When I decided to give a year of my life to work with youth in the USA for an organization I'd never heard of and in a country I had never seen before, many of my friends thought I was wasting my time. They said I should study at university; time was too precious. But I didn't feel ready to go to University. I wanted to get a more complete picture of this world before I committed myself to a particular life path. So I chose to volunteer for one year with the Little Sisters of the Assumption, at the Pernet Family Health Service in Worcester, MA. I came in blind faith, all the while listening to an inner voice that told me I was doing the right thing.
 

My main interest was to work with the Pernet youth. My role grew from Assistant to Coordinator of the Youth Program, preparing the curriculum for the Youth and Team groups, and leading group meetings. The Program Director trusted me in a way I had never experienced before; she gave me a lot of space to make mistakes in the learning process. I was also struck by the way the staff believed I could coordinate this program. I had had very little previous experience -- merely one year of working in a boarding school with teenagers from wealthy families in my homeland of Germany.
 

After a couple of teen Group meetings, I realized this group would be a very big challenge. The kids, ages 8 - 12 were apathetic, seemingly unappreciative and without respect for any authority. All the Group activities were deemed "dumb and boring" if they didn't consist of pure amusement -- which seemed to be the only thing on which they could thrive. It was difficult to identify any strong morals or values in their lives. I learned that in the homes that most of the children came from the parents were either absent or were unable to provide a role model for their children. I knew I could not change their home situation, so I thought the most important thing I could give them was to model appropriate behavior. I became a "Big Brother" to two boys with whom I met every week, with the hopes that my presence provided some stability and consistency in relationship.

At times, I was very discouraged and even thought about leaving the program. I felt that I had given my whole heart to these children but almost nothing ever seemed to come back. But what kept me going were the Little Sisters, newly made friends, the Pernet staff - and my own determination to keep going.

After a while, most of the teen began to relate to me. Problems with individuals were discussed and most of them began to make remarkable steps in their lives. They grew as I did - by overcoming jealousies, personal fears, and self-consciousness. Some even volunteered to help me out with groups of younger children in another program!

As I come to the end of my term of service as a Little Sister of the Assumption Volunteer, I realize that my working for the Pernet Family Health Service and living in community with other Volunteers filled me up so entirely that I never even got homesick! I learned to live humbly, with my talent as a musician and the love of the people around me as my constant companions.

I know that these 11 months have given me much more than two semesters at a university could ever have given me; I now feel much more ready to resume my studies.

I believe I have a broader sense of "what's going on" in our society; I now feel that every citizen is in some way or other responsible for everything in this world. It is everyone's duty to do something to make this world a better place.

My message: don't be afraid to give a darn!