We tend to resist change. We see it as an interference, an interruption, an inconvenience, an impediment. But an invitation?
As an organization with a Vincentian ethos, we are reminded that Vincent de Paul was always focused on the mission and more hesitant when it came to structures. The latter were ways of ensuring the mission. Physical and organizational structures were never an end in themselves.
When I knew that Restoring Connections would be closing as a nonprofit, I also knew that I would continue to volunteer within the prison. I companion ten women at present. The women I accompany in soul care are mostly lifers, some with significant mental health issues. I feel called to be with them as they address the reasons they ended up in prison, find meaning in their experience, invest in personal healing and explore ways they can be a positive presence for others. I know I am a better person because of their influence.
When I shared this commitment with our prison volunteers, they enthusiastically indicated that they wanted to continue also. We had a great sharing on what this mission of soul care means for us.
So our mission will continue. We will call ourselves the Restoring Connections group because that still expresses what we are about. We will be volunteers under the Faith and Citizens office of the Department of Corrections. We will still update our annual training each year and follow regulations. We will work closely with the Programs office in the prison. I will still submit the monthly schedule and we will still meet as a group each month for ongoing peer supervision and continuing education. Most importantly, we will continue to walk with individuals in the facility who request our presence. What is different is that we are surrendering the protections of a nonprofit organization and will assume personally any risks and costs.
For so many years as we struggled to fund Restoring Connections, our concern for continuing to be present to incarcerated individuals was a driving force. The decision to close the nonprofit because it was unsustainable saddens us deeply because this structure drew so many people together to share gifts in different ways. We are so grateful to all of you. I do not want to minimize the loss. Yet I hope it is a consolation to your efforts to know that those of us who have been directly involved with mentoring will be continuing, at least as long as we are able. Because the mission is valid, we trust that in time other groups will emerge for this important work.
You might wonder also about our Making Choices program. We were never able to restart that program after the pandemic due to staff shortages in the facility. During this past year, however, we were able to train some of the women within the facility in the Making Choices skills. A few of the leaders are now teaching the program and using it as part of their mentoring of others in the facility. It is still very fragile, but it may be a new beginning for that program also.
Enough for this week. In the remaining weeks this month I will fill you in on the Soul Care (Spiritual Direction) formation and supervision.