As I skimmed over a few of the previous blog posts, to see
what others have written about, I found
that people transitioning in and out of
the BVS house has been a very common theme.
And the theme, it seems, lives on, as I am the newest member of the
house, as of three weeks ago. I’m
Chelsea Goss, a young adult in the Church of the Brethren, who has spent the
last three years as a full time volunteer, after graduating from the much
beloved Bridgewater College. I have volunteered in Portland Oregon, as a
BVSer, working with On Earth Peace, as their Peace Retreat Coordinator. I
worked as a resident volunteer and summer program coordinator at Camp Bethel
for a year, along with an internship with New Community Project, which I
followed by continued work with NCP, at their Spring Village site in Harrisonburg,
VA. And now I’m here, in Elgin, for my second year in BVS as the Orientation
Assistant for Brethren Volunteer Service.
After my 1st year of full-time service, when I
decided to continue in the volunteer realm- I was asked the often question of,
“when are you going to get a real job?”, or “when are you going to enter the
real world?”. So you can believe that
now on my 4th year of volunteering with plans for a 5th
year I receive these same ‘real world’ questions. (Although, a few have given
up asking) And I understand where these question are coming from – those wanting to know that I’ll have a
retirement fund, and be able to financially take care of a family, or to have
some higher career goal worth working for.
And although I have these same questions for myself, in no way do I see
them more a part of this real world that everyone wants me to enter. I don’t know what is more real than devoting
your time and efforts into serving others. (It’s that what we are called to do as
Christians) What’s more real in this
world than living in community with others and building relationships, with
taking time to listen to stories of those who are broken or need a listening
ear, of being more in tune with God’s creation, by living simply, etc. I feel
like these years of volunteering are just as real, as any job I could get in
the ‘real world’ that I supposedly haven’t entered yet. My question is how can we live in the “real
world” while not being of this world? How can we make our real world
be a place of learning, experimenting, laughing, communing, serving etc. and not allowing ourselves to get so bogged
down by living in a society, where the way to succeed is measured by the amount
of money you have, your schooling, your occupation, or what size jeans you fit
into. I realize that being a full-time
volunteer might not be the best way to save money for any future child’s
college fund, or paying off a mortgage, but for now, this is my real world. And
I know that I have learned skills and have had experiences that will help to
guide me for not only whatever job I someday may have – but have helped
form life style choices that I hope can be implemented in all stages of life.
On another note – I’ve learned that having a Halloween
party, at the BVS house, is a must. Here are all the housemates dressed in our
finest yellow costumes.
~Chelsea
