"If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together!" - Lilla Watson, educator and activist
This year's mission trip team consisted of Ashley Bender, Griffin Devine, Hanna Evans, Blair Klostermeier, Brian Min, Jamie Schoeberlein, Maggie Schoeberlein, Paul Devine, Rhonda Dunbar, and all of our prayer families.
We spent the week at Clairvaux Farm which is part of Meeting Ground. Meeting Ground's mission is to provide shelter, food, and education to the homeless and help them obtain permanent housing. Meeting Ground, though, provides much more than these basic needs to their residents; they provide a community. Our group was welcomed into the community at Clairvaux Farm from the moment we arrived. Clairvaux Farm was the perfect place for our group to explore this year's theme of community and how it relates to our life and faith.
Below, mission trip participants share their reflections on their experiences.
In my opinion, a community is simply a group of people who share a connection with one another. Here at Clairvaux Farm, there are countless different communities within the larger community. One of thee communities that has affected me the most is the community of children. The day after arriving at Clairvaux Farm, I noticed a little girl from far away and decided to approach her. Her name is Jiera. She was too young to talk but immediately clung to me and for the remainder of the week would always perch herself on my hip. While this behavior is seen all throughout the country, I found it especially important in an environment such Clarivaux Farm, a homeless shelter. Not only Jiera but all of the other children loved playing with all of us and their parents immediately trusted us. I truly felt a strong sense of community within the children of Clairvaux Farm; stronger than any connection I ever felt at such a young age. - Ashley Bender
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e started our journey to Earleville, Maryland, at 5:30 a.m. at Lambert airport. We then flew to Philadelphia where we rented to mini-vans. After renting the vans we started the hour and a half drive that took us from Philadelphia into Delaware and then to Earleville, Maryland. Earleville is a rural farming community located in the Chesapeake Bay Region.
After driving up the long driveway to Clairvaux Farm we were met by Debbie. Debbie explained that we had arrived at the end of the Meeting Ground's annual meeting and weekly chapel service. We were then shown the building that would become our home for the week. After unpacking the mini-vans, we went in the dining hall for dinner. The dining hall was full of activity; there were people standing around talking, others preparing food, and children weaving themselves in and out of all the people. The bustle of the dining hall was overwhelming at first, but early in the week our group became accustomed and a part of all the activity.
Some of our projects for the week consisted of demolishing the old barn, organizing the donation barn, cleaning an empty residence's room, organizing the pantry at Wayfarers house (Meeting Ground's women's shelter), cleaning up at the community kitchen (a weekly soup kitchen), and splitting wood. In addition to our projects we took part in the daily chores of Clairvaux Farm by helping out in the kitchen preparing and cleaning up the meals.
After our day's work, we spent the evening with the children living on the farm playing basketball, making crafts, and playing on the playground. One of the most meaningful parts of the week for me was watching our group interacting with the children. It was remarkable to see the transition in such a short time that the relationship went from strangers to part of the same community. Our group quickly became part of the community of children, exchanging nicknames and jokes.
We ended each day back in our building exploring our theme of community. We did this through music, discussion, Bible readings, Play-Doh, drawing, and writing. This time gave us an opportunity as a group to explore our faith questions and draw loser as a group.
Our week at Meeting Ground changed my view of who is homeless and what a shelter is and can be. The residents taught me that circumstances change quickly and homelessness can happen to anyone. Clairvaux Farm is not just a shelter, but it is a community of people of all ages and backgrounds that live and work together. The residents welcomed us into their community and shared their stories and daily lives with us. I truly feel blessed to have had the opportunity to become part of the Meeting Ground community at Clairvaux Farm. - Rhonda Dunbar
A
ll the members of the community did chores for the community daily such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening. While cleaning after dinner one night, I was surprised to be working alongside some of the residents and not just other volunteers because I had never been in that kind of situation before. The soup kitchen that I had worked in always had people come eat and leave and there was little to no sense of fellowship between the volunteers and patrons. This place was very different, though. Everybody seemed to know each other and were all very friendly to everyone. This week has taught me that many people would love to open up if you take interest in their lives.
