presence
Day 19: Accompaniment
Editor’s Note: Missioner Hannah Hagarty, serving in Kingston, Jamaica, reflects on the the various meanings of “accompaniment” and how her own understanding of the word has grown during her time in mission. Accompaniment is the reason I was drawn to FMS. When choosing which organization to serve abroad with, I came across FMS and read…
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In the Midst of God’s Grace
Editor’s Note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Nadia Barnett reflects on God’s grace that is often revealed through the present moment. I live my life in the midst of God’s grace. We all do. It’s not always apparent, but it is always present. This time of service has taught me many lessons about God, my faith,…
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What the Sea Will Bring
Editor’s Note: Hannah Hagarty, Missioner in Jamaica, reflects on a poem from Brian Andreas’ Flying Edna and how it relates to her experience on mission so far. Those of you who know me well understand that I rarely miss the Flying Edna story of the day. I am a really big fan of Brian Andreas…
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Solitude Amidst the Woods
Editor’s Note: DC Service Corps volunteer Kevin Ruano shares a poem inspired by reflective moments spent in nature and the struggle to stay present. I sit straight up and rest my head against the tree. I put on an alarm on my phone, close my eyes, open my hands, and face the sun. The fallen…
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Breathing in the Yearning of God
Editor’s Note: Missioner SarahJane Cauzillo reflects on the constant cooperation and presence of the Creator and creation. She describes the mountains that have guided her heart towards a deeper connection with God. The words of Cynthia Bourgeault – mystic, Episcopal priest, and writer – ran through my ears as I stood surveying the mountain range…
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Quiet Joy that Leads Me Home
Editor’s Note: Becky Kreidler reflects on the little joys of life that have revealed God’s presence. I’ll be the first to admit my heart often wanders. Even though I’ve felt God’s steadiness in my life, in my imperfectness, I can stray from His path. In this past season, I’ve been leaning on myself more than…
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Love Blooms in Traffic
Editor’s Note: Current Missioner in Bolivia, SarahJane Cauzillo recalls a moment when she allowed herself to be present to the workings of God, instead of sitting in frustration. I was late. Like, really late. I was over an hour outside of the city and yet here I was, slammed into a crowded trufi (taxi bus),…
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Meaningful Encounters
Editor’s Note: Development Associate, Derek Slaton, shares a conversation he had with current missioner in formation, Becky Kreidler, regarding her love for intentional encounters with those in her life. By talking to Becky I was able to develop a deeper understanding of what motivates her and what matters most to her. In this blog I…
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Were You There: He Consoles Us
Editor’s note: Contemplating the Eighth Station of the Cross, Missioner Aubrey Kimble reflects on the power of following Jesus’ example in being present to those who are suffering. “Were You There?” This is a question that I frequently find myself reflecting on. One of the things I strive for on mission is to be present…
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Be Not Afraid: Practice, Practice
Editor’s Note: FMS board member Lee Lechtenberg shares how a conversation with a stranger showed him a deeper insight into humanity and the affection of fellow recognition. Walking down an autumn morning street, I eyed the old man approaching me scuffing his boots. He is stooped and tugs a small cart with two plastic buckets and…
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Sorry I Forgot the Camera
Editor’s Note: Missioner Janice Smullen reflects on some of the new sights she’s seen in Jamaica and how sometimes it’s less about getting the photo and more about engaging the people and sharing bits of each other’s stories. There was an old Saturday Night Live skit, probably in the 70’s, with (I think), Buck Henry…
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Comfort and Joy: Accompaniment
Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, former community member and friend of FMS Kate Flannery shares the comfort she’s found during her time living at home with her parents before her wedding. My worn tires coasted into our driveway after their 900 mile journey. Only a year and a half ago, they had…
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Power Outage
Editor’s Note: The following post was written by Nate Mortenson. Last week the whole region where we live in Bolivia had difficulties with electrical generators or other technical parts of the power plant. Consequently, Carmen Pampa University and the whole surrounding village had no electricity for almost 3 days. After the problem was fixed, we…
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One more year
My third year serving as a Franciscan lay missioner with FMS invited me to become rooted in my community here in Cochabamba, Bolivia. And being rooted in this community has opened my eyes to more of the complexities of the marginalization experienced by our sisters and brothers here. I desire to continue to grow in…
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Franciscan Friday: The Necessity of Presence
To highlight the service component of the Nonprofit Leadership Program (positions are currently available), Franciscan Fridays are currently featuring reflections from program associates about their experiences with weekly direct service. Enjoy other entries in this series: “Service through Faith: The Ultimate Act of Hope” by communications associate Michael Carlson “A Lesson in Perspective” by development associate…
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Takeaway Wednesday: Jesus the Immigrant
Matthew: 2:13-15Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young…
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Mission Monday: Nature’s Lesson in Persistence
New missioner Michael Redell is in the middle of language school in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He shares today the lesson nature taught him about facing challenges, such as learning Spanish.I remember last week being quite frustrated with what seemed to me slow progress in learning Spanish. So, I decided to take some time and sit outside to…
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