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Vanceburg View
An Update From the Director
of Glenmary's Volunteer Office
Summer 2004
Thanks to our summer staff. During this busy summer we've been blessed with many people, new animals, some sad and some exciting things in Lewis County and at the Farm.
Ed Koch blessed us as a member of the Farm staff. Ed is from Newcastle, Penn., and attends Gannon University in Erie, majoring in psychology and Spanish with minors in women's studies and math. Ed likes to play music, gamble, and discuss social justice. He loves service and is a convert to the Catholicism. His energy and enthusiasm gave me a great boost all summer!
Several people gave a week of their summer to help out the Glenmary Farm. I would like to thank Vic Taylor, Brit Hennessey, and Heather Quinlan for gifts they gave to the Farm, Lewis County, and our volunteers.
The ministry of endurance. Father Dave DeVore, one of the many people who blessed us with his presence this summer, gave me a lot to think about when he suggested that to endure suffering with grace is a ministry. When I reflected on this grace, I realized that at the Farm, we are often touched with the ministry of endurance.
For example, we frequently host volunteers who come to work despite tough times in their lives. We have had people who have lost loved ones to drug addiction or suicide, people who are losing their sight. Some have had loved ones and friends close to death, but still they come and serve. Often these people raise the spirit of the entire group and remind us of God's many gifts.
Volunteers who practice this ministry of endurance remind me of the people we meet at Comprehend, an organization that serves people with mental health needs in northeastern Kentucky. Most people we meet there used to have full-time jobs and a life similar to you and me. But, because of addiction or mental health issues, they are not able to hold a job and have come to Comprehend to get back on their feet. I am always amazed at their stories. It seems that everyone I meet at Comprehend misses gainful employment.
Yet, through the trauma and sadness in their lives, they endure with grace. I have yet to meet a volunteer who has not seen Christ in the people at Comprehend. They always have open arms and serve the volunteers as much as the volunteers serve them. God certainly has blessed my life with the friends I have made at Comprehend.
The elderly people we serve at the Licking Valley Senior Citizen Social Center also grace us with a ministry of endurance. They might be going through the challenges of aging, but are always cheerful and ready to share with us (even if our singing isn't up to par!). They have learned how to endure life's ups and downs with grace and a giving spirit.
A swing-less season. Although we've generally had a great summer, there are a couple of things that have made me wonder how I portray the ministry of endurance in my own life. For example, in June, a freak thunderstorm came up and blew down our rope-swing tree, so we find ourselves swing-less. We've had many suggestions on how we can replace it; a diving board, perhaps, or maybe we could sink a telephone pole and attaching the swing. One person recommended patiently waiting for the next tree to grow to the right height.
Our swing-less state is certainly no a tragedy, especially compared with those I've shared with folks at Comprehend, but when I think of the volunteers who've enjoyed that swing, and especially those who'll never have the chance, I realize that it was more than just a swing!
Blue recovering. In other bad news, poor Blue, our dog, was hit by a car early this summer, but is recovering. He shattered a hip and is on limited duty until he is fit to return to non-stop barking and chasing cars. Although I often accuse Blue of being the stupidest dog in the world, I admit that I hate to see him suffer and I miss all that barking. I guess his mishap is really his ministry of endurance, more than mine!
Looking for Farm managers. However, I am enduring the difficulties of trying to find qualified people to serve as managers at the Farm. If you are interested in serving as a manager at the Farm, please contact me.
Peace,
Joe Grosek
jgrosek@glenmary.org
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