Volunteering…

Sunday I dedicated a few hours of my day to volunteer for Survivors of Torture International (http://www.notorture.org). It was great to finally be meeting new people, to talk about things close to my heart and to be doing something productive! I decided that since I’m not doing anything super productive, other than reading and applying to jobs, that it was the perfect opportunity to volunteer. Truthfully I am also hoping that these opportunities will lead to gaining contacts in the fields I am interested in working within, in the hopes of it also leading to a job opportunity. Today I am attending an orientation for new volunteers at International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC has offices all over the country, as well as abroad. “One of the first to respond, one of the lasts to leave”.

I am also taking a few days to get away from the reminder that I am not so productive these days – being that I am not working- by heading north to Santa Barbara. Family friends have recently moved out west and I have the pleasure and blessing of visiting them for a few days. I greatly hope it is a time of rejuvenation, faith building and hope. But I also know that tears will be shed in free flowing abundance while I am there. This family friend suffered the loss of her mother, a woman who had special meaning in my life, about the same time my family suffered a loss. We have not seen each other since. I’m hoping I am able to connect, observe, learn, and heal with her over the next few days.