Reflections

“When I applied to be a College Bound tutor as a freshmen I did not expect to find a job that I would have for several years, much less one that I would look forward to each week. The wonderful thing about this program is that it provides meaningful, intentional work that is also enjoyable. I am thankful for the chance to be a part of College Bound and consider it to be one of the most valuable experiences I have had at Gordon.”
—Brian Gehr ‘15, College Bound Tutor

 

“One thing I'm learning through College Bound is that every kid is unique. There is not a single child we work with who does not have a distinct personality and noteworthy flair they bring to the table. When you take the time to really know these kids, not only is it a learning experience for you, but it is also a chance to encourage them to challenge themselves and dream big. The main focus of what we do is homework-help and tutoring, but the most beneficial aspects of the program are the relationships that we build.”
—Anneliese Deckert ‘16, College Bound Tutor

 

“REACH is a drama ministry team that has been an extremely important part of my time at Gordon. I’ve been a part of REACH since my freshman year, and with each new year my experience has gotten better and better. One of the greatest parts about this team is that we are not just friends; we are a family. It was because of this bond that I wanted to help co-lead REACH. I wanted to be a part of continuing the tradition of using our own experiences to be able to minister to the youth in the area all while providing a safe and intimate place where the rest of the REACH members could come and be themselves. I’ve been so blessed by this Outreach Team and I pray that it will thrive for years to come.”
—Joy Parillo ’15, REACH Drama Ministry leader

 

“Serving with partners in Lynn awakens my students to the shaping questions of human experience more than any other part of the course. Sometimes I can’t believe we have this opportunity for exposure and maturity right in our midst.”
—Ryan Groff, Center for Faith and Inquiry administrative airector and a teacher of The Great Conversation

 

“Gordon College should be proud that they have students the caliber of [Gordon in Lynn Interns] to represent them. [They are] one of the reasons why year after year we look forward to the Gordon College students coming back.”
—Catholic Charities staff, Lynn

 

“I applaud Gordon College for the big picture thinking that brings people like [Gordon in Lynn Interns] into our worlds to share.”
—Jan Plourde, REAL program director, Lynn

“I thoroughly enjoyed watching the film The House We Live In, because it all began to make sense to me. Never before had race been described to me as a social, political construction; it was always simply a fact of life . . . The realization that race, gender, age, economic status, and the multitude of other categories we use do not matter because we are all first and foremost human beings is shaping my outlook in everything I do. It is not that the people are of lesser value in some way; it is the structure of a broken system that holds them back. Going into Tracy Elementary School in Lynn for my service learning exemplified this as I became witness to the unfairness and lack of opportunity given to the children there because most of them have lower income, colored skin, and fewer resources. It frustrates me that there is no way for most of those children, and the many other people who find themselves in similar situations, to have most of the opportunities of which I so often take advantage. . . . It excites me that there are so many opportunities at Gordon to take on hard topics as a community. I appreciate the intentionality of The Great Conversation course in making freshmen come face to face with issues that are often avoided in everyday conversation. . . . Many subjects that I care deeply about were touched on within the course of the year in The Great Conversation, but the idea of oppression is the thread running throughout that has especially caught my attention. I have become more passionate about bringing justice to this broken world as I have become aware of the many issues that need attention. I want to see others through a lens of equality instead of through the categories in which society has placed us. As I wrestle with all of these ideas and begin to form my own perspective, it is wonderful to be in a community that is open to tough conversations. I am coming to realize that I will always be seeking answers and striving to better understand the world and that is a great place to be.”
—Julia Webster ‘17, TGC Student

 

