Friday, May 9, 2014

#8537

Dear Friends,

After the discernment weekend is over, the MPO begins to place the young adults in various ministries around the world. Placing 27 or so young adults in those ministries based on their respective skill sets and hoping they correspond with the needs they may have, as the MPO puts it, "is an art not a science," and I must look rather abstract.

I'm a Certified Nursing Assistant with a lot of experience working in a Hospital, I have a Business degree, and experience working with youth and various different music ministries. So where do I end up? Where does that put me in the masterpiece that is YASC. In the Philippines of course!


8,537 miles from the upstate of South Carolina, lies Santiago City near Luzon which is on one of the 7,000 islands that make up the Philippines. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for more than three centuries until it was taken over by the US in the 20th century, and gained its own independence in 1946. The islands are spread over 115,831 sq miles and populated by about 96.5million people. Filipino and English are both official languages of the Philippines though their are 12 other languages that have official status on the regional level.

After having conversations with, what I've been calling "my handlers" at the MPO there are still some uncertainties with my placement. I will most likely be in Santiago City working with St. Mark's Episcopal church. They have various micro-finance projects that help locals get business loans to start their own businesses and help build a foundation for a stable and sustaining local economy. And I've heard from the YASCer who is there currently, they have a McDonald's that delivers. There is still a chance, however, that I end up in the southern Philippines working with some of the local farmers.

Wherever I end up, I have put it in God's hands, I'm trying to "let go and let God." I have prayed that wherever I may end up, it is his will, and I can serve God's people and see God's love in a new community.

Peace,
Kayla  

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

#YASC

Dear Friends,

As I hope many of you are considering embarking on this journey with me, I wanted to write a bit on what the Young Adult Service Corps is and how the whole process actually works.

The Young Adult Service Corps, or YASC, is a unique opportunity to be in relationship with people from a different culture in a different part of God's world.There are a variety of opportunities including; teaching, working in agricultural development, working with refugees and migrant workers, working in medical settings, and working in the provincial offices of the Anglican Communion.

I began the application back in December 2013 and attended a discernment retreat in February. During the discernment weekend, the applicants came together and talked about mission and the calling to serve God overseas. The weekend included one-on-one and group conversations with people from the Mission Personnel Office or MPO. They took the time to get to know all of us; what we like and don't like, what we're good at or not so good at etc. Then, after the discernment weekend the MPO works on placements based on your skills and what they learned about you during the weekend.

I found it very comforting that the MPO took time to get to know each of us individually before choosing a placement. I am looking forward to the opportunity to get to live and work in a different part of God's world.

Peace,
Kayla Massey