Missionvale Staff Appreciation

Trang and Donovan.  He maintains the school.

All the Missionvale volunteers - with Sister Ethel and Bishop

All of us with Russell

The poster

Tuesday, May 22nd, dawned early.  The students were saying good-bye at each of their service sites this day.  Jim and I started out at Missionvale Care Center.  Because Missionvale interacts and supports so many people of Missionvale Township, our students decided they couldn't support a good-bye that included all the people served.  Instead, they decided to celebrate the staff who work there every single day.  They bought donuts and juice - for an early morning celebration.

People were so excited to see themselves

Our students also prepared a letter of thanks, and centered it in a large poster with pictures of many of the staff.  Sister Ethel and Russell were on it, of course.  But, they also included pictures of the health caregivers, the maintenance people, and nutrition staff.

The people almost ran past the food to get to the poster with their pictures.  It again reminded me that many people do not have the opportunity to see themselves in photographs. They said they were going to frame the poster!  Several people mentioned to us that this was the first time they had been recognized and thanked as staff by volunteers.

Isaak Jones and Jim gave thank you speeches.  They did not emphasize what the students had given to Missionvale.  They both emphasized what Missionvale had given to all of us.  Hearing the story of Sister Ethel - and getting to know each of the staff - showed us once again that one person can indeed make a difference.   

We were thanked with "Allelujah"

Jim ended his talk with an acknowledgment to the Bishop.  When we first arrived at Missionvale, we would ask about something, and the answer was ALWAYS, "We will have to talk with Bishop."  After about the fifth time of hearing this, we said, "The Bishop seems to be really hands-on with this organization."  It was only then that we learned that Bishop was the general maintenance man who does indeed take care of most of the daily problems.  He is especially proud of his small gardens.  So, the last present I presented was a rose for Bishop to plant in the Missionvale garden.  I said that we hope every time they see a rose blooming, they imagine one of our faces smiling back at them.

Once again, we were thanked with song.  The acoustics in the room we were in were fantastic, and the entire room was filled with sound.