St Ignatius College Prepatory - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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SJr- SALINAS Empathy is one level deeper; it brings someone into direct solidarity with those who are suffering. Who is special? I am special. Who does God love? Me. Who do you love? Me. Who else do you love? You. The purpose of Camp St. Francis, an outreach summer program for kids of migrant farm workers, can be summed up in those four questions. Each day we reminded ourselves of these ideas as we enthusiastically shouted the responses. Many of the issues facing migrant farm workers explicitly relate to the notion of human dignity, especially since many suffer exploitation, including impoverished living conditions, scant wages, and questionable working conditions. We think Salinas immersion probably best emphasizes the tenet of building community, since much of what we did involved contact with others and openness to being in an unfamiliar situation. While there, we shared a house with the Franciscan workers, were encouraged to converse with the guests at Dorothy's, and spent a week just having fun at camp. We listened to their stories, asked questions about what we learned, and practiced living in solidarity with the marginalized. As we spent more and more time in Salinas, we learned how the power of listening can mold friendships and how much a person’s presence can touch another’s life. It truly enriched our lives because we were able to share ourselves with them and to witness their struggles firsthand. It is a deeply moving experience when one has the chance to bring strength, hope and compassion to the disadvantaged and minorities. I don't think any of us will forget the faces of those who we served - Fidel, Alejandro. Joe. Isaac, Crystal, Cheese. Jose, Alfredo, Johnny, Alepsis, Juliana, Lupe, and countless more. Their stories our in our hearts, just as our tile rests in the roof of Dorothy’s Place. 1. Jade Batstonc playing with one of the kids. 2. Maggie Matson and Sydney West kissing one of the kids they played with all week. 3. Gabe Hens-Piazza. Andrew Champeau. Maggie Matson, Sydney West. Teresa Marie Carino, Jade Batstone, and Sydney Fogel holding the sign of the St. Ignatius Value. 4. Salinas Immersion 08 having some fun with a camera. Student Life

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Every day that we lived in Boyle Heights was spent in the classrooms of the Dolores Mission Catholic School. Each day we were greeted by the smiling faces of school children, eager to play dodge ball with us at recess and invite us to help them with homework or an art project. Later on, we would listen to the riveting stories of the homeless men in GHP as we ate dinner with them. Through these people, we learned that solidarity and accompaniment, the cornerstones of immersion, involve a mutual exchange between two people. Through our devotion of time, we impact each other. In East L.A. we learned to not fear having the community impact us more than we impacted them. During the two weeks we spent in East L.A., we were challenged to live simply, without the comforts of home. Yes, we had to experience life crammed into a small apartment with only one bathroom and to deal with a broken shower, but living simply did not just include giving up material possessions. It involved simplifying ourselves emotionally and spiritually, removing any judgments or masks, in order to find meaning in the work that we did. Not until we opened ourselves up to the experience and left behind any preconceived notions did we truly understand our role on immersion. People may also view living simply as having to make a lot of sacrifices while on immersion. But most of the gifts and experiences that we picked up along our immersion journey were wonderful gifts that help shape the whole person and create a more meaningful immersion experience. Living simply helped us see what we need in life and what is just excess. 1. Marise Thadani, Katy Daly, and Natalie Flores all stop for a quick picture. 2. Marise Thadani, Natalie Flores. Kevin Reiser, Mike Frcise. Mr. Dekker. Ms. Boswell. Katy Daly. Erin Mahoney. Brady Borderching. and Laura West on the steps of one of their work sites. 3. Kevin Reiser. Mike Freise. and Brady Borcherding all pose with a new friend. 4. Marise Thadani gets some drinks for the homeless. EAST LA 20 W Immersion

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Lord, Holiest of Holies A hiding place from the wind Author of Salvation, we praise your name in thanks For when we are drowning When we feel abandoned When we only sense devastation and destruction We also know your presence We feel your awesome power. Because. You can take a widow's cry. and cause her heart to sing You can open a nightmare's gates, and set the captives free You can mend a broken heart, and cause the to see You can move the mightiest of mountains You’re our Savior, Our King NEW ORLEANS 1. New Orleans Immersion gets together for one big group hug. 2. Erin Grady. Annie Gress, Michelle Hammel, Natalie Hartman, Greg Innes, Anna Kegulski, Kurt Mulligan. Nick Nguyen, Ms. Vanderpol, Mr. Christensen, and Ms. Whelan all pose outside one of the houses they built together. 3. Natalie Hartman and Greg Innes help paint the house. 4. New Orleans Immersion watching a street show. 22 dtf Immersion