Well, all good things must come to an end. We had breakfast, devotions, filled out paper work. Each school got a packet of info to bring back home. Then each school had chores to do to make Camp Caleb at least as clean as when we got here. After that, pack up and on the road by 10:00 AM.
So, what did we get out Workfest and CAP? A week of Christian Brother and Sisterhood. A week of being servants. A week of new friends, new skills and new beauty. We learned about around the year volunteer opportunities, internships, and sabbaticals. We learned about opportunities to live in community. We had a week of Christians of different denominations acting as if they were part of the Body of Christ instead of arguing. We had a week where people could tell we were Christians by our love. We had a week in which students and faculty from the University of Saint Francis got to know one another in a different setting and it was wonderful.
I had so many things to be thankful for. During a reflection one student talked about how his father always wanted to do construction work with him but the student avoided it because he did not know how. He came here to help others and is going back home to spend time with his father doing construction work, that is a gift. A leader told me of coming back two years later and talking to a family he worked with. What he found out was that the changes they made in the family’s home resulted not only in changes in the family but in the extended family. He never anticipated such a ripple effect. I saw a person who has had to face multiple adverse challenges during the last year laugh, dance, be silly and help others. I am thankful we have created our own USF Franciscan tradition of presenting a blessed Tau from Assisi to a CAP worker. I am thankful for all of the hard work Jan Patterson did to make this trip a reality and I am grateful for the Franciscan community that prayed for us while we were in Kentucky.
So, we drove through the rain, from Kentucky to Lima Ohio. We drove back to Indiana. I was afraid Indiana would look bland after Kentucky but our campus is beautiful. The Lake, the castle, the John Paul II Center looked magical. As soon as we arrived the clock tower chimed. We all got in one last circle and said our final prayer.
It was a wonderful week and now…Workfest 2009!
Peace and all good,
Carl
1 comment:
Carl, I don't think it could have been as beautiful as you make it sound! But I'm moved to tears and that's saying a lot! Thank you for being so willing and able to do this. And now we plan for next year! Blessings, Jan
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