Friday

First we stopped at the Outreach Center where Chris Kunze, SCN is in ministry with children infected/affected with HIV/AIDS. It was inspiring to see the progress that the Center has made and the incredible work done with the children and their families. We arrived ready to finish the house. The shutters were put in the windows and the bright yellow paint began to clothe the walls. It said to all who passed by "welcome"! At night, we were treated to a performance by the drummers and dancers from the Garifuna culture.

Thursday

Another beautiful day with blue, blue, blue skies! The kids greeted us with gifts of pictures they colored from the coloring books we had given to them yesterday. They were so proud and we were so touched. We completed the bathroom walls and got the sheet metal roof on. Alan, a former recipient of a house, came and spoke with the group about his life experiences. It was quite moving to hear about his struggles and his strength to overcome them.

Wednesday

Today was the wall-raising. The five walls went up with a lot of team work. Four exterior walls and one interior wall that divides the 16' by 16' foot house in half. This is one of the most exciting times during our building together.

Tuesday

We arrived at our worksite in beautiful sunshine and met Lewania, the mother of the family for whom we were building the house. She is the mother of five children. On Tuesday, we mixed concrete, measured and cut wood and built the floor. Some of us played with the children and started to get to know the family.

Monday

We arrived in a misty rain. We were warmly greeted by three staff from Hand in Hand Ministries and loaded up our luggage and ourselves into the truck and van. Then the rain poured down upon us. We spent the evening with the Sisters at the SCN Center learning first hand about the Belizean culture and SCN ministries.

Volunteer Experience in Belize

Volunteers gathered for a photo with Mary Elizabeth Miller, SCN President.
Back Row (L-R): SCNs Nancy Gerth, Mary Elizabeth Miller, Luke Boiarski
Middle Row (L-R): Luci Kowalski, Pam Clark, Mary Burns SCN, Katherine Bonus, Jan Bell
Front Row(L-R): Carla Tarantino, Susan Starkey, Steve Schmitt, Karen Schmitt, Carole Kretschman

Nine lay volunteers are joining SCNs Luke Boiarski, Nancy Gerth and Mary Burns for a volunteer experience in Belize Central America from January 26 – February 3, 2009. While in Belize, the group will build a house for a needy family through the Building for Change program of Hand in Hand Ministries.

The experience began with an orientation at Nazareth, KY on January 24-25. During the liturgy on Sunday, the volunteers were commissioned by all gathered. Those gathered extended hands over the travelers and sang:

“May all that you will do
Be for the healing of the whole
May all that you will do
Mend this broken world
May all that you will do be blessing for the earth ...
All that you will do ...”

Follow their activities by clicking revisiting this page. Updates will be posted here.

New Orleans

Twenty young adults joined SCNs Luke Boiarski and Nancy Gerth in January 2008 for an immersion experience in New Orleans, La. This collaborative project, sustained by the Charity Federation and Operation Helping Hands through Catholic Charities, has been growing strong. Those who participate in the experience return changed and deeply moved by the relief work, says Sister Luke, who has led several groups to the Southern city. The young men and women are encouraged to write about their experiences. Below are some excerpts from these powerful writings.

In the face of a natural disaster the magnitude of a level five hurricane, even our greatest efforts felt small, so it was a real challenge to deal with being assigned the task of cleaning up shells from the landscape of a nursing home that was just getting back up and running after the storm. For two hours, a group of twenty some volunteers picked up seashells and stones that had been washed up by the flood. I know my ego was screaming at me to be doing something bigger and more important, like helping build a house or something. In light of everything else, plucking shells from soil seemed to just be a total waste of time. However, against my own nature, I felt a letting go through just doing what I believed to be God's will for me in that moment. It's like Sr. Monica said, "Some days, you're just picking up shells."

...Not only were we working together; we were recognizing our roles as little bitty pieces of God's plan together. The beauty in that realization was so much more than I expected, and having experienced it, I have felt myself recognizing God at work in my life more now that I'm home, too. Volunteering with the sisters felt more like a long-needed retreat than work. (Casie Fox)

New Orleans is a place that suffered terrible destruction, but as one member of the group said, "Sometimes God breaks you down in order to build you up to be even better and stronger." I think that's what's happening in New Orleans. All of the thousands of volunteers that have gone to help have given the people hope and shown them God's goodness.

Nature often holds up a mirror so we can see more clearly the ongoing processes of growth, renewal, and transformation in our lives." I do not know who spoke those wise words, but whoever it was must have had New Orleans in mind when they said it. As a result of my experiences with the Sisters of Charity in New Orleans, I can see that it is not only the city itself that is undergoing a transformation, but the people as well. (Natalie Committee)

Nabholz family members pay it forward in Belize

"Live strong and pay it forward!" That's Melinda Nabholz Smith's motto. It could also be the theme for a week that she, ten of her cousins and three spouses spent together in volunteer service in Belize, Central America in January 2007.

This is how it all started. Inspired by their grandparents, Mary and Emil Nabholz, 42 cousins decided to form a "2nd generation" group, called 2GT42'ers (2nd generation trust, 42 cousins). They have a cousins' newsletter and have pledged as a family to annually support charitable endeavors, including those of their aunts, Sisters Teresa Rose and Emily who are members of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

The cousins took the next step in involvement when they decided to travel to Belize, Central America, through the SCN Lay Mission Volunteer Program to participate in a unique "Belize Building Blitz."

"This is the first time we've had a family volunteer together," explains Patsy O'Toole, Director of Congregational Advancement. "My hope is that other families will hear about this and be inspired to do the same."

The group arrived in Belize on Jan. 14, 2007 and over the next seven days, built a 16'x16'wooden home for a woman in need. They also visited ministry sites of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and Hand in Hand Ministries, experienced the warmth of the Belizean people and deepened bonds as a family.

One cousin, Steven McNeil said, "In my business, I've donated to mission trips but I've never had the guts, the courage, to go on one before. When this group decided to go, I felt it was something I needed to do. After going, I realize it was one of the greatest experiences of my life."

The new homeowner, Caroline, worked alongside the family as they built her home. During the house blessing, Susan Nabholz Denys explained to Caroline, "When our great grandparents came to the U.S. from Switzerland, all their money was stolen and if it wasn't for the grace of people who gave them food, shelter, clothing and helped them to establish their home, we wouldn't be here today. So, it is our honor and our privilege to be here with you. We have shared with you our blood, sweat, and tears of joy. We will be with you in our hearts and in your home." With emotion, Caroline responded, "I would like to say thanks very much for leaving your families to come help me in Belize, for helping me make my dreams come true...Thanks from the bottom of my heart."

The Nabholz family took another trip to Belize in January 2008.