For Day 1, our students spent the afternoon assisting with various day programs at Misericordia.
After a brief introduction and orientation, our students were spread across campus to join with staff in implementing the activities at different sites. At each of these sites, the staff lead residents - people with developmental disabilities who either live on campus or come frequently for programs and activities - in various things including art activities, office work, gardening, bakery preparation and packing, coffee packing, and more.
At the end of the day, we shared some thoughts on our day in our daily prayer and discussion.
Bryan enjoyed his art room's teacher, especially enjoying the theatrical way he engaged his residents by creatively summoning the spirit of Vincent van Gogh to join their work!
Ursula and Thien got to learn how to fold a fitted sheet from the residents assisting with laundry services, and they teamed up with the residents to work on a tough word search during break time.
Shawn worked so hard in the bakery with the residents that he was tired after one afternoon, and he left quite impressed at the work ethic and diligence of the residents' work. Shawn also learned some sign language to help communicate with some of the non-verbal residents.
Our daily prayer was based on The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and we challenged one another to cross the "chasm" and be agents of inclusion for one another. We ended by naming all of the people we encountered at Misericordia as we prayed our daily Litany for the Marginalized, and we invite you to pray with us:
Let us now pray for different groups of
people who are marginalized in our society, whose voices are silenced or ignored
or who don’t have a voice to speak for themselves, and whose dignity is not
fully respected… Please respond, “That we may be one” …
For people with
mental disabilities…
That we may be one.
For
people with physical disabilities…
That we may be one.
For
people who are homeless…
That we may be one.
For
people who are refugees…
That we may be one.
For
people who are elderly…
That we may be one.
For
people who are in prison…
That we may be one.
For
people who identify as LGBTQ…
That we may be one.
For
people who are unemployed…
That we may be one.
For
people with social disorders…
That we may be one.
For
people who are unborn…
That
we may be one.
For
people who are very sick…
That we may be one.
For
all people who we have marginalized…
That we may be one.
Amen.
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