By: Monica Murphy                             Lending a Hand

            Close your eyes and imagine what it would be like to live on the streets. What would you see? What would you feel? Sometimes this imagination becomes reality. That could have been any of us.

   I knew that when I entered college, I would continue to respond to the call of service and leadership. I was not sure exactly how I would respond, but I was up for any given challenge.

    I believe that one cannot be fully educated until she sees the world through many different lenses. Most of us have some kind of desire to step out of our comfort zones, but only a few respond. Something keeps humanity trapped: it could be selfishness, egoism, ignorance or a lack of knowledge. I want to challenge my peers to look past all stereotypes. Instead accept people and act out of love because everyone has a story.

  So what exactly is poverty? There are many definitions. I believe that poverty is more than just lacking the basic necessities in life. To me, poverty is rooted from loneliness. Mother Teresa says: “The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for, is the greatest poverty.

   Over spring break, eleven Saint Mary’s girls traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana for a week. The theme of the week was exploring women’s Issues in the Urban Environment. The week’s agenda consisted of visiting different organizations around the city and hearing talks from guest speakers. Each site visit not only provided a new appreciation for these issues but also attributed a different mission. Empowering young girls, sexual assault, human trafficking and teen homelessness were among the many topics of the week. Two of my favorite visits were Rebuilding the Wall and Outreach. Rebuilding the Wall focuses on rebuilding suffering neighborhoods. Our group was invited to listen to personal testimonies from those who have broke the cycle of poverty or are fighting policy overseas. The Outreach center focuses on teen homelessness. Ministry is done on the streets as well as in the Outreach home itself. Every organization that we went to portrayed love, teamwork, faith and dedication. Group reflection allowed us to discuss common goals for the future. In addition, we were able to realize how blessed we truly are. Sometimes we take the basic materials for granite.

 So what now? How do we as Saint Mary’s women continue or start to be a voice for the voiceless? Our group came back with new inspiration to become more involved. We have got to stop the stereotypes and have got to become knowledgeable about social injustice. We cannot be so closed- minded. “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can make a difference. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”—Margaret Mead I want to challenge each Saint Mary’s woman to become involved and to explore the service opportunities off and on campus. Be inspired. Be motivated. You will be amazed by how much you are impacting a life. Challenge yourself beyond your limit. In the end, we begin to see hidden beauties about life.