Current Profession: Holy Cross priest, Florida Supreme Court Clerk

Serving at the Finca helped me discern my vocation and rooted my ministry as a priest and attorney

Advice: If you're at the start of your personal or professional journey, the Finca will definitely help you clarify your dreams and motivations. If you're further along, there's no other place as helpful to reignite your passions and put your talents to good use helping others!

Current Profession: Nurse

Growth at Finca: The gift of learning Spanish in Honduras at the Finca has expanded my world. I love having a patient who is a native Spanish speaker and seeing their excitement and relief when I start speaking with them in their native language!

Advice: Don’t ignore the desire on your heart for mission. “Normal” US American life will always be there waiting for you. Take a chance; jump into an adventure that will give you skills and experiences that will allow you to serve God in ways you never imagined!

Profesión actual: Psicóloga

Mi experiencia en la Finca me confrontó con un sinnúmero de realidades, desde el dolor del trauma infantil hasta las maravillosas historias de resiliencia de los niños y jóvenes que allí han sido acogidos. Profesionalmente, me preparó para convivir con el dolor en las historias que inherentemente encuentro en mi profesión. Fue un tiempo muy retador, pero lleno de momentos gratificantes y mucha esperanza en el futuro de los niños y adolescentes a los que servimos. Además, la Finca es un lugar para ser creativo, innovador y poner a prueba tus capacidades. Creo que me volvió una persona más resiliente, y sin duda, mi experiencia allí ylas habilidades desarrolladas también me abrieron puertas laborales en el futuro.

Ve con mente y corazón abierto para escuchar, conocer y conectar. Permítete aprender de todos los que crucen tu camino en tu tiempo allí, y sin duda no saldrás siendo la misma persona que cuando llegaste.

Current Profession: Nurse

Personally: Our time at the Finca helped us to re-center our family life around Christ and community. Even now, years later, traditions that began during or were inspired by our time as missionaries continue to draw us closer to one another and Jesus. Professionally: Volunteering in the medical clinic helped me to discern a calling to change careers to become a nurse (which I now am)! I also refreshed and improved my Spanish ability, which is always helpful.

Advice: Pray!! Take time to read and truly consider the missionary discernment guide, talk to former missionaries, read current and former missionary blogs, and pray some more!

Current Profession: CGS

Growth at Finca: My time at the Finca deepened my love for the wide variety of people God has made. It taught me to depend on others in a very basic way as well as recognizing the basic response of gratitude for every single gift God has given (even the crosses).

Professionally, it stretched me to be creative, to look at the broader picture and to value a mission-driven work place.

Advice: If you are ready for adventure, ready to be pushed and challenged, ready to find true moments of simple joy in the gift of another person, the Finca is for you. Your time there won't be a piece of cake, but it will equip you to love, to give , to receive and to trust in a way most people do not experience.

Current Profession: Montessori Teacher

Growth at Finca: At the Finca, I grew personally in my faith by witnessing the love and faith exhibited by our resident children and teens who despite so many obstacles were able to embrace life and love God and others. I grew in appreciation of the power of community life, learning the joy of living and working alongside other missionaries who cared deeply about the mission and me. We truly became like a family. Professionally, I was able to expand my teaching and leadership skills in my role as school subdirector, special education, and English teacher. I learned to lead by organizing teaching trainings and professional development. I gained great experience working with kids with special needs which propelled me into Montessori education on my return home.

Advice: If you feel pulled, you should strongly consider it. Definitely discern, but know that even that pulling and attraction is a pretty good sign to make a step forward. Most people don’t find leaving home and a salary behind and living in a developing world attractive, so there’s a good chance God may be calling. Also, look to joy. If you sense joy in the idea of serving, God is likely calling. Take it seriously, but don’t overthink it! God will provide the means.

Current Profession: Educational Professionals

Growth at the Finca: Learned Spanish, experience helped us get into and get more financial aid for graduate school, developed network of forever good friends who share a our professional ambitions, got to live abroad making a difference, chance to live in community with other volunteers but also Hondurans (more authentic than perhaps a Peace Corps experience).

Advice: Compare it to other international service options: Farm has the benefit of living in community and living on the Farm property and joining tight knit network of former volunteers. Don't be turned off by the term Missionary. This does not have to be interpreted only in a religious sense. View your travel as a way for your Parish to support one of it's own doing service abroad. Your parish community can be a big support network.

Current Profession: Communications Manager for the Minnesota Catholic Conference, Multimedia Associate for Elevate Life, Mom

Growth at Finca: It built my abilities to communicate with a wide variety of audiences professionally and personally from the kids, students, parents, staff, housemates and grew my patience with myself and others when communication was difficult or ideas clashed and helped prepare me to be a better crisis communicator. I also got to know my own planning and leadership styles and needs.

Advice: Go with the flow. Communicate more than you think is necessary and listen more than you communicate. This applies as well to your relationship with Christ. Push yourself to improve your weaknesses. Ask others what your weaknesses are and don’t be offended.