanies them in their personal journey.
When I first learned about PBMR I was reading Just Mercy. Just Mercy is about the criminal justice system and the memoirs of the many injustices of those that are marginalized. The book inspires compassion and justice. The work that PBMR does mirrored what I read. I didn’t know their stories, their pain, sorrow, isolation of the many people that were incarcerated or those who knew someone incarcerated.
PBMR embodies service, justice, solidarity, sustainability, simplicity, community, and reflection. All theses pillars I have grown to incorporate in my life and I want to grow in each. I also want to live more intentionally like those I have met at PBMR, their hearts and minds are aligned.“
- What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?
“I would hope to be a part of the community of which I’m living in and be a part of the community that I serve. I am hoping to grow in my faith, learn about myself and others. I would hope to be open to God’s grace and live out discernment. I am eager to make lifelong friends and have experiences that will allow for personal growth all while conducting myself in a manner that is respectful and representative of my faith and beliefs. I would expect myself to be present, to be understanding, and to do the best I can.”
Jul 27, 2017
2017-2018 Volunteer Leah Landry
Leah Landry is a native of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. She will be moving east into the Back of the Yards neighborhood serving at Precious Blood Ministry Reconciliation. She will be living in community with the Dayton Precious Blood sisters who live and serve in Chicago. This past May she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, Spanish and peace studies. Leah was awarded the Yarrow Award from the Kroc Institute at Notre Dame. The Yarrow Award is awarded to peace studies undergraduates who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to service in peace and justice.
- Why do you want to volunteer?
“I am excited to be a volunteer at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation because I see this as the start of my vocation dedicated to helping create a restorative justice system in the US. As a volunteer, I will have a chance to learn from and be a part of the stories and the experiences of the young people at PBMR. I hope this year helps me grow and become a better advocate and ally for people who have been hurt by our current justice system.”
- Why do you want to be a Precious Blood Volunteer?
“I want to be a Precious Blood Volunteer because I am looking forward to being a part of a community that is dedicated to making the world a better place and helping others. I think it will be a great experience to work alongside volunteers who are passionate and excited about social justice issues like me.”
- What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?
“I am really looking forward to getting to know the Back of the Yards community. I’ve lived outside Chicago my whole life and have always wanted an opportunity to become more ingrained in the city neighborhoods. I am also excited to learn more about restorative justice and be trained in how to facilitate circle processes. I can’t wait to start volunteering at PBMR and finally put into practice all the theories and ideas I learned in my Peace Studies classes.”
Jul 26, 2017
2017 Volunteer John Lee
John Lee will serve as a Precious Blood Volunteer at Cristo Rey Kansas City High School. He is a native of Galloway Township, New Jersey and attended Villanova University. John graduated from Villanova in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering with business and mechatronics minors. He has committed to serve for the first semester of the 2017-2018 school year at Cristo Rey and will be working with students in the STEM subjects.
- Why do you want to volunteer?
“I want to volunteer to pursue an urge within me that has led me to serving others. I want to challenge myself and grow together with a community to see the full beauty of this life.”
- Why do you want to volunteer with Precious Blood Volunteers?
“Precious Blood Volunteers really resonated with me due to the emphasis on community and children. I love the concept of teaching the future of tomorrow today and I felt that Precious Blood Volunteers meshes well with that idea.”
- What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?
“I am looking forward to utilizing my skills and talents to help serve others. I am especially interested in working towards finding the balance between engineering and service. The thought of immersing myself into a completely new environment and imagining who I will meet and who I will become on the other end fuels my excitement for this experience.”
Jul 25, 2017
2017-2018 Volunteer Lota Ofodile
Lota Ofodile was born and raised in Kaduna, a city in the northern part of Nigeria. She moved to the United States to attend college at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. In December 2016 Lota graduated from Canisius with a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in psychology. She will be serving at KC CARE Clinic in Kansas City, Missouri for a full year and living at Gaspar Mission House.
- Why do you want to volunteer?
“’Service of God and others’ is a value that has been instilled in me both from my family upbringing and my Jesuit education. Therefore, I decided that I would dedicate a significant amount of my life to helping others, with very little focus on myself. Also, from my previous (short-term) volunteer experiences, I realized that I really enjoy helping people, especially if the service I am providing could significantly impact their lives in the long run.”
- Why do you want to volunteer with Precious Blood Volunteers?
“I was really drawn by the mission of the Precious Blood, especially because recently, I have been struggling to improve my spirituality. At Precious Blood, I will be able to grow in faith and work on my relationship with God, while being a part of community and serving the less privileged.”
- What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?
“I look forward to being a part of a family, helping to build a peaceful and loving community with the other volunteers and staff at Precious Blood. Through this experience, I hope to make a significant difference in the lives of those I serve, as well as feel more in touch with my spirituality.”
