Nov 17, 2017
2017-2018 Volunteer Hector Avitia
By Hector Avitia, Precious Blood Volunteer
“Oh man, I can’t wait to see their bubbles burst,” I said with a chuckle as I sipped my chicory coffee. It was a nice April afternoon in the Back of Yards Mexican restaurant La Cecina. Tim Deveney and I were discussing how the culture shock of working with marginalized populations was a “bubble” buster for many volunteers who just graduated college. The bubble symbolizes our world view based on our experiences. A lot of folks who have been fortunate enough to have had most of their needs met and only known about suffering through books and film, have their world view, or bubble, broken open when they meet suffering head on. As someone who had already been in the workforce for seven years and personally experienced poverty, discrimination, and fear of authorities as a child, I believed I was better equipped to handle the problems that the families of south side Chicago were going through. I was going to be the wise old man that guided the other volunteers through the landscape of suffering and sit back with a bag of popcorn as their bubbles burst into a million pieces.
Precious Blood Volunteers Hector and Leah on the International Day of Peace
Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR) is a place of hope, healing, and radical hospitality. In order to achieve these goals, we must establish strong, meaningful relationships with those we serve. It is a long road filled with tons of bumps and detours because the folks of these communities have been living through ongoing trauma almost all of their lives. Trust is a commodity in this place where even friends and family have turned on each other, sometimes culminating into gun violence. The natural response from the human mind when these things happen is to be cautious of whom to trust. When anyone new comes into their lives, even when their intent is to help, their automatic response is to be careful and put up walls to protect themselves. Because of my background, I believed I had a shortcut to this process of fostering relationships with the young men that I was to be case managing. I think PBMR should have a warning sign outside of the door that reads “This is a place of hope, healing, and radical hospitality… Please leave your ego at the door.”
After only a few weeks into the volunteer experience, I had to come to the harsh reality that my own “tough” upbringing is nothing compared to the struggles of the people to whom we are ministering. One of my firsts tasks at PBMR involved helping a young family get on the road to stability. In order to protect their privacy, I cannot say much more, but I can say that I was completely overwhelmed by the obstacles they were facing. I imagined myself in their situation and what I would do to get ahead. Surely, I could give them great advice by putting myself in their shoes-but immediately I realized how their and my own scenarios were so very different. Even though financial resources were not always there, I always had around me a consistent group of people that loved me and who would do anything for me if I was in trouble. I never had to use their help because I didn’t have an emergency, and I became blind to the treasure that was my network of family and friends.
So, there I am, sitting in a room with a young family that was relying on my help and guidance to avoid homelessness with their young daughter. I was like a deer caught in headlights, stunned and unable to act. And this was supposed to be the “easy” case, something simple that would help ease me into dealing with tougher cases. If I was no good for them now, how was I supposed to be helpful to the rest of the guys I was case managing? How was I going to develop relationships with these young men if my only “Ace up my sleeve” was my not-so-harsh upbringing? I was too concerned with other people’s bubbles to see that my own bubble didn’t stand a chance.
Hector and Leah with a Peace Circle Group
While things seemed dark in this extremely young journey of service, God’s grace found a way to shine through. Fr. David Kelly gave a lecture to a group of students and faculty at the University of Notre Dame. In his talk he mentioned how, despite his many years of leading PBMR and being involved in the lives of those he serves, he has only stories to share. They are stories, because he was not the one going through the suffering. He recognizes that he can be empathetic, but there is no real way to completely suffer the same pain as those he serves. It became clear that having a similar past to those we help is not a qualification to build a positive and long-lasting relationship with them. What matters is to recognize this limitation and to still be willing to give your time and effort to help those in need. I like to think that when we encounter new people with different perspectives, then it is up to us to decide if these experiences burst our bubble, or if they help us grow that world view to encompass more people.
Hector is a current Precious Blood Volunteer serving at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in Chicago.
To learn more about becoming a Precious Blood Volunteer go to www.preciousbloodvolunteers.org.
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 24, 2017
2017-2018 Volunteer Hector Avitia
Hector Avitia will serve in Chicago at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation and will live in community at the Formation House in Hyde Park. He grew up in Los Lunas, New Mexico and graduated in 2010 from the University of Notre Dame. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Over the last seven years Hector has worked in the corporate world along with volunteering in his church community. He has committed to serving as a Precious Blood Volunteer for a full year.
- Why do you want to volunteer?
“I have always felt like I was called to service, but I didn’t know how I was supposed to live out that call. In the past, I have served by spending my free time in various ministries, especially youth ministry and social justice advocacy. These were great experiences that taught me a lot about giving back to the community, but I knew that there was still more that I could do to help the marginalized of our society. After much thought and prayer, full-time volunteering was the obvious next step in this journey of service.”
- Why do you want to volunteer with Precious Blood Volunteers?
