West Virginia

Senior Lydia Musselman led the SWAP (Sharing with Appalachian People) trip this year to Kimball, West Virginia.

Musselman said, “A group of five of us went to SWAP in West Virginia. Every day, we got up before 6:30 to pack our lunches, then we had breakfast together at 7. We had a devotion time at 7:45 and aimed to be ready to work at 8. We worked in the morning from 8-12, then had an hour break for lunch, and then worked from around 1-4:30.

“In the evenings, we had dinner together, then usually had some kind of presentation about a topic in the area from 7-9 p.m. Topics included the local education system and the high rate of poverty. Then we would talk or play games until bedtime at 10:30. On Thursday afternoon, we had some free time, so our group decided to go to a park to see some waterfalls.

“While we were working, our main task was to help prepare the new location that will be the headquarters of SWAP starting next month. It was very satisfying that we were able to put up drywall in a space where summer volunteers will be staying. Others in our group also did some painting and flooring. We all helped to move lots of furniture and paint supplies to the new location. But most significant [aspects] were the relationships made and strengthened within our group and with the SWAP coordinators.

“My biggest takeaway was that I was able to slow down my pace of life for a week. It was refreshing to be less anxious about getting things done on a checklist and to prioritize investing in relationships. As a bonus, I got to learn how to put up drywall!”

Georgia

Junior Ariel Barbosa and staff member Otoniel Suero Escalante led a trip to LaGrange, Georgia, where they had an intimate look at immigration rights and immigrant families.

Barbosa reflected on the experience: “In my mind, Y-Serve provides the only week-long cross culturals offered at EMU. Particularly at Casa Alterna, seven of us immersed ourselves into a week of Spanglish-speaking homestays, tamale making and other Guatemalan eats, tutoring, art projects, and playgrounding with bilingual kiddos, along with delving deeply into the context behind it all: local LaGrange, Georgia; the US legal system through the eyes of an immigrant (and meeting eyes with migrant men at Stewart Detention Center); the history of race relations in the South and US (especially through a heavy day spent in Montgomery, Alabama).

“So much in one week and [so many] stories to bring home. We all left feeling grateful, with hearts full, yet stirred.”

L’Arche

Junior Emma Hoover signed up to lead a trip to L’Arche, an intentional living community that supports people with varying disabilities in Washington D.C.. Unfortunately, Hoover was the only one of her group able to attend due to illnesses and other unforeseen conflicts.

“I ended up going on my own and gained so much from it. I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in because this is the first time Y-Serve has sent a group [to L’Arche] for spring break. I got there and was immediately greeted by the core members, the adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community, and the house coordinator with so much enthusiasm.

“Throughout the week, I did small jobs like cleaning out service vans and accompanying core members to places around the city, but the real work was in creating community and connections with the people in the houses. Being present and open to genuine conversation with the house residents meant more than any physical task I could do for them.

“I think they served me more than I did them! By the end of my time there I was performing in talent shows with them, spending hours playing cards with core members and the other volunteers from Assumption College, and soaking in the incredible attitude and philosophy that L’Arche emulates,” Hoover said.

Florida

Junior Reuben Peachey-Stoner and sophomore Josh Schlabach led a group through Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). Peachey-Stoner is not new to Y-Serve trips and reflected on his third experience as a trip leader.

“We worked with MDS in LaBelle, Florida to help repair houses because of the hurricane last summer. There were six of us, so we all piled into a minivan. We got to Savannah the first day. We left early Saturday. We went to the beach and stayed at a Unitarian Universalist Church in Savannah.

“In the morning, some of us went out and explored [the] church. Then we drove the rest of the way to Fort Myers that day. We met our group; there were four recently retired couples and two people in that age range who were there without their spouses. We had excellent cooks the whole time.

“We went to the job sites at 8 in the morning [and] came back at 4. I was working at a site where we were mostly drywalling. I learned how to tape and how to mud. There were other sites where they were framing and putting up walls—some insulation got done at our place, but that was other people. There was some finish work at another site, so there were other sites that were active the week we were there. The first day, at the end of the day, we went to Sanibel Island. Jonathan Nielsen got to see his birds while the rest of us went to the beach. We heard the dolphins while were were swimming around and sort of just laid on the beach. The rest of the time, we worked all week. There was always good food and fellowship and conversation in the car. I’ve done a Y-Serve trip every break that I’ve been here. This is the third one that I’ve helped lead. My co-leader was Josh Schlabach. Jonas Beachy, Andrew Schunn, Jonathan Reimer-Berg, and Andrew Reimer-Berg also came along.”

Puerto Rico

AJunior Katie Wenger also volunteered with MDS. Her group traveled a little farther, going all the way to Puerto Rico.

“Over this past spring break, I traveled to Ponce, Puerto Rico with four other EMU students to volunteer with Mennonite Disaster Service. Our job was to tear down a house that was damaged by Hurricane Maria so that future groups can build a new home in its place. We spent our evenings and free time exploring Ponce, going to various beaches, and connecting with the people that we met along the way. One of the most significant parts of this trip was building relationships with the people that I met in Puerto Rico, as well as with the EMU students that I was traveling with. I always looked forward to mealtimes because everyone would sit in a circle and share stories and laugh over delicious food. I am so grateful for all of the new friendships that I left this trip with,” Wenger said.