Greetings from Kansas City! I think this blog is a great idea, thanks for starting it up. Well I'll do a brief update of my life. I'm back in Kansas City, MO starting my second year as a Lasallian Volunteer after a great summer break of traveling the midwest and taking a trip down to Guatemala. I live and work at Holy Family Catholic Worker House and also "work" part-time at St. James Parish. There I coordinate Youth Ministry for Middle School/High School students, organize volunteers and do the Confirmation program. St. James is a unique and wonderful parish that i feel very at home in. There are only about 175 families yet we have 23 different first generational countries represented, 15 different languages spoken! There's a lot of lay empowerment and focus on the midtown commnity we live in.
I have a lot of anxiety about what to do after this year. I'm looking to move back to Chicago, but have no idea what to do in terms of work, schools, community, etc. (besides miss Bily!) So if anyone has a life for me in Chicago please let me know! Seriously though, any contacts, job opportunities, or things you think I'd like would be greatly appreciated.
On a side note I was asked to give a talk at a suburban parish a few weeks ago about my work at Holy Family. The evening was set up similar to a hunger banquet, but totally different I guess. We were all treated as "guests", exactly how things are done at our house. We waited outside, got meal tickets, people served us our food, etc. They had some great materials, quizes, statistics about poverty and Kansas City poverty. So, in my typical style afterwards I got all the resources I could so that I could resuse the materials. I was very happy to find out it came out of the USCCB! Here's a link: http://www.usccb.org/cchd/povertyusa/ There are age appropriate activities, lesson plans, suggestions, etc. If you're interested.
Great hearing what other alums are up to!
Peace
Kendall
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Whoo-hoo! I get to be the second person to post something!
Anyway, I'm not really sure what to say, so I will just update you all on what I am doing! I am currently volunteering in the Dominican Volunteers program, sponsored by the Dominican sisters and priests (which, in case you didn't know, is Sister Judy's order). I am currently helping out as a school aide (going and helping out in whatever classroom needs it and helping to plan and organize "special events" like Halloween parties, Hispanic heritage days, etc.) at a therapeutic preschool for students with special needs. Most of the students need speech therapy, but several need occupational therapy, counseling, or have other special learning needs. I live in a community in the Bronx with 2 other volunteers and we have a support team of 10 Dominican Sisters who eat and pray with us and support us in whatever ways we can. We get invited to attend or help out with events sponsored by/affiliated with the Sisters!
Its pretty fun times, although I miss a lot of things at SMU!! Its weird to not be doing youth ministry in a parish setting, but I'm trying to hook up with a local youth group to see if they need any help! I sometimes find myself wanting to play dorky youth ministry games or sing praise and worship songs by myself just because I miss it!
Ok, if you want anymore details, you'll have to ask me! Otherwise, that's all for now!
Anyway, I'm not really sure what to say, so I will just update you all on what I am doing! I am currently volunteering in the Dominican Volunteers program, sponsored by the Dominican sisters and priests (which, in case you didn't know, is Sister Judy's order). I am currently helping out as a school aide (going and helping out in whatever classroom needs it and helping to plan and organize "special events" like Halloween parties, Hispanic heritage days, etc.) at a therapeutic preschool for students with special needs. Most of the students need speech therapy, but several need occupational therapy, counseling, or have other special learning needs. I live in a community in the Bronx with 2 other volunteers and we have a support team of 10 Dominican Sisters who eat and pray with us and support us in whatever ways we can. We get invited to attend or help out with events sponsored by/affiliated with the Sisters!
Its pretty fun times, although I miss a lot of things at SMU!! Its weird to not be doing youth ministry in a parish setting, but I'm trying to hook up with a local youth group to see if they need any help! I sometimes find myself wanting to play dorky youth ministry games or sing praise and worship songs by myself just because I miss it!
Ok, if you want anymore details, you'll have to ask me! Otherwise, that's all for now!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Ahh the joys of the "real world"
Wicked awesome, I get to be the first Alum to write on the wall, it is the simple pleasures in life that bring me joy!
I don't know if I am supposed to be asking questions or giving advice, because I have plenty of both.
Well maybe I could just start with a funny story; I told my priest the other day that I was feeling disconnected, and have not found a sense of community here outside of work, want to know the first thing he said to me?? "Do you want to get married, because my sister is good at blind dates, and if we find you a farmer boy, you will be stuck here forever!" thanks Father.
So yes I am still doing full time youth ministry in small town northern MN, but I have started taking some grad classes at St. John's University, and that is the update on me.
Some of us alum have made an email wheel to send practical ideas around I don't know if this is a place that we could do that sort of thing, but it might be helpful??
Katie Blaschko
I don't know if I am supposed to be asking questions or giving advice, because I have plenty of both.
Well maybe I could just start with a funny story; I told my priest the other day that I was feeling disconnected, and have not found a sense of community here outside of work, want to know the first thing he said to me?? "Do you want to get married, because my sister is good at blind dates, and if we find you a farmer boy, you will be stuck here forever!" thanks Father.
So yes I am still doing full time youth ministry in small town northern MN, but I have started taking some grad classes at St. John's University, and that is the update on me.
Some of us alum have made an email wheel to send practical ideas around I don't know if this is a place that we could do that sort of thing, but it might be helpful??
Katie Blaschko
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