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

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Ke bing FaCtk San Bias, a small rural village in the outskirts of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, became the place eight city kids called home. After a strenuous application process, the eight of us were chosen to spend two weeks of our summer living and working with the community of San Bias. I recall one of our first meetings as Costa Rica Immersion where our leader Mr. Cafasso informed us of our task: spend two weeks entertaining approximately 80 Spanish-speaking kids, ranging from ages two to seventeen, for at least four consecutive hours daily. 80 little kids running around yelling “El Chorro! and “Gringos! quickly became the norm. This alongside massive amounts of rice, beans, and frescos always lifted our spirits. We soon became regular inhabitants of the creek fondly referred to as “El Chorro. diving off rocky cliffs into the refreshing water. We filled our days with Spanish (as daunting as it was), friendly neighbors, cute kids, and plenty of bonding time. We spent time restoring the local schoolhouse and fashioning a new garden that will feed hundreds of students. In spite of our memories of futbol on the field, cookies in the classroom, and walks in the warm rain, our best memories are those faces we can now call familia. Pura Vida! performance thanking the volunteers. 2. Kadyn Murphy. Naomi Fierro. Emma Carberry. and Heidi HaJsted jump around and laugh on their day off at la playa . 3. The Costa Rica Immersion group spends time together. 4. Emma Carberry. Nathaniel Nunez, and Naomi Fierro participate in arts and crafts time. 5. Jack Vincdcttc and his friend Nre share a laugh on their way back to school after playtime at the park. 6. Heidi Halsted gives her new friend a piggy back ride during a game of futbol. 7. Mr. Cafasso shows off his photography skills. 25

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Tice, RootofJuitZce, 1. The Tacoma Immersion Group on L'Arche farms. 2. Adam Goldstein. Nicholas Ong. Jacqueline Urbina. Kathleen Christian. Evan Cotter, and Erin McNulty hang out with some friends they met while doing service. 3. Kathleen Christian. Nicholas Ong. and Erin McNulty. Allison Maxwell hang out at the farm. 4. Cecilia Vollert and Erin McNulty get ready to plant. 5. Erin McNulty. Kelli Hatch, Adam Goldstein, and friends from L'Arche farm spend time together during a break. 6. Kelli Hatch poses for a photo with two friends. 7. Allison Maxwell and Jacqueline Urbina with locals. Tacoma—it’s kind of a big deal. Our first week of Immersion was spent on the L’Arche farm. Each and every day, the eleven of us practiced “from the garden to the table” by working tirelessly on the farm and then benefiting from our labor. The L’Arche workers with different abilities showed us all that “they” are just as capable, and sometimes even more skilled than us. Often times, we forget that those who are differently abled are people too, just like us. By not judging what a person can do based on their differences, weaknesses, or preconceived notions, we overcame the weeds of stereotypes and uncovered the roots of justice. Whether watering flowers and tomatoes, weeding bed after bed of various vegetables, mowing the lawn (which was humongous), or mundanely repotting peppers, our Tacoma Immersion group made a difference in both the community and ourselves. We “grew people and then plants as “big” Pat would say. Our second week in Tacoma was spent in the Nativity House with Father Bix and the Catholic Worker where we prepared food and worked for and alongside the homeless. That was simply pulling out the “weeds” though; sitting, eating and being with the people we encountered was the true goal of our experience and helped us get to the root of justice. Before going on Immersion, most of us got caught up in the little things. Because of our experiences in Tacoma, though, we realized that justice is more than a mere statistic; instead, it is the relationships we formed with Les, Robby, Zach, Bix, Josh, and countless others. Through being open, able to listen, and fully present in every moment, we are now able to fully appreciate each and every day. As Bix would remind us, “you can do no great things, only small things with great love.” 24

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