The Maryknoll Volunteer Program

MARYKNOLL MISSION STATEMENT

Rooted in our shared charism and spirituality, the Maryknoll family of Lay Missioners, Brothers, Sisters, and Priests in Bolivia believes in facilitating mission for all members of God's Church. Through the Maryknoll Bolivia Mission Immersion Program we offer mission exposure trips and volunteer opportunities. We foster formative and transformative experiences, introducing North Americans to mission, to cross-cultural engagement , and to the realities of Bolivia. We invite them to a deepened understanding of justice and peace as central to living the gospel.

Volunteer Description:

• Six-week, six-month, and one-year mission immersion in Bolivia doing volunteer service. Individuals, married couples, and families are invited.

• Maryknoll will place volunteers in work sites that reflect Maryknoll's values, favoring partnership over paternalism, empowerment over dependency, and reflecting gospel values. Placements will be determined according to availability of mission sites and talents and interests of volunteers as determined in application and interview process.

• Start dates will be in January and late June/early July.

• Maryknoll will find housing for volunteers, provide orientation upon arrival in Bolivia, accompany volunteers throughout their time here, and facilitate a process of integration and re-entry upon return to the U.S. Each volunteer will be assigned a Maryknoll missioner as a mentor.

Cookies, $0.50!!

In between writing my Master's thesis and reading research articles, I am brainstorming ways I can finance this trip to Cochabamba! The cost of a plane ticket, living accommodations, food and any resources I can provide the school, church or orphanage that I volunteer with are the main expenses

As you may know, I like to bake, so naturally this came to mind first. Selling sugar cookies on campus is promising option numero uno.

Also, just to throw this out there, any good will donation that you would like to send me to help fund my work in Bolivia would be greatly appreciated! (Some of you may remember my travels to Jamaica in 2004 to teach summer school with other students from Boston College? That trip was entirely funded by the help of my friends and family...rock on friends and family!) Also, can I mention tax deduction?!?!...Maryknoll is a recognized foundation by the Internal Revenue Service!**
If the spirit is moving you and you would like to donate to my Bolivia Fundraising Effort, checks can be addressed to "Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers" and sent to:

Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
c/o Geri Lynch
P.O. Box 305
Maryknoll, NY 10545

In the memo line, or somewhere at the bottom of the check, please include: TO BE ADDED TO RAY FINCH'S MISSION ACCOUNT IN BOLIVIA FOR MEGAN BENSLEY'S WORK.

**Keep checking back to this site to see how I am using my funds once I get down to business in Bolivia!**

Spanish Class at Teachers College

To give myself a little bit of a head start, I have been taking a Spanish class here in Columbia's Community Language Program (CLP) this semester. I am learning slowly but surely how to conjugate verbs, recognize vocabulary and even the lyrics of some pretty sweet tunes--Elvis Crespo's Suavemente being my favorite! Check out the music video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yojbLdl1kqA

Maybe before June gets here I will start posting in Spanish?!?!

The idea to go to Bolivia

Two big points got me thinking about South America: 1) Living in Morningside Heights, NYC I interact with people daily who speak Spanish as their first language. 2) English Language Learners (ELLs) deserve the support and scaffolding of teachers who know and appreciate their first language. As a student and as an educator, I feel culturally irresponsible NOT making an effort to learn Spanish.

Initially it was this desire to to learn Spanish that directed my attention to South America.

With my eyes on a summer abroad, a conversation with a Jesuit friend opened the possibility of volunteering in the Catholic Mission organization, Maryknoll. Maryknoll volunteers work with schools, orphanages, churches and businesses in the community of Cochabamba, Bolivia. Volunteers also take language classes at The Maryknoll Language Institute: "Instituto de Idiomas Padres de Maryknoll."

Volunteering, language learning, cultural immersion, these are all reasons that are leading me to spend a summer in Cochabamba, Bolivia.