Leslie Pietruszka
I have to do something...
Hey my name is Leslie Rae Pietruszka and I don’t like the idea of blogs. However it is a safe bet that eventually i will become obsessed with this like every other internet site in this world. I’m 20, from Springfield, IL, and have finished two years of college at Illinois State University. I study/ied Psychology.
I’m taking a year off to serve with Mission Year. I want to love the people who I’m around. I want to be passionate about having real and intentional relationships. I ask myself over and over again if this is worth taking a year off. And in the end of my brain doing circles, i come to the same conclusion each time: there is no better reason to take a year off than to learn to truly Love people. This, as of right now, is my reason for doing Mission Year.
About Mission Year
Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of young people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor. Learn more about our first year program…
Leslie Pietruszka's Blog
january update / Jan 30, 02:00 PM
here is my January update. I’m sorry i don’t write in this thing for real…lack of time/internet.
A January Update
Love God/ Love People// Nothing Else Matters
Back in Wilmington…
After a restful two week holiday in Illinois, I grew ready and excited to get back to what is now my normal routine here in Wilmington. My teammates and I have been welcomed back to our neighborhood, work sites and church with open arms. We had no time to ease back in to the schedule—normal work started right up again the Monday after we returned.
I feel a flood of stories rushing to my head as I’m trying to sit here and write to you all. The one that keeps coming to my head is one about a boy named Elijah. Elijah is in the second grade and is a student at the after school camp I work at. Elijah has a fair amount of trouble as a student due to behavior problems. Co-existing with these behavior problems is a home life I used to only read about in heart-wrenching books. Before a few weeks ago, I stayed pretty clear of Elijah, not sure of how to handle his issues, or empower him as a student. You must also know that in the beginning of October, I randomly chose Elijah’s name to be praying for throughout the year.
One afternoon Elijah and I were playing a game together, when I started goofing around with him, talking in a horrifically fake British accent. Soon enough, Elijah started talking to me in his fake accent. My name, he told me, is now Lyra, and his name is now Roger. (These new people only come out when we are in British mode.) I watched that evening as he and other students from different Urban Promise camps had choir rehearsal. Each break, he would come back to me and we would hang out. We ate our snack together, goofing off again with our accents. Since that evening, we have been talking more at camp about his school day. I am more able to calm him down, help him on work, but most importantly, be his friend. It is the connections made with people like Elijah that remind me why I’m here everyday.
ETOT Update…
The ETOT (Evangelistic Temple of Truth / our church) has been so good to us. We feel so much love from the members there, and are realizing how blessed we are to be living life with them. They have all been invited over for lunch next Sunday… pray for us as we have offered to make food for 30 + people!
Support Update…
I have received $10,400 of the $12,000 goal. Thanks so much…this would not be possible without you guys.
Thanks for reading these updates. Please keep our Wilmington 3rd Street Community in your prayers!
Peace and Love,
Leslie Pietruszka
December Update / Dec 20, 11:22 AM
End of First Trimester!
It’s hard to believe that our first three months with Mission Year are already over. As I reflect on what the past three months have taught me, I’m reminded of my first few weeks here. I was overexcited and overanxious with about everyone. I would pass people on the streets of my neighborhood, give them a friendly smile, and say, “hey, how’s it going?” in my cool voice. I quickly learned who and who not to say hello to in my cool voice while walking around.
I remember not knowing a single person when I moved here. After just three months of intentional community, I know my housemates inside and out. I’ve grown close to our neighbors, Mr. Frank and Ms. Viola. We’re tight…there are no more barriers about asking to borrow kitchen items we don’t have, and I know we can always head over for a glass of Fruit Punch. Every morning, I see William and the guys around the corner. We get a friendly wave from them, which is the best way to start out the day. I’ve grown close to the kids at camp. I’m helping Denise and Jennifer memorize times tables in our spare time. I can really start to see improvement, and it has given me so much joy. I see the change in Maria’s attitude toward her homework. She gets it all done, everyday. I’ve grown close to the street leaders (the high school kids employed by Urban Promise). We’re starting to hang out now outside of camp. The homeless guys I walk past each morning when I go to Sunday Breakfast Mission. The relationships being built with the staff and the residents at that Mission. These are the relationships I will be able to pour into for the next few trimesters of my Mission Year experience in Wilmington. Praise God for this new, temporary home!
Neighborhood Days…
Saturdays are the days set aside to do nothing but hang out with people in the neighborhood. At first I struggled with this day. But lately, we’ve had so much to do they have turned into neighborhood weekends. Last Saturday, three women from our church came for a visit. We had lunch, and great conversation. The next day, we had kids over from down the block to decorate our Christmas tree, and bake Christmas cookies! These neighborhood times have slowly become my favorite day throughout this trimester!
Community Service…
Here are my service sites for this year. Between the two of them, I help out about 30 hours per week.
Sunday Breakfast Mission—a rescue mission for the homeless and addicted. It serves also as an overnight shelter and ministry. I help out in the office—mailings, data entry, etc. It’s a great glimpse into the workings of a non-profit organization. Sundaybreakfastmission.org
Urban Promise—a Christian organization serving kids in the inner city. I work at the after school Camp Freedom. Urbanpromise.org
wahoo for blogs! / Nov 6, 09:16 AM
hello everyone…
i suppose it is time to start this crazy little thing called a blog…where to begin…
wilmington. it’s kind of an odd city. one would think that there would be at least one non-businessy building in a city…but not wilmington—it’s really all banks and the dupont building ( i still don’t get what dupont is. i think i offended some peeps who worked there once when i asked what it was. i played it off with the ol’ ‘ohhh you said dupont…of course i know what that is!’) anywho, this city seems to be run by banks and dupont.
i really like my neighborhood. i learn more and more about it each day. tomorrow my housemates and i are invited to a west side community action meeting, and i’m really excited about it. being here has made me more passionate for justice. i hope that my actions will represent justice this year. i hope to figure out what this means in the context of my neighborhood throughout the year…until then, godspeed.
so yeah…i’m working at a rescue mission caled the sunday breakfast mission. it’s been difficult finding my place there, but the people are great. (A few weeks ago they gave me 4 bags of free groceries) right now, i’m doing a lot of paper work and volunteer coordinating for the thanksgiving season. it’s mundane, yet good.
i love my kids at urban promise. they are awesome.
i love my roomies. they are good. i think we have healthy conflict. yeah.
peace
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