We started the day eating breakfast in the Airbnb as usual. We still had a variety of foods like oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, and pizza. We left for the Pio Decimo Center around 8 am, where we met John for our next adventure. Starting our service for the day, the group was divided into two groups where we assisted the preschool and pre-K classrooms. We enjoyed getting to work with the teachers and interacting with the children. The students and the teachers were so welcoming and happy to have new friends to play with and volunteers to assist them with their busy classroom. We went outside with them and helped facilitate some playground activities, including making tunnels for the children as they continuously went down the slide. We quickly learned how much energy children have. After the children increased our appetite from how busy they kept us all, we went to a food truck to get famous Tucson hotdogs. As John said, “one is a snack, two is a meal.” We all ate our hot dogs very fast and enjoyed them as they were very different from typical hotdogs. We all had hotdogs topped with green chili, beans, bacon, mustard, mayo, tomatoes, and onions with extra guac sauce and cheese add-on.

Once fueled up, we put a bright orange top coat on the wall we had been working on the day before. We pushed, so we had to get th entire wall done before leaving for the University of Arizona’s Newman Center. After washing the brushes and paint equipment, we raced to the chapel, where we were greeted and attended the Newman Centers’ Weekday Service and Prayer. The students at the Newman Center greeted us warmly and immediately began conversations with each of us before, during, and after pasta dinner. The students led us in a light discussion and reflection on a bible verse about lent and where we were spiritually heading into the Lenten season.  As we were heading home, Molly came up with the idea to stop at In-and-Out for milkshakes, and everyone loved the idea. All excited to go and have milkshakes, only one thing could make Ella even more excited—seeing a tumbleweed go by on the highway. Returning home happy from milkshakes and tumbleweeds, the group engaged in their reflections before showering and getting ready for the day ahead.  

By: Molly Begeman and Ella Rasper