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Brian Min
Clairvaux Farm in Maryland is a huge community. Everyone is part of it too and everyone contributes. As we have come to learn this week, members of a community contribute towards its well being. When we came here we were welcomed with open arms and we became members of their community for the week. We contributed like everyone else. We all took turns in making breakfast and lunch and cleaning up after every meal. We worked on the farm making the area better for the community. We fit right in and we had a great time working and hearing everyone's story. - Zach Roman
My experience at Meeting Ground was awesome. I felt that I could really say what was on my mind instead of everything being sugar-coated or a half-truth. It was easy for me to talk to the residents about their problems because I've been in a lot of situations that are similar to the ones the residents have been in. I felt that I really had something that was worth talking about and talking to someone who actually knew what I was going though was so different from talking to someone who had never been though something like that. I will never forget how great that was to be able to open up like I had done. I will never forget this experience. - Maggie Schoeberlein
One of the many communities I saw at Clairvaux farms was the community in the kitchen. I personally did many shifts in the kitchen, either cleaning or cooking. In doing so I worked with many different people that are staying there. There was always such a good flow. They are used to working together and I was welcomed into the different groups. When I would be in the kitchen I would hear stories of people's lives and how they arrived at the farm. Even though the work got monotonous sometimes, the people made it interesting. The people who cook have a responsibility to the other people. Community is all about responsibility. - Blair Klostermeier
Community is.....
*People together sharing everything together to better themselves and grow together.
*a group of people who work together and grow and learn *working together *growth
*helping each other *tolerance *togetherness *Communion *team work *acceptance
*connection *united *confide in people *family *love
Along with suitcases, sleeping bags, air mattresses, digital cameras, cell phones, and ipods, some of the other baggage we brought with us this mission trip was a bundle of preconceptions about the people we would meet and the place we would stay. These notions come from a variety of sources - personal experiences, television, movies and even ignorance. Most of what we hear and see about the homeless involves drug abuse, alcoholism, and mental illness. Mass media portray the homeless as isolated loners, frightened of everyone, connected to nothing. This was my vision of the people I would meet Clairvaux Farm. What I discovered was a community.
Rather than shutting themselves off into tiny enclaves, the residents had formed a true community. The residents and staff shared much more than space; they shared purpose. Each person had duties and responsibilities. All took turns cooking, cleaning and caring for each other. Jim was up at 5 a.m. each day to make coffee and kept the pots full until evening. Gail kept the kitchen stocked and made sure that each meal on each day had several people to prepare it and several more to clean up afterward. Even food stamps and other assistance was pooled to provide for the whole community.
What was most amazing was that none of this sharing appeared to be done grudgingly. One or two of our group would assist the residents at meal time and clean up and everyone seemed happy to shoulder some of the load. They functioned as a family, with each doing his or her part to feed, clothe and raise the other. Of course, as with all families, there was some discord from time to time. You cannot live in community without ruffling someone's feathers every so often. But the tensions came not from a sense of isolation or fear, but rather from the frustrations that truly working together can cause. The Meeting Ground is not immune to those frustrations - it shares them because the members share themselves. They are a true community. - Paul Devine
This past week was awesome. I've met a lot of people who don't have a lot but are trying to start over and reach a common goal: to have a home of their own. The kids that I've met here are so happy and care-free. The kids were always very fun and happy which made it even more enjoyable to be around them. I've learned a lot about people who are homeless and what it means to be homeless. I didn't know that there were places like this where homeless people could come and stay and try to start over. I've really learned a lot about the homeless and what they can do to start over. It was also cool to meet and talk to the people who are homeless to hear their story. I'm definitely glad we came here. - Hanna Evans
This week I have learned a ton! I have learned that to be a good community you need to be there for every and anyone. For example, there is a woman by the name of Danielle. She has three kids ages 15, 13, and 1. Danielle never has to worry about her kids being alone or unsafe because the other people here at this farm will step up to the plate and say "Hey, I'll watch them for you." On top of stepping up, no one ever complains. That being said, when another parent had to go to a meeting she asked Ashley to watch Lee, but Ashley had to clean up after dinner. I said that I would watch him even though I could have been resting after my long day's work in the donation barn. I ended up with Lee and four other kids and didn't complain because that is one of the real meanings of communities. - Jamie Schoeberlein
From a young age I've had Sesame Street and other children's shows preaching the idea of universal love, openness, and community. However, at every turn I've been disappointed by a world in which war is rampant, the individual is non-existent and is led by a mix of governments that don't care about the individual and a closed minded church. However, I have finally found a realization of this ideal community. At Clairvaux Farm the populace is made up of people who have every right to reject the idea of community. We heard over and over stories of how communities let them down, and yet each and every person was open to our presence and grateful for us being there. They openly shared their stories and made us feel not like outsiders but actual members of their community. It is very hard to be open as an individual; for an entire group to be welcoming is astounding. The inhabitants at Clairvaux Farm have done more than just welcome us in to their community; they have reinforced a societal hope that had been quieted in me. They have reminded me that despite the fact that many times communities do not meet their responsibilities some are going far above and beyond. - Griffin Devine
During the week, our group taught the children how to make bracelets out of embroidery floss, hemp, and beads. The children enjoyed these activities and do not normally have access to this type of material. We would like to send a package of art supplies for the children at Clairvaux farms. If you would be willing donate art and craft supplies please contact Rhonda Dunbar rhobear3@hotmail.com. We will be putting the package together after church on August 6th.
