as simple as taking the time to listen

Current Guyana volunteers (left to right) Audrey Marrah,
Meg Eckart, Ashley Harris

     When I choose to be a Mercy Volunteer, I was excited to be part of a group of people who sought to be intentional in service.  In my first few months as a Mercy volunteer in Guyana, I have begun to catch a glimpse of what compassionate service means.  My site placement is at Bosco Academy, the school for the forty some boys living at St. John Bosco's Orphanage in Georgetown.  For the next year I will be working with the three special education students at the school.  In my first few weeks at school, I am learning that my students' favorite thing to say with a smile on their face is "Miss!  Me no!"... in other words, they don't want to do any of their work!

     That aside, as I reflect on the MVC value of compassionate service, I am challenged to think of what that looks like in practice. Teaching at an orphanage full of boys with lots of energy to burn, it can be easy to miss the compassionate piece amongst the disciplining.  For example, I have one student who is often not on task and disturbing the classroom.  Yet in his acting out during class, I am reminded of what this student really yearns for, which is loving attention.  I have learned that this particular student, while living at the orphanage, knows his father who lives in Georgetown and wants more than anything to be taken in by his father.  While I cannot give this student the acceptance by his father that he seeks, what I can give is my love and attention.  Thus, I am learning that compassionate service rooted in mercy, for me, looks like loving attentiveness to the person in front of me.  Sometimes, it is as simple as asking a student to tell you about his father, and watching him come to life.

     Another one of my students celebrated his birthday a week ago, and every day leading up to it, I got an update on how many days were left.  I was also reminded daily of what he was going to get for his birthday: a watch and a book on reptiles and snakes.  Since his birthday, I've been amused by his daily updates regarding which snake he read about the previous night.  One day after school he decided to go through the book and explain to me what each animal was, and what they ate.  We had just gone over herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores in science class, and he went through each animal to tell me which type it was.  Although I'm not the biggest fan of snakes, I really enjoyed watching his enthusiasm as he explained each one to me and I realized that what he really needed in the moment was someone to listen to what he was passionate about.  Reflecting on this, I am learning that compassionate service too can be as simple as taking the time to listen to a student’s passions.   

Meg Eckart - St. John Bosco Boys' Orphanage - Georgetown, Guyana