Capability Through Humility

This past year of FrancisCorps has ran the gambit in regards to emotions felt, lessons learned, and experiences gained. While I anticipated growth in my personal relationship with God, knowledge of Franciscan spirituality, and ability to live in community with others, I had a hard time imagining how this past year would benefit my future professional endeavors. Looking back on the year now, I am surprised by how much more prepared I feel to enter into the working-world after my time of service at the Assumption Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen.

My role as Assistant Director at the pantry was much more comprehensive than I could have imagined and at times left me overwhelmed and doubting my ability to be the person that the volunteers and clients of the pantry needed me to be. But if there is one thing this year taught me, it is that I am more capable than I ever imagined. More capable to hop into something unknown and learn quickly from those around me how to keep up and be successful. More capable to create connections with people of all ages, abilities, languages, faiths, and levels of need. More capable to manage people, even with the schedule of volunteers changing each day and having no way to predict the interaction that might take place any given day among clients. I certainly could not have done or realized any of this without the constant support I had from the volunteers and other staff members at the pantry as well as other volunteers and staff members of FrancisCorps. I expected this year to be humbling, and it certainly was, but I was shocked to see how much strength and hope can be found from humbling oneself.

Now that the year of service has come to a close, I am called to take the emotions, lessons, and experiences I have gathered throughout the year and take my next step. I am happy to have decided that I will be moving back to Alaska to be closer to my family and my favorite places. I will also be putting my degree to good use by working as a scientist at an environmental engineering company. I am excited to pursue this field of work and I know it will provide great opportunities for growth and expansion of skills and experience. I am excited to see what other capabilities I will develop or will be revealed to me in these next few years after FrancisCorps.

Categories: General

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