Vincentian lay Missionaries

“Proceed quietly, pray a great deal, and act together.” - St. Vincent de Paul

Newsletter Winter 2015

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Vincentian lay Missionaries

Jessica Werner, Director4330 Olive StreetSt. Louis, MO 63108

(612) 554-5434jessica.werner@doc.org

VLM is a ministry of the Daughters of Charity,a 501C-3 Non-Profit Organization

Dear Friends,

It is amazing to think that we are now wrapping up 2015. It was quite a year for VLM! We celebrated our 10year anniversary, sent a wonderful group to Jimma, Ethiopia, to serve at the Pope John Paul II Catholic School,and raised enough funds to begin a well/water project that will benefit the Jimma community. Our 92 VLMalumni were rock stars this year—some initiated fundraisers to support VLM projects, others made personal do-nations to VLM, and many were in attendance of one of the VLM gatherings that occurred in 2015. I truly be-lieve what separates VLM from other short-term service programs is the commitment and involvement of ouralumni. People who serve with VLM become members of a family, both the VLM family and the larger, inter-national Vincentian Family.

Everyday I feel so blessed to be a part of this family and to work amongsuch wonderful, dedicated people. Thank you all for your support of VLM!I look forward to another great year in 2016.

Sincerely,

Jessica WernerVLM Director

InsidethisIssue:

2015 VLM in

Jimma, EthiopiaVLM

HappeningsAlumni Spotlight

Jess

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Advent, 2015

“Extend mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For whathope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?” (St. Vincent de Paul)

Advent always reminds me that “God is with us”! When Ireflect on my time with the VLM in Ethiopia and Kenya, Irealize that those I met and served and with whom I formedrelationships were keenly aware of God’s presence in theirlives. Perhaps during these Advent days as we begin thisYear of Mercy initiated by Pope Francis we, too, can bemore aware of God’s loving presence in our lives. Duringthe coming weeks, let us be mindful of the many times Godbreaks into our lives showering us with His love and mercy.Let us pray for those who live in poverty in Ethiopia andKenya as well as for the Daughters of Charity and their col-laborators who bring God’s love to them in a very real way.Let us also pray for the Vincentian Lay Missionaries who forthe past ten years have given and continue to give of theirtime, talent, and treasure to support those who live on themargins in Ethiopia and Kenya.

With love, prayers, and blessings,

Sister Mary Beth Kubera, D.C.VLM Spiritual Advisor

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A glimpse of the work ofVLM in Jimma, Ethiopia

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Sarah Rajewski, Meghan Keller, and Anna Combs traveled to Jimma inJuly to work at the Pope John Paul II Catholic School teaching students ingrades 1-3.

“Teaching and interacting with the students was mygreatest joy in Jimma. I loved hearing them singsongs. I loved walking into class each morninghearing 50+ children saying ‘Good morning,Sarah!’ I loved hearing them say ‘yes!’ as I pulledout worksheets. Their eagerness and openness

really blessed me.” (Sarah Rajewski)

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Tis the Season!This Christmas, consider making a tax-deductibledonation to VLM. All donations go directly to the

communities where the VLM serve in Kenya and Ethiopia!

You can return the enclosed envelope or donate online at vlmusa.org

Amasaganallo! Asanta Sana!

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Ready to

If you would prefer to receive the VLM newsletter digitally you may email your preference to Jess

at jessica.werner@doc.org

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“The most important lesson the kids taught mewas about love. The love that they showed us fromthe moment we met was completely uncondi-tional. When thinking about what these childrenface in their day to day life, the affection theyshowed us as strangers seemed undeserving.”

(Anna Combs)

“Returning a second time gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of VLM. Ihave come to realize that teaching English isnot the most important work we do as mis-sionaries. We offer a sanctuary for our stu-dents at school.”(Meghan Keller)

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VLM HappeningsJimma Water Project

This year, VLM raised $25,000 so that the Sisters inJimma could dig a well and outfit the Pope John PaulII Catholic School with indoor plumbing and runningwater. Sr. Tsege Abraha was happy to report that thewater project commenced in July and will serve over1,500 community members. She estimates it will befinished before VLM arrive in July of 2016. Thankyou for supporting this project!

Vincentian Family Gathering

VLM alumni Jenn Jansen, Jess Werner, Gina Leal,Kellie Willis, Becca Knight, Emily Edwards, MikeVan Dorpe, Emily Miller and Kayde Claunch gatheredin Denver for the North American Vincentian FamilyGathering at the end of October. 200 members of theVincentian Family in the USA and Canada were in at-tendance, including the VLM, Sister Mary Beth Kubera, and Fr.Aidan Rooney. The theme of the gathering was ‘GoingDeeper: Building community and collaboration forsystemic change around homelessness.’ Attendeestook part in a ‘poverty simulation,’ heard talks fromseveral speakers around issues of homelessness, andspent time getting to know members from otherbranches of the Vincentian Family.

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VLM USA meets VLM Ireland

In late August, Jess Werner traveled to Dublin,Ireland, to meet with the Coordinator of VLMIreland, Mary Anne Stokes. VLM Ireland workin several sites in Ethiopia, and the Irish andAmerican VLM typically overlap for a day ortwo in Addis Ababa at the end of July each year.While in Ireland, Jess spent time with Mary Anneand the VLM Ireland board members, and alsomeeting Fr. Michael McCullagh, founder ofVLM Ireland. This in-person meeting was hopefully the start of a collaborative working relationship between the two programs.

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Alumni Spotlight:Melisa Martinez

In August 2014, I was blessed with the opportunity togo to Kitale, Kenya to serve alongside three otherVLM. Although I was hesitant about going, somethinginside me told me that I needed to go. Thankfully, I hadthe support of my family and friends; without them, Ido not think I would have been able to be a part ofVLM. In Kitale, I met wonderful Daughters of Charity,each unique and amazing in her own way. I worked inthe ‘enrichment room’ at the Kitale summer camp weran, where I let the children’s imaginations go wild.Whether it was making crowns or creating a village outof pipe cleaners, the children got to be themselves andhave fun.

My fondest memory of my time in Kitale has to be thesoccer tournament the community put on. I was havinga serious case of homesickness and all I wanted to dowas stay in my room. As soon my fellow VLMers and Igot to the field, we saw many kids from camp. Theywere so happy to see us. I started making some sillyfaces and the kids would make silly faces back. That isthe moment I realized I was going to be ok.

Since my time in Kitale, I earned my Master’s degreefrom St. John’s University and I am currently pursuinga Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Auburn Univer-sity. Once I am finished with my studies, I hope towork in a hospital setting with clients, particularly mi-norities, who are experiencing health-related traumas. Ibelieve the body needs to be healed both physically andmentally.

Although it has been awhile since my time in Kitale, Istill enjoy sharing my VLM stories with anyone wholistens. Telling my stories helps me keep my experiencefresh and present in my life.

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