KCIYA- Faith Always Wins Interfaith Leadership Blog

In the midst of this pandemic, I find it important to take time and connect with my friends and family. This situation is scary and even if you aren’t being directly impacted, it is likely that you know someone else who is. In times like this, I choose to be active in my community and do anything I can to help those in need: whether that is starting an online fundraiser for a family who is struggling or dropping off food and supplies for the elderly couple that lives next door. All the little things add up in the end, so keeping others in mind is crucial to help my community come out stronger. To keep myself grounded, I have been thinking about myself more and dedicating more time towards my own wellbeing. I have been able to read books that I have always wanted to read and bring my watercolor paints back out. These small changes have helped me enjoy myself amidst the chaos that lives outside of my house. I personally don’t like the lack of action I can take, but I have bec...

When I recently had the wonderful opportunity to plan my own KCIYA service project, I had two things in mind: I wanted to reach across the aisle from my own Catholic identity, and somehow help the environment in the process. In my opinion, there is one place in Kansas City that encompasses both these ideals: Mitzvah Garden. So the service day was coordinated with the incredible Ken Sonnenschein and his team. For months, I pulled my hair out over logistics - who would show up, how many questions should I write, what do I wear? In mid-September, the time came. I drove to The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah all the way in Overland Park. As soon as we parked, I experienced a wave of relief. I felt it would all go well. Thankfully, it did. We helped the garden prepare for winter by raking up the weed-preventing straw they put over tarps in rows that cover about a quarter of the garden. Then some of our group went to harvest and sort apples while a few others and I took the tarps...

Our recent visit to Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House provided growth on an emotional, mental, and physical level for me. During the planning process, I discovered how to plan and accommodate for a religiously diverse community.  Entering the house was different because the community was so welcoming. Their focus was on the feeling of community, rather than what community you came from. I had learned about the Catholic Worker movement through school and it was really cool to see that movement come to life. My belief is to do your best to help those in need at all times, in every community. Everyone, privileged and underprivileged can face times of need and it’s important to serve those who need it. Moving forward, I plan to continue serving those in need and reaching out to help Cherith Brook. Small acts of service filled with great love can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Our focus as humans should be to help others and affirm the gifts and inherent dignit...

Sion Friends Hugging before Heading to their Worksites This morning prayer was about communal love and why communal loving is important and what are some of the barriers in why we may not show it as often as we should. I believe that it is our human nature to judge and perfect people that creates an instant barrier to our ability to fully love. I decided that I was going to spend the morning in the garden again because it is the chore I enjoy most in the morning. It's a way to connect with the natural resources we have been given and with people that are not in my work crew at the service sites during the day. We planted sweet potatoes and the did some weeding. Later, we went to our service site and we worked and were in service to a lovely homeowner, Ms. Davis. She was extremely nice and so hospitable. She is a retired nurse which I think is really cool. We have a medical conversation about arthritis. We chatted and talked about the shared experience of having aches and pa...

   Today was insanely hot. I felt like I wanted to give up about 800 times but I managed to push through every time. I kept thinking about who we were helping and why. In all honesty, doing something for someone else's sake is a heck of a lot easier than doing something for myself-at least in the present time. In situations like these, maybe the motivator could be boiled down to a simple risk of shame or fear of disappointment, but I would like to believe it's the simple human kindness alive in my heart. In all honesty, being here can be incredibly hard. It's hard labor, learning new skills, and being uncomfortable with new routines. Physically at times. Emotionally at times. It's a place and experience that forces you into awakening and creating discomfort surrounding the luxury of our lifestyle, no matter how mundane you may consider your life to be. I always leave with a refreshed sense of place in the world alongside the people in it. This place is truly specia...

Maleah, Gwyn, and Jesse making lunch Day 2: Kitchen Crew and Walk Today was amazing. I started off my morning working in the kitchen. As someone who rarely (never) cooks, I was truly amazed at all the work that goes into planning a meal.  Directly following breakfast, the attention immediately went to preparing lunch. Being a part of this process has truly pushed me to see another perspective when I consume food. I don't think I properly acknowledge and appreciate those who work in helping provide me with food. A human right which many people are unable to obtain. As a society, we take so much for granted. My action of preparing and cooking grilled cheese may seem minor, but for those who serve meals on a daily basis these tasks are important and work in serving and helping their community of friends, family, neighbors, or "strangers."   Something that really struck and impacted me along this journey was our morning walk around the garden. In that period of tim...