“I interviewed with a few other organizations that all had many great things that made them amazing choices, but there was something special about Precious Blood. From my interview with Director Tim Deveney at a little Mexican restaurant in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago to the Skype session with Fr. David Kelly, I immediately felt a connection with Precious Blood. I could already picture myself working alongside these awesome people, and that is a big deal. We are about to embark on a mission with many obstacles and challenges, and having that trust and openness with your leaders will help us overcome the tough times ahead. It will also make the positive moments that much more enjoyable.”
- What are you looking forward to about your volunteer experience?
“By working and living with the community I will be serving, I hope to grow in my faith and have a better understanding of the needs of south side Chicago. This volunteer experience is part of my discernment to see how I can further help those in need. The best way to know the needs of a community is to live alongside that community. I want to walk a mile in the shoes of our forgotten brothers and sisters, and I believe Precious Blood provides just that. I am also looking forward to hearing about the other volunteers’ journeys. I know that there is a lot that I can learn from all these people if I just take the time to listen.”
Apr 16, 2013
Written by Bonnie Kane (Chicago, 2011)
It has been about 10 months since I ended my volunteer time in Chicago at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation and not a day goes by that I don’t think about the lessons that I learned while there. My volunteer experience began for me with perfect timing. I had just wrapped up my final year at Rockhurst University. I was craving an escape. At first, that escape was merely to be independent, challenged in new ways and getting out of a city that I grew up in. In hindsight, I was escaping and searching for so much more.
Bonnie had the opportunity to help out young men studying for their GED at the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation
Since Chicago I have been through three jobs. I began by working at a hospice care business, helping with new referrals. Only a few short weeks later I got the break of a lifetime when my dream job was offered to me—working for Catholic Charities Kansas City-St. Joseph as a Foster Care Case Worker. The job was a huge challenge, and just as I began to get comfortable, Catholic Charities found out that they were losing the contract for the Foster Care program. I would be out of the job as of January 1, 2013. However, I was offered a job through Catholic Charities at their Turnaround Program, a prison re-entry program for those who are up to six months out of jail, funded by the Department of Labor. As a Case Manager, I work with clients to help them obtain education, jobs, opportunities and stable housing.
To say the least it has been a roller coaster of a year for me. I have learned something through all of these professional changes, but I have my Chicago experience to thank for preparing me and giving me the strength to go through them and come out on the other side.
I knew from an early age that I wanted to go into some kind of Social Service field, e.g., hospitals, mental health, youth, elderly, substance abuse, underprivileged, and education. Chicago taught me to be open and understanding. Talking with teens in their environment opened up my mind to so many obstacles they overcome to become successful. The experience groomed me; it started me off with an open heart, an open ear, and hope for those who have lost all hope. With these lessons and exposure I have been able to feel comfortable and somewhat successful working with children in foster care and ex-cons at the Turnaround Program. I felt prepared to take it all on.
Bonnie with her community-mate, Sr. Donna Liette
Chicago changed my personal as well as my professional life. The experience gave me confidence. In social service fields one needs to be prepared for whatever walks in the door and be able to talk and stand up for oneself and one’s job if need be. Despite being on my own, I wasn’t alone. Immersing myself into my surroundings and reflecting on my life and others’ lives helped me learn about myself. I was able to re-evaluate who I was and where I was going. At the time, I was not heading in the best direction possible. Chicago forced me to meet myself all over again. The biggest lesson that I learned about myself was how strong and independent I had really become. I know now how much I can challenge myself and how much I can take on, thanks to my willingness to expand my comfort zone.
I also learned more about my faith, my spirituality and who God was to me. For some time, my faith had been dwindling. I kept running into situations that challenged me and I didn’t understand why I could never catch a break. So instead of leaning on my faith, I began to lean elsewhere. It was always still there—I attended church on Sundays and still believed—but I didn’t believe in myself and my own personal relationship with God. The first several months in Chicago were a big challenge. I was learning to live on my own, away from anything and everything that I knew. It was not all deep dish pizzas, Cubs games and sunny days. I had a personal struggle for quite a while and that struggle began with my faith. Again I asked myself and God, “What the heck am I doing here? What are you trying to show me and teach me. Once I was able to listen and to be honest, to get over myself, things began to unfold. I have all of the boys and staff at the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation to thank. They taught me more about faith than I knew, and they most likely had no idea they were doing so. On my journey to find myself, I found God again as well. I began to accept hardships and learn from them. I wouldn’t be where I am today without this experience and God helping me blaze my own trail.
I cannot thank enough the staff and youth of Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation for the experience that I had. Chicago prepared me and gave me the experience to be successful in an everchanging non-profit profession. I learned so much more about myself and my faith. With a stronger faith, I am always looking for what is next—yet still juggling and reminding myself to live each day as is; too much planning is no fun. I like to live with a little mystery! Like I tell so many clients, just roll through the hardship and slow down during the happiness and excitement.
Bonnie Kane is a graduate of Rockhurst University and served as a Precious Blood Volunteer at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in 2011. To learn more about Precious Blood Volunteers go to www.preciousbloodvolunteers.org.
