A Year of Relationship
Warm greetings from the Sacred Grounds coffee shop on Hayes Street just a couple blocks from the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. I managed to pay for my $3.25 drink with three dollar bills, one…
Living Unified
If you know me, you know that basketball is a huge part of my life. If you know me, you know its not because I play (because we all know that I am the un-athletic Rieker), but that it’s a…
The Unknown
A year of service. Eleven months, seven students, four new roommates, one Native American reservation, zero familiar faces, and thousands of miles away from home - that’s what I signed up for. I signed up for the unknown, the unfamiliar,…
Four Reasons Why Community Life is the Best Life
In addition to people questioning my sanity and judgment when I decided to move across the country to volunteer, they also questioned why in the world I would intentionally decide to move in with three strangers. Most found the idea of…
Count It All Joy
I am three months into my year of service and I have experienced both unexpected joys and difficult moments. This year is challenging because we are engaging in the lives of people who face daily hardships. They live in poverty. They live with language…