Memphis, TN and Holly Springs, MS

Memphis was full of friendly people and unexpected connections! I arrived at Christian Brothers University last Friday to stay with the Brothers. Once I arrived, I was greeted by a Brother who showed me to my room. After that, he brought me to their dining room to get some lunch. As I ate, I was able to sit and talk with a few of the Brothers. One of the first Brothers I met attended Saint Mary’s University and then traveled to the lower 48 states right after his graduation… that sounds strangely familiar. He then went on to teach at the high school that my parents went to. Small world! Being able to hear the stories of his travels and share with him the experiences of mine was enjoyable.

Later that evening, one of the Brothers introduced me to the three Lasallian Volunteers (LVs) in town. Lasallian Volunteers are young adults who commit to spending 1-2 years volunteering in a specific area of the country. Although I have really enjoyed meeting people of all ages, it was great to meet some people who are my age and are passionate about serving others and making a difference as well! After talking for a bit, I asked the LVs why they chose to do service after they graduated. One of the LVs from Philidelphia said that her experience in Browning, Montana had inspired her. For those of you who are keeping track, that is the same Browning, Montana that inspired my mission trip! And just so we are clear, a girl from Philidelphia, PA, and a guy from Minneapolis, MN, met while doing service in Memphis, TN, all because they were inspired by their seperate mission trips to Browning, MT, a town of just over 1,000 people. That's astounding!

The next day, I met up with my new friends at the school where they volunteer at to help them sort some food. At their school, the packaged goods that the kids don’t eat at lunch are kept and donated to the local community center to help feed people in need. Our job was to sort through the food (milk, apple sauce, etc.) and separate the good stuff from the bad. After we did that, the LVs showed me around town. We went out to eat for my first taste of southern BBQ, which was as good as advertised. After that, we stopped by the hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. That was a humbling experience. To wrap up the afternoon, I got to see the world-famous Beale Street. Adventures are great, but they are more meaningful when you have someone to share them with, which is why I am thankful that I met the LVs!

On Sunday, I attended Mass and took some time to continue to plan my trip. Considering that my Nashville plans were up in the air and I had already spent some time in Tennessee, I decided to mix things up a bit. Since I was really enjoying my time in Memphis, rather than continue on to Nashville as planned, I asked the Brothers if I could spend a few extra days with them while I figured things out. They graciously welcomed me to stay!

Later in the day, one of the Brothers drove me around the city as we talked for a couple of hours. He shared with me his stories about growing up in Africa. Hearing the opinions and perspective of a man who was raised half way across the world was very interesting! After treating me to some maple bacon ice cream, he made a home cooked meal that included some authentic African spices.

On Monday, I tagged along with the LVs to help out at De La Salle at Blessed Sacrament k-8 school. I left for school at 6:30 am and returned at 5:30 pm. We arrived at school at 7:00 am to prepare for the kids who come in early for breakfast. After breakfast, I got the chance to help out in PE class for a couple hours. That was followed up with a tag-team effort to sort and count the newly donated textbooks. After that, I had a chance to join the 2nd graders as they ate lunch. The lively bunch was more than willing to engage in conversation, as the 20 minutes that I spent with them was filled with nonstop stories and questions! Following the lunchroom clean up, I was surprised to learn that the local Memphis newspaper (The Commercial Appeal) was planning to stop by the school to interview me about my journey. Humbled by the fact that strangers are taking an interest in my mission, I sat down with the reporter and told her my story. Once the interview was over, I had the chance to sit down with a student who is learning English to help her develop her reading skills. Once school ended, I stuck around and helped the students who stayed for the Homework Help Room program.

My time spent at school was rewarding and exhausting at the same time. While this was a one-day event for me, this is the daily routine for the LVs. I am incredibly impressed by their commitment to serving others!

On Tuesday, I decided to venture into Mississippi. I chose to forego making arrangements in advance and opted to show up to some places unannounced instead. I plugged the address of a nursing home in Olive Branch, MS, into my GPS and was on my way! According to my GPS, I had “arrived at my destination”. The only problem was that there was no building there. After a half hour of aimless driving, which included stopping three times to ask for directions, I decided to head to Holly Spring, MS. The first stop was Trinity Mission, a health and rehab facility. I arrived at noon and asked if I could volunteer. They said yes, but not until 3:00pm. Having some time to burn, I left the facility and started to drive around. Across the street, I saw the 92.7 “The Change” radio station with a sign that read, “People Helping People”. I stopped in and gave them my information, asking if they would be willing to share it on the radio. They said that they would be happy to help! Parked in a nearby lot, I was able to hear them talk about my trip on the air!

At 2:30pm, I headed back to Trinity Mission to help out. I was put in charge of explaining and leading the “Baseball Dice Roll” game, a game that consisted of eight participants, two dice, a sheet of rules, and baseball diamonds printed on several pages. At the end of the half hour game, all the residents told me that they enjoyed it. They thanked me and asked me to come back to play it with them again. After the game ended, I got to sit and talk with the residents and hear their stories and answer any questions that they had. After our conversation wrapped up, I thanked everyone for letting me join them and headed back to Memphis.

Once I got back, one of the Brothers handed me the local newspaper (The Commercial Appeal)… with my picture and story on the front page of the “local” section! Again, I found myself humbled by the fact that so many new people are supporting me on this journey. On my own, the impact of this trip would be minimal. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of others, the sky is the limit.

Wednesday was used as a day to plan for the journey ahead. Although I knew my next stop was Kentucky, I had yet to find someone who was willing to host me. After a morning of emails, I received some positive responses and was able to secure a safe place to stay in Bowling Green! Around the same time that I found a place to stay, I received a phone call from a man at a local radio station asking if I would be willing to sit down to tape an hour long interview about my mission trip! Excited to continue sharing my mission with others, I quickly agreed to meet up with him before I left town on Thursday.

On Thursday morning, I packed up my belongings and headed to do the interview with Father Don Mowery, a man who has been doing great work in the Memphis community for many years. After an hour of great conversation, I thanked him and his producer for the opportunity and headed back to say goodbye to the Brothers. The hour long segment is scheduled to air on the Talk It Out Radio Show on WHBQ on August 30th between 6:00 am – 9:00 am.

A huge thank you to all of the Christian Brothers in Memphis. I am forever grateful for the hospitality that you provided me with during my extended stay! Thank you to the three LVs: Liz, Amanda, and Bridget. I am inspired by the work that you do for the kids at De La Salle at Blessed Sacrament! Thank you to Jane Roberts, Father Don Mowery, 92.7 “The Change”, and everyone who has helped me to spread the word about my mission. Thank you to all of you who serve others on a daily basis but do not get recognized for the work that you do. The world is a better place because of you! And thank you to everyone who continues to pray for me and support me on this journey! This trip would be nothing without you!