About the Young Adults Service Corps (YASC)

In order to answer some questions that may not have been fully explained in my previous post, I would like to take the time to describe in more detail the program that I am participating in.  As I mentioned before, the Young Adult Service Corps, or YASC, is run through the Episcopal Church and is defined by the Episcopal Church as, "a ministry for young adults who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the Anglican Communion. (The Anglican Communion is the network of all the churches in the world which have roots in the Church of England.  They are not necessarily beholden to one another, but do keep in communication and hold regular meetings) YASC brings young adults into the life of the worldwide Anglican Communion and into the daily work of a local community. At the same time, it brings the gifts and resources of the church into the lives of young adults as they explore their own faith journeys."

Those who are interested in participating in the program send in an application which is followed by what is called a "discernment weekend."  The discernment weekend is held at Holy Cross Monastery with the purpose of explaining the program in further detail and answering any questions that potential YASCers may have.  In the time following the discernment weekend, the applicants decide if the program would be a good fit for them.  When a decision to continue has been made, the program staff then go about coordinating where each individual will be going.  Each YASCer may let the program staff know in which countries they would be most interested in serving, but ultimately the staff make this decision weighing in personality, skills, and work available to provided the best possible fit between the individual and host church.  Not all of the YASCers will be living in the same country, but some will.  In the summer, the team attends a two week long orientation which focuses on adjusting to a new culture, what is expected of the YASCers, what being an Episcopalian missionary looks like, as well as team building among the group.

The purpose of YASC goes beyond helping out another church in another country.  Yes, we may be teaching English or helping with particular projects in impoverished areas, but we may very well also be in a more well to do country working with one of their churches.  Part of the broader goal of the program is to form meaningful and relationships.  Developing our purpose was, in fact, one of the activities we completed at the orientation.  This on of the definitions we came up with: "Our mission theology is:
...to be fully present with others
...to create a safe community of support and love
...to share in unity with God
Most of us were slightly uncomfortable using the term "missionary" due to negative connotations and past abuses of the church.  But with our created definitions, we began to feel confidence in our new role.

As I mentioned in the previous post, the country that I am assigned to is Brazil.  Particularly, I will be located in the southern-most state of Rio Grande do Sul which is actually has a temperate climate unlike the majority of Brazil's tropical climate.  Reportedly, the church that I will be working with is excited to have me; I have been told I will be helping them with a new project that they are starting up, but what it is, is still a mystery.  In the near future I will be able to speak with someone about it and get more information.  The entire length of my time in Brazil will be a year.  In order to finance this endeavor, the Episcopal Church foots most of the bill; but us YASCers are expected to contribute some money as well. Therefore, I am fundraising.  In order to leave for Brazil, I must have at least 50% of the funds raised.  I am happy to say that currently, very generous people have already donated 44% of the total amount.  If you are able and willing to help out, donation information is located on the left side bar of the blog.

The last mystery that I have looming before me is when I will be leaving.  The story goes that the visa process for Brazil can be a complicated one.  It may take one to six months for the whole thing to be processed. So, here I am, waiting patiently, reading about Brazil and working on Portuguese.  Let me know if you would like to help me practice!

Searching in the field for treasure

I am a planner.  For the past ten years, I have had a "five year plan" to get me through each transition of my life.  While the plans did not always unfold to the letter, I took comfort in having a direction even if it was just a rough sketch.  According to habit, two and a half years ago I began the process again.  I began to plan what I would do upon my graduation from the University of Puerto Rico.  Originally, I had a vague idea that I would come back to Connecticut and "settle down."  As I listened to my classmates' plans and the curiosity growing in the pit of my stomach, I realized that I was not ready to embrace the "American Dream."  In my travels I had learned so much of the world and how it worked.  I had adapted to the subtleties of other cultures, learned how others perceived the world, met fascinating people, tasted new foods and formed strong friendships.  It was at this point I decided to seek out a way to quench my curiosity and my desire to learn about the rest of the world with the ultimate goal of sharing my experiences and stories from the other countries in the United States.

By the time I had finished school, I had already sent out applications to several programs which I had believed were suitable for what I was hoping to do.  For various reasons, each of these paths lead me to a dead end. So, I found a job and a church as I settled back into peaceful Connecticut life, all the while continuing the quest.  It was just over the year mark of when I had returned home from Puerto Rico that I began to be discouraged and was ready to just accept that maybe my plan wasn't meant to be, when I stumbled across the Young Adult Service Corps of the Episcopal Church.  After reading through the philosophy behind the program, I knew it was right for me and applied.  In February of 2016, I found that I had been accepted to the program!

You remember that at the beginning I had mentioned that I was a planner?  Since I have applied for the program, there has never been a distinct plan.  At first, it was unsettling.  I was trying to figure out what to do about my two jobs, trying to decided how much time I should dedicate to activities and language study, as well as make sure I spent enough time with family and friends.  The follow up process for YASC was slower than I had expected for a number of reasons; at one point I even wondered if maybe they had changed their minds and decided I was not a good candidate for the program.  This, however, was not the case and I began the required orientation two weeks ago. The good news is that I have now moved to accept the uncertainty and would say that I have embraced the mystery.  It provides a certain amount of excitement.  During the year, I promise to unravel the mystery as it unfolds, so here is the first bit:  I'm going to Brazil!  I just found out last Tuesday.  The part of the mystery that still remains is what I will be doing and when I will be leaving, but I'm looking forward to finding out.