October 2002, after graduating from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia. She has just returned to the States where she plans to find work with a nonprofit organization focused on social justice. This interview was conducted shortly before she left Haiti.

What were your spiritual hopes when you signed up with the ASL program?

As a college student I felt a deep sense of call to live in direct response to the love I felt from God. This meant choosing a lifestyle of walking gently on the Earth, as well as working for economic and social justice and peace. But living this kind of lifestyle is daunting. I constantly felt my efforts were being sabotaged by U.S. consumerist culture. In coming to Haiti, I hoped to move out of a culture where I was constantly being asked for time and money and into a culture where I could find a different perspective on life. I wanted a new perspective that would help my spiritual journey, which I hope involves an ever-stronger commitment to the radical call of Christ. Not only in terms of living an external lifestyle more congruent to my profession of faith, but also in moving toward a deeper internal life with God. My Haitian sisters and brothers are helping me with my hope to be a better disciple of Christ.

How has your perspective on your faith changed in the last year?

For me, the words of the gospel and the voices of the Old Testament prophets have really come to life here.
As I pray and meditate on Scripture, I understand more of God’s plan for our world—a plan of hope and change,
peace and justice. As Christians, we are to take hope in the transforming power of Christ and to allow peace and justice to flow through our actions and words. Living with the people in my community has taught me about the importance of visiting the sick, freely sharing food, money, and resources, and helping out in the gardens and around the house. In terms of a worldwide perspective, I have learned about international relationships between nations and peoples, which I hope will help my future decisions about politics, finances, etc.

Have you had any spiritual surprises while you’ve been in Haiti?

I’m not sure I would call it a spiritual surprise, but more of a delightful discovery about the classic spiritual isciplines. disciplines. After reading about meditation,
prayer, study, simplicity, and celebration, etc., they have become great tools for helping to deepen my spiritual life.

Can you give one specific experience that has been especially influential on you?

The relationship that has most affected my spiritual life here has been my friendship with a sixty-seven-year-old
woman named Maren. Maren has become a spiritual guide for me in the way that she lives her life. The joy that she embraces every day is apparent in all that she does; her walk with Christ is vividly transparent in all that she does. It’s difficult to describe all that I’ve learned from Maren because so much of what I’ve learned from her has been through example. The kindness and joy she finds in God radiates from her face, which you can only really understand if you see her smile.

How do you hope your experience in Haiti will stay with you when you move back to the U.S.?

I hope to continue to deepen my relationship with, and to live faithfully in devotion to, God. I hope to continue to allow myself to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and try to live in peace with the Earth and other people. I know these are big and daunting things, that I won’t always succeed, but I’m profoundly grateful, because I feel like in Haiti I’ve been given more strength for the journey.

Learn more about the Apprenticeship in Shared Living Program.