It begins...

With the wisdom of several individuals, I have decided to begin a blog about my JVC journey to keep people regularly updated about life in Billings, MT. So begins my tale...


JOINING JVC:

On Tuesday, July 25 at 10 a.m. I received a phone call from Stephanie Barr, a JVC rep. She introduced herself and asked me if I was interested in pursuing my application since I had not fully completed the process. With three references pending, she suggested an interview for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. I willingly agreed and found out there were only two placements left - one in Portland, OR and one in Billings, MT. She described both - one as a position working with women who have graduated from a substance abuse progam and the other position as a reading tutor. I immediately told her my passion was teaching and preferred to be considered for the Billings placement. We ended our conversation with a pending phone interview for Thursday morning. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to reschedule the interview. This gave me more time to discern.

My discernment process started in November 2005 after Dan suggested JVC. I had three days before the following year would potentially be decided for me. I prayed. I cried. I prayed some more. I asked God, "What do you want me to do?!?" "Are you saying yes? Are you saying no?" I didn't get my yes/no response. That is - until I had my interview.

The morning of Friday, July 28, I headed to morning Mass with Mom and Daddy. I prayed and prayed that the Holy Spirit would lead me the right way. Returnign home, I prepared and promptly at 11 a.m. I called the JVC office in Portland. The phone interview that was supposed to last one hour ended up being two. The more I spoke, the more I knew that that was where I wanted and need to be. Stephanie comforted me with my apprehensions and encouraged me to continue praying about it. But in the middle of the interview, I knew I was supposed to be in JVC. With such a late application coming in, the office still considered me as a candidate and conveniently, there was an open position just as my application arrived. It was fate. One hour later, I received a call from Stephanie and I was offered the position in JVC. Monday, July 31 at 1:30 p.m. I was officially welcomed after my interview with the principal at St. Charles Mission School.

Four weeks later, I'm sitting in the living room of the JVC house in Billings as an official Jesuit Volunteer. And I'm ready to embark on a new journey. Here's to being ruined for life!