“TGC quickly taught me how I did not understand the cultural context of the places where I served and learned, which had in turn prevented me from providing aid effectively. By taking part in the dialogues we had in class and experiencing for myself what service looks like at the New American Center, I discovered how intentional, personal interaction made a greater impact the than cookie-cutter ‘service’ I had experienced in the past. . . . I was challenged on the basis of service very early on through articles we read, including ‘Educating for Shalom, ‘What We Don’t Talk About When We Don’t Talk About Service,’ and ‘Out of The Classroom and Into The Community.’ These articles all touched on the topic of interacting with other cultures, and how we as Americans often avoid contact with other opinions. This happens for a variety of reasons, but most commonly because of the fear and discomfort reaped from these interactions. However, we are called as Christians to lay our pride down and listen to others openly, showing the love of Christ towards them in all circumstances. As dictated in these articles, this openness can be found through a fusion of educational shalom, humility, and service. These articles taught me to cast away my judgment and listen, truly listen, to other perspectives. This is the first step to effective service. By studying the other stories the world has to offer and comparing them with what God tells us through Scripture, we can become servants fully equipped for the service He requires of us. . . . However, the lessons I learned on the biases I had concerning service did not end at 1:05 p.m. every Tuesday: they continued into my service section at Lynn. My group was involved in the New American Center, a program meant to aid refugees who have recently fled their war-torn countries to find solace in the United States. Most of the kids I came into contact with were middle school and high school age, all of whom had witnessed first-hand violence and death in their home countries. On the first day I went into the New American Center, I had expected the kids to be struggling emotionally, and because of this, be on the quieter side. However, I was quickly proven wrong. Within an hour, I was ‘helping’ these kids with math problems they often solved better than I did, who had a desire to learn, and an inner fire to thrive and enjoy life. . . . From Lynn, I learned not only that service can be done in conventional terms, but also through helping others in ways that are unexpected. For example, serving another does not mean swooping in and tying up all the loose ends in their lives to ‘make everything better.’ Service can be accomplished in small ways, from learning the person’s name to saying hello to them every week. It can be figuring out an English problem with them as much as sitting and listening to them, trying to understand the pain they have gone through and the worries they have about getting into college and planning a future in the United States. Sometimes service does not have a gift-wrapped solution to everyday problems; sometimes it is enough to just be a positive presence in another person’s life, no matter what. . . . Through this year taking TGC, the assumptions I once had concerning service have been replaced with many perspectives that stretch across continents and lifetimes. Hearing these new and oftentimes startling accounts have deepened my faith and made me question why I once believed what I did about service. By becoming honest with myself about the past and present of the United States and beyond, I have learned to become a global servant who will always search for the other side of the story, and in it, discover how to better meet my neighbor’s needs. TGC has given me the knowledge I need to do this, and it is now my turn to put this wisdom into action.”
—Michaela Savell ‘17, TGC Student

 

“Before going into Lynn, we were told that it was full of poverty and a less than ideal town. People talked about the saying ‘Lynn, Lynn the city of sin.’ We were told a single story. When I got to Lynn, I realized that while parts of what we had been told were true, Lynn also had incredible people living there. I spent my time in the New American Center helping refugee children with homework. I got to hear many stories that changed my single story perspective. One person who really impacted my story was Ali. He is from Iraq and had been living in the United States for five months. One day I had the opportunity to help him work on his English homework. It was a long and difficult process as he struggled through the words, trying to remember them and spell the correct word to match the definition. Ali was making continual mistakes, but the thing that stuck out to me was his determination. No matter how many he got wrong, Ali continued to smile and kept trying. I thought that Ali would lose his smile and be frustrated as we continued on, but, even after the forth or fifth wrong answer, his smile remained. Ali gave me the opportunity to witness another story. He demonstrated a story not one only of pain and suffering, but a boy who is determined to succeed. Ali struggled to understand a language he is surrounded with, but he was calm and consistent and patient in learning. I respected his shy determination and his desire to learn. Not only is he a wonderful example of a student, he is a beautiful example of how a single story can be wrong. If people refuse to experience and interact with others outside their own circles, then single stories can create divisions and problems between people. Ali is not a bad person from the city of sin, instead he is a studious young boy trying to do his best despite constant struggles.”
—Sarah Margason ‘17, TGC Student

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