Day 2: Organizing Ourselves into a Team

6 am: I awake with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning today. After months of anticipation and preparation, It’s Launch Day for team 7 in the St Lucian Project.  A hearty breakfast provides energy for our day ahead and many of us travel to Anse La Raye for the first time, to join in worship at the Catholic Church. Encouraged to sit among the parishioners, I choose a seat near the front by an open window. I take in the beauty of the building, the tropical flowers outside the window and the church bells sounding the start of the service. Within minutes, melodious song and soulful voices soar to the rafters and spill out through the windows.

I marvel at the genuine kindness of our new community as they so warmly receive us in worship along with them. Pastor Raj shares the story of Jesus choosing the 12 disciples to be fishers of men from the gospel of Luke. He reminds us that each of us is called to a mission and it is up to us to respond to the call. 

Following worship, we gather with community leaders in the parish hall. After our team introductions, the individual leaders share with us about the various projects in which they work around the town. The excitement of our mission continues to build as we catch a glimpse at the journey ahead of us for the next 2 weeks.

Revived by a delicious lunch of codfish, vegetables, and fruit our team begins the next phase of orientation. We are each asked to share 2 ideas for developing team goals and an engaging brainstorming session ensues. Emerging victoriously, the context of our journey is summarized by five overarching goals: 

1.      To support Community Learning & Enhance Health

2.      To learn about St. Lucian culture

3.      To be immersed in the St. Lucia project

4.      To leave something good behind

5.      To have FUN!

Concluding our goal-setting session, the specific project teams gather to review prior team reports and goals & objectives for the days ahead.  Four more team members: Amy, Hu-Di, SuEllen & Edith join us just prior to dinner.  We are thankful for their safe journey and their presence among our growing team family. Upon washing up for dinner, I come out on my balcony and look towards the dining area.   Observing laughter and multiple light-hearted conversations among my new friends, I realize we are indeed blossoming into a team, ready to immerse ourselves into this project: ready to teach, to learn, to share with one another and the radiant people of Anse La Raye. 

Following a scrumptious meal of local foods by our gracious hosts at JJ’s, Bud shares details about the creation and vision of the St. Lucia Project.  Nothing happens by chance and I am certain that just as Pastor Raj said this morning, we are all called to a mission, surely Global Volunteers has been called to come to St. Lucia. I am amazed that for such a time as this, each of us with unique talents and passions has come together, now united to contribute our piece of the puzzle in this monumental movement.

-Dawn