This Lenten series features a different person each week. Nothing in particular connects these people, other than my desire to ask them a few questions. They may not be the questions you would have asked, but I hope you might appreciate their answers nonetheless.  TL

Autum Hensel
Why did you decided to pursue a year with JVC?
My decision to apply was the result of a long transformation within myself. During my first years of college, I had my plans all laid out for future jobs and graduate school. But then I started to learn more about social justice issues, mainly through Newman, culminating in my travels to Chicago, Haiti and the School of the Americas peace vigil. I realized I still had a lot to learn about myself and about living in solidarity with others, so much that my future plans just didn’t seem right for me anymore. After hearing about the Jesuit Volunteer Corps during the Jesuit Teach-in at SOA, I simply understood that it was the next logical step for me to take in my life.

What exactly are you doing as part of your JVC assignment, and what has been most revealing or enlightening about your work?
I case manage at-risk youth at Covenant House Alaska. My clients’ ages range from 16 to 20. Most of them are homeless, getting by through “couch surfing” at friends houses or walking the streets at night. Many of them come from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. Gangs, pregnancy, illiteracy, drug abuse, crime, starvation, domestic violence — you name it, I’ve encountered it. The first step I take is helping them find basic needs — food, clothing, shelter. Then I focus on the important stuff — getting to know them as individuals. This takes a lot of time, and I’ve definitely grown a thicker skin. The youth we work with have been hurt and overlooked throughout their lives by society, and all of this abuse comes out in violent words and actions. The number one lesson I’ve learned in this job is the power of the culture of hate, and how it will transform a person’s perspective on the world. However, you can break the cycle through patience, listening, and trust. I’ve promised myself to always remember this when I see a youth on the streets.

The JVC experience also includes living in community with other volunteers. What does that entail?
Living in community in JVC is all about intention. In our community of seven people, we have the intention of living responsibly and loving one another unconditionally. Different backgrounds, stressful jobs, and a tight budget definitely challenge us though! My housemates and I all share the common goal of living in a way that makes our world better. The challenge is that we all have our own ideas of how this is accomplished. We have definitely been frustrated with one another, but we have had just as many experiences of laughter together as well as deep-appreciation for what each individual brings to the community. In the end, we will all emerge with a stronger understanding of what it takes to build healthy relationships.

What has been the most difficult aspect of the JVC experience thus far and what has been the most enlightening or positive? Of course those could be the same experience.
I am always appalled and disheartened when I hear of the hate, apathy, and neglect that exist in this world. What a reality check it was when I started to see all of those characteristics, and worse, come out in my own thoughts, feelings, and actions when working at my job or with my community. It has been very hard for me to come to terms with these faults. But now I’ve realized that these traits exist within all of us, whether we believe it or not. And the greatest goal of my life now is to come to terms with them, create peace with myself, and spread that peace to others. After all, Gandhi did say that you must be the change you want to see in the world. Recognizing our own inequities is the first step.

What are your impressions of Anchorage? What has been most surprising about living there or about what you've observed or experienced there?
I accepted Anchorage as my placement for this year because I was interested in learning more about native culture. And who can resist an invitation to live in the “Last Great Frontier” for a year?!? Six months and 80 inches of snow into my volunteer year, I’m stilling loving it here. I have either hiked or am planning to hike pretty much every peak in sight from town. The sheer immensity of the wilderness space is a mystical experience in itself.

As for the people, I was most surprised to learn that Anchorage is the second most diverse city in the nation in terms of languages spoken and cultures represented. There are a lot of Asian, Pacific-islander, Russian, and Eastern European communities in town. The area truly is a cultural hub.

My most profound experiences have been with some Alaska Native friends of ours who have taught me a lot about their cultural values. Most of the teaching occurs when I go to their sweat lodge for prayer, song, and spiritual healing. I feel that the general population would benefit quite a bit from learning about their values of peace and respect for all creatures of this earth.

Would you encourage others to consider spending a year with JVC? Why?
At this point, nothing would make me happier than hearing about others joining JVC. My housemates and I are all in agreement that this year has spurred more personal growth than any college or work experience could ever have produced. My housemate Kristin often comments about her friends’ questions about when she is going to “join back up again with the real world.” She responds every time by saying, “I can’t imagine living in a way more ‘real’ than the way I am living my life right now.”

This year has taught me that life is too precious to rush. I would encourage any of my peers reading this, who may or may not be sure of their post-college plans, to consider a year of service. At first thought it may seem as though you are giving up a lot, but in reality, you will gain much more than you could ever imagine.

What happens next?
Graduate school is still not for me right now, at least not in the immediate future. My term is over in August, and I plan on traveling around Alaska for several weeks before I return to the Midwest. Right now I am looking into working with Voices for Creative Nonviolence, an organization founded by Kathy Kelley and based in Chicago. If that doesn’t work out, I would like to find a job within social services in Madison for another year or so.

Beyond that, the sky’s the limit! I want to travel and learn about more world cultures. Maybe I will pursue graduate studies in culture and religion. Another possibility is joining up with the Catholic Workers at Anathoth farm with my significant other, Justin. My mother summed up my future best one day when she sighed, chuckled, and said, “I knew you weren’t going to be the normal one.” I kind of like that!