What would you want someone to know about volunteering in New Mexico with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters?
Ronnie: The volunteer opportunity in Gallup, N.M., with The Missionaries of Charity Sisters, is a great location to serve. The people are great. Native American people and their culture mainly populate the area. Sadly, 99% of the individuals they serve have some sort of drug addiction, alcohol or substance abuse, but they are not violent. Overall it was a good experience and location.

Neisha: Keep an open heart, and don’t hesitate to ask questions and get to know the Sisters and the other live-in volunteers. Two wonderful full-time volunteers also live in the shelter.

What will you remember the most about volunteering with Global Care Force?
Ronnie: I’ll remember how the Sisters and the other volunteers served with such compassion and faith. The Sister’s hearts had a major impact on me. Several times during my volunteer service, I remember feeling convicted and encouraged to do more as an individual. They taught me, “It is not about how much you do, but the heart in which you do it.” The Sisters cooked dinner one night, and we served over 50 individuals. They gave individuals as many extra servings as their hearts and stomachs desired. Soon, the food ran out. The Sisters jumped into action, preparing more food. They refused to turn anyone away, even if it was past their allotted time to serve. If a mouth were still to feed, they would feed and pray with them.

Neisha: After only a couple of days, I will remember how attached I became to the Sisters. At first, I was very much out of my comfort zone, but by the time we had to leave, I was sad to have to go.

Ronnie: We also learned the importance of rest from serving in Gallup with the Sisters. The sisters and the live-in volunteers work Friday through Wednesday and rest on Thursday. Going into Friday, the sisters were working hard and full of energy, but by Wednesday, you could tell they needed a break. They took a rest on Thursday, and when Friday morning came, they returned refreshed and full of more energy than I had seen before. It was amazing to see what a day of rest did for them. It taught me that there is always a need to fill, and you will always be needed when serving people. The Sisters displayed that taking time for rest allows you to serve others at a higher level. You pour with an overflowing heart when you rest; you pour from a restless heart when you lack rest. An overflowing heart feeds more people.

What would you want others to know about your experience serving with Global Care Force?
Neisha: Serving with Global Care Force is a wonderful experience. You do more than just serve communities in need; you also get served in ways you did not know you needed. Global Care Force cares for the unserved communities they serve, but also the volunteers who will serve them. They are helpful and available and accommodating!

Is there anything you would like to share about your volunteer experience?
Ronnie: The Sisters have daily chores and follow a set-in-sone schedule to a “T.” The work comes at a really fast pace, and when dinner time comes, it’s all hands on deck. The Global Care Force staff prepared us for the type of duties we would have. Providing the Sister’s daily schedule in advance would be helpful to ensure volunteers are fully prepared for what they will do in Gallup.

Interested in volunterring with Global Care Force? Learn more!