Attending Villanova University, only 3.4 miles away from home, I have always stayed close by to my family. Moving 2,689 miles away from home was the boldest and scariest thing I have ever done in my life. I was terrified the last month of summer; August was quickly approaching and I would be saying goodbye...
“People would ask why I let all these homeless people sleep in the church, not knowing if they would try to steal from me or the parish. And I would always respond: how could I turn away Jesus coming to my door and asking for a place to sleep or something to eat?” I heard...
Campus ministry work was something that, at the start of this year, I had a small degree of understanding about. I had been involved in the campus ministry department at my college throughout my junior and senior year. I had gone on a few retreats and done some alternative winter and spring breaks to various...
There are apples to keep the doctor away, Apple computers, apples to pick and apples to eat. However, the best apples, in my opinion, are the ones that should be given to the teachers at St. Augustine Elementary School in Andover, MA. As the AV at St. Augustine, I serve in a jack-of-all-trades type of...
I really had no idea what I was getting into when I joined the Augustinian Volunteers. When I decided to sign up for a year of service in late spring, I did not have a strong inclination towards any particular group. In fact, my decision to join the Augustinian Volunteers was largely based on their...
Hola, buenos días *add smile*, is a very important way to start out the day in Peru. Whether I can blame U.S. politeness deficiencies, my own lack of etiquette, or my quiet nature, at home I did not especially think about saying hello to everyone at the workplace. Here in Chulucanas, however, in my first...
I muttered a curse word under my breath before heading out into the unforgiving summer sun in Peru to find flour. I was making the dough for a pizza we were going to eat later that night and had just realized by staring at an off-white soupy mixture and an empty bag that I had...
In Augustinian spirituality, there are three official Core Values: Unitas (Unity), Veritas (Truth), and Caritas (Love). However, there is also an unofficial fourth Value that I have found to be central to my spiritual growth during my year with the Augustinian Volunteers: Fooditas. Fooditas: n. \ˈfüdə̇ˌtäs\: the recognition that sharing a meal with others is...
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted”. This quote by Aesop is posted in the main building of HELP of Ojai, where I have worked for the past 7 months as an Augustinian Volunteer. This quote emulates my time at HELP of Ojai working at the Community Assistance office. Whether it’s...
It’s hard to believe that I’ve been down here for two months now. It has been two months full of rain, prayer, laughs, and new experiences. One of my favorite new experiences has been getting to know and start a relationship with the Augustinians–both in Lima and here in Chulucanas. When we first landed in...
