On Thursday, August 19th, 9 individuals arrived in Worcester from all over the country, from as near as Newton Square, Worcester and as far as Minnetonka, Minnesota.  What they had in common was their desire to give one year of their lives in service to the poor as Associate Missionaries of the Assumption (AMA's).  After learning more about the Assumption, taking on new cultures in order to look more closely at entering into a new culture, after studying Myers-Briggs personality types, and engaging in team building at a nearby Y camp, after looking at the Theology of Mission, and reflecting on the big transition on which they are about to embark, they seemed ready to leave for their sites.

But no longer were they individuals but a community.  They discovered that their strength lies not in their uniqueness but in their power as a group.  One night, the community read and reflected on quotes by Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche.  One quote that especially rang true for them was:  "We discover that we are at the same time very insignificant and very important, because each of our actions is preparing the humanity of tomorrow; it is a tiny contribution to the construction of the huge and glorious final humanity."  And so, as a community, ready to do small, insignificant things with great love, they were sent out into the world, to do the work of the Assumption and to grow in their own faith along the way.

Becca Petty, Emily Szelest:  Centro Maria Eugenia, Chaparral, New Mexico
Afton Caterina, Beth Yancey:  Assumption Center, Worcester, MA
Abby Samelak, Melissa Tran, Laura Buggy:  Kids Kabin, Newcastle, England
Heather Boughton: L'Arche, Bognor-Regis, England
Flannery Kearney:  L'Arche, Cork, Ireland

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