At Maggie’s Place we have a saying that the only thing that is constant is change. There is always a new mom moving in after another mom is finishing the program, a new baby being born, or a new MissionCorps transitioning into her role. We learn to love in the transitions and change that happen…
Brown and Spiky. This is how I described Arizona upon my arrival at Maggie’s Place. I grew up surrounded by the lush, green fields of Pennsylvania and taking day trips to the Atlantic Ocean. The brown landscape, pointy plants, dry heat, stinging arachnids, and assorted reptiles are foreign to me, and left me wondering… “What…
In early September of last year, I accepted the offer to be a MissionCorps at Maggie’s Place. Shortly after, a friend asked me what I was most excited about doing at Maggie’s Place. I exploded all over her, describing every little detail of how great it was all going to be. I remember concluding with…
I am a new MissionCorps. And I am not your average MissionCorps. I’m a mom to four adult children and grandma to two with one more on the way. When people learn that I sold my home and my car, and gave away most of my earthly possessions to do a year of service as…
The first time I walked into Maggie’s Place, five boys were staring at me. Three of them were infants, and the other two were bearded, very inquisitive seminarians. Geoffrey and Colm were always around: ministering to moms, listening to corps, painting and fixing the home, but most importantly, holding babies. They were only able to…
I decided I wanted to write about messiness this week, without knowing what that really meant. The idea struck me last week while doing Monday night room checks. I was in the room of one of our moms who seemed to have magical powers: every week her room would go from crazy to clean just…
Those hot, salty tears came streaming down my cheeks and I knew my heart was being torn open in a way I had never experienced before. I was saying goodbye to someone I had only known for 3 months, and yet I was crying more over her leaving than almost anyone else I have ever…
I knelt to the ground, my empty hands open heavenward. I didn’t have any words to form into prayers. My heart completely turned to God, which was more genuine, more sincere than any words could possibly be. It was natural to rely on God, but this moment was entirely trust. I had nothing to offer…
Never in my life have I been so surrounded by witnesses to true charity: in our volunteers, our donors, the staff who give of their time to make the organization what it is, and in the daily sacrifices our moms make for their babies. In little ways, God shows us his generosity through these witnesses.…
This January I transitioned out of serving as a MissionCorps in the homes and now serve as a regular staff member, which means it’s a good time to think of what words of wisdom I have gained over my two years as a MissionCorps. What came to mind were the quotes and mantras that kept…