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Immersion Experience: Memphis
DAY TWO IN MEMPHIS
Belonging: "[A] feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group and having a good relationship with the other members of the group because they welcome you and accept you." - Cambridge Dictionary
Today we explored the question of where do we feel like we belong and where do we feel like we don't?
Today we explored the question of where do we feel like we belong and where do we feel like we don't?
Hello Families!
My name is Frances, and this morning I had the honor of serving at the Dorothy Day House. The Dorothy Day House is an organization inspired by Dorothy Day’s unbiased hospitality and generosity, and it is a foundation that includes three transitional houses in downtown Memphis. Today, I helped to clean and organize a bunch of school uniforms and school supplies. We also put together many care packages including basic household needs like laundry detergent, body wash, and bath towels. The entire morning was focused on preparing the people supported by Dorthy Day House for success, whether that is protecting and assisting a single mother with a very young child, sheltering and guiding a housing-insecure family, or providing clothing for a child in poverty and attending school. After our morning at the Dorothy Day House, we had lunch with one of the original volunteers at Room at the Inn. The Room at the Inn is a hospital that was one of the only places in the US during segregation that would treat African American people, and now has been reopened as transitional housing. We spent the afternoon completely immersed in the culture of Memphis – from experiencing the power and gravity of the Civil Rights museum located at the place of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, exploring the colorful and vibrant Beale Street, seeing the ducks at the Peabody Hotel, and finally topping our day off with reflection over classic Memphian Barbeque. Today was truly remarkable, and if I had to sum it up in one word, it would be “impactful”. My main take away from today was the importance of what we, and the numerous service organizations we are working with, are doing here. I also am inspired by the impact that we are making on so many people’s futures, and it is truly a privilege to be immersed in such a powerful, selfless, and educational experience.
Frances Sullivan
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Emile Ndikum
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My name is Emile, and I had an incredibly educational experience at the National Civil Rights Museum today. The National Civil Rights Museum is a museum that was constructed inside of the motel that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at and recollects the history of the Slave Trade and the Civil Rights Movement in America. It has probably been one of the most interesting museum experiences that I’ve ever had. I’m not usually a fan of museums but going through the Civil Rights Museum I really felt inclined to read through every single section and watch every single video that was presented to us. At the beginning of the tour, when our guide first told our group that the museum was around 22 exhibits long, I was bracing myself for a long walk and was wondering what time we would be eating lunch at. But any qualms I might’ve had at the beginning were completely erased as I learned more about everything surrounding the Civil Rights Movement. Each and every single one of the exhibits there showcased very important aspects of the movement, which really just put into perspective the time and effort that was put in by so many African Americans towards attaining equal rights. There were many important people that I recognized like Rosa Parks and Malcolm X represented, but there were so many more who had pivotal roles that I had no clue existed. The Little Rock Nine was an example of this. They were nine African American high schoolers who attended Little Rock High School in Alabama after segregation ended who experienced overwhelming amounts of racism from the rest of the student body. They all went on to become reliable leaders in the movement and I never even knew they existed. I got the chance to watch so many videos about marches, riots, court cases, and studies which helped me understand that the Civil Rights movement had so many more layers than I knew about before. How each individual success - no matter how small - was able to contribute to progress the movement. The many replications of notable locations and reputable items that helped me vividly image the experiences that were lived by those people was truly remarkable. The museum acted as a timeline through the Civil Rights Movement which eventually all lead up to the exhibit about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, which was probably the most overwhelming experience that I’ve had at a museum with how well built up everything was to that one moment. The spot where I was standing behind the glass to the room that Dr. King was staying in that day; seeing the building where the shot was fired from; reading the excerpts about what he was doing that day and how unexpected it was; seeing the spot of the balcony where it happened; and just taking everything in. I would honestly be hard pressed to find an experience like that again at a museum and I think that it was one of the best learning experiences I’ve ever had. Without a doubt, the highlight of the trip for me so far.
Emile Ndikum
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Today we split up into three groups and went to three different houses. I got the opportunity to help clean The Hope House. The Hope House is a house for families experiencing HIV and we got the opportunity to help in the childcare building. About four of us girls were sent to help shred old papers that dated back all the way to 2000. It was fulfilling to see our supervisor Erin feel a sense of relief when we emptied about 4 boxes of papers that were filled to the brim. About halfway through our time there, we switched with the guys in our group and started cleaning off books and toys that the children play with. The Hope House was not meant to be closed today, but because they were being safe with the cold weather and ice patches, we got the chance to help tidy up for when the kids come back in. It felt good to help - mostly because they are short staffed and may have not had time to get to some of these activities. From there, we went to The Room at the Inn and got a tour of the kitchen where we will be cooking meals for the rest of the week. The stories our guide Terri told us were so moving it made me feel good to know we have places like this willing to take in homeless families and to fulfill their needs to the best of their abilities. I’m excited to go back this Thursday and make a homemade meal for those who are currently guest at The Room at the Inn. On top of all these moving activities, we took a quick trip to downtown Memphis. We came across the Peabody Hotel which is known for their duck walks. We saw a whole show in the hotel lobby, a red carpet was laid out right outside the middle elevator in the lobby. About ten minutes after we heard a talk about the history, we watched 5 ducks walk out of the middle elevator, and then they walked down on the red carpet like they were little models. But throughout the day, I have learned new things about new people and even about myself. I can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds for us!
Sophia Young
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Anna Staton
Sophia Young
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Hello Family and Friends,
Today, Evan, Anna C, and I got the opportunity to serve at Manna House. This house is a modest day shelter run by parishioners from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Memphis. It is open on Monday and Thursday mornings and offers showers, clean clothes, laundry, personal hygiene products, winter clothes, coffee, and most importantly hospitality to people experiencing poverty in Memphis. The three of us, along with Mrs. Cole, woke up early to meet the regular volunteers at Manna House. We were greeted at the colorful house by many smiles. The founders, Pete and Kathleen, along with William, Bryon, Mike, and Steve were eager to show us around and invite us into their mission.
Following a quick prayer with the volunteers, the welcoming spirit of Manna House was extended by all of us to the guests. All of us worked together to provide our guests with personal hygiene products, clean and warm clothing, hot showers, and coffee. Anna C gave people their care packages and clean shirts while Evan helped to get people clean clothing and helped with the shower line. I got the opportunity to serve coffee to the guests. Although it didn’t feel like I was doing much to help them, I could tell that greeting the tired and cold guests with a warm cup of coffee and a smile helped everyone to feel more at ease in the house. Throughout the morning, I continued to serve coffee and visited with the guests.
A few of the most impactful moments I shared with the guests and fellow volunteers at Manna House consist of the following: sharing a laugh with Molasses; discussing Taylor Swift with Brady; discussing the importance of stillness, spirituality, and patience with Michelle and Evan; and hearing about the dedication and of the regular volunteers and how they encounter Jesus in the guests each week. Throughout the morning there was a beautiful sense of community in the house. Everyone came together, and the ebb and flow of conversation created such a beautiful atmosphere. Connecting with people experiencing something so different from what I experience each day was such a beautiful part of my day. It really gave me the opportunity to see how similar we all are, even when we come from such different places and experience such different things. The feeling of being rather helpless never really went away, but the connections I made with people made any discomfort fade away just a little. I did exactly what I could in that moment, offered coffee, a smile, and dignified human connection to people experiencing so much hurt in their lives.
I am so grateful I got the opportunity to serve at Manna House. It was such a special experience. I hope you enjoy reading about all our experiences today!
Anna Staton
Main-Visitor Entrance
Regis Jesuit High School
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Regis Jesuit High School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.