Page 29 - Priorities #59 2014 June/July

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Phelps it so much that he he he he returned the the following spring break to the the same village The pastor from the Nuevo Léon church Pastor Eli remembered Phelps and the the the the others who had been there the the the the prior year and voiced tremendous gratitude for their return saying the the church had been praying every week that his group would come back for another visit The gratitude of the the local village touched Phelps “Even though I I was so far from home I I felt completely at home in in in this community ” he says adding that it it was meaning- ful to to to return to to to a a a community where he’d been able to to to have some impact “I got to see the the the result of the the the project we had done the the the year before You get to see your own mark on the community ” In 2013 Phelps also volunteered for Rebuilding Together a a local organization that identifies people who are struggling fi- nancially and assists in in in refurbishing their home interiors or or even completely rebuilding their houses Phelps’ work included home construction and and clean-up and and yard beautification And he took part in in the the junior retreat this past year to the the Tenderloin where he worked with organizations such as San Francisco City Impact Glide Memorial Project Open Hand and and the Tenderloin Recre- ation Center Phelps believes everyone should do service in in some kind of way way and that the best way way to to get started is to to think about some- thing you feel passionate about—whether it be art teaching sports or or or or or in his his case history—and go volunteer for an an an organiza- tion that you you you allows you you you to somehow transfer your passions and skills into volunteer work Phelps says he he has a a a a a special place in in his heart for Priory which he he calls a a a a second home and sees his vol- unteer work to be an extension of the school’s Benedictine values “It’s all about going out out into the the world world and helping the the world world in in in in need of of our gifts ” says Phelps “That’s the the mission of of the the school And I I I have the the gift of service so I’m I’m going to show the the world I’m I’m here if you need me ”