Directors Blog

STUDENT TESTIMONIES FROM YES SANTA CRUZ, YES DC, & YES KANSAS CITY.

The YES trip to Santa Cruz, CA was definitely the best I have been on yet. Fun and challenging, my experience was shared by a small group of open-hearted and helpful people. The most enlightening element of this particular trip was all that we learned about the oppression of the homeless in Santa Cruz. We discovered how the city had only recently passed laws prohibiting basic human needs: people were no longer allowed to even sit on the sidewalks without being arrested, preventing the homeless from making Santa Cruz “ugly”, repelling tourists. This sad truth makes our need to serve even greater. I learned this and more during one great weekend--a YES trip. - Anna Golitzin

The YES trip is one of the most significant experiences I have had in my life for many reasons. YES provides teens the opportunities to experience firsthand the physical and spiritual needs in our cities. I learned that not only is food and water a need, but how things like love, compassion, and even a smile are just as important.

YES really changed my life personally because it completely changed my perspective. I used to see the poor as the typical stereotype; lazy, unclean, and dangerous. The YES trip helped me realize that the poor are people just like us, put into a harsh and limiting situation. They have Christ within them, just like you and me, and have similar desires, feelings, and goals that we ourselves have.

The YES trip is not a promotion, but a real, true experience of serving and being the normal people that God calls us to be every day. This trip inspired me to start working within my own small SOYO and to organize different ways of serving the people in my hometown. This view on life and of others that YES helped me develop will forever influence my life. Thank you YES and FOCUS North America! - Elizabeth Waters

Going into the YES trip, I thought I had a good idea of what we were going to do during the weekend. We would have an ice breaker, give some food on Saturday, then go to church on Sunday and head back to Newport News afterwards. Many times I have, and will continue, to be wrong.  This is one of those many times that I was wrong. Wrong as in I thought I hit myself in the head by accident before the trip. That weekend was truly one of the greatest trips of my life, and I won’t forget them for as long as I live. I loved making the new friends that I will also never forget, and growing stronger with those from my own parish. I have a plethora of stories to share, but I will choose the really good ones for my story.

 The adventure started as soon as we arrived. I will not lie when I heard our first task, I thought our great leaders Thomas, his wife Maria, and John were crazy. We had to feed five people a full dinner with 15 dollars. I mean come on you can’t even get your girlfriend a nice bouquet of flowers for cheaper than 20 dollars at least. After the end of night I realized that if anyone was crazy it was me! My group of five people ate well and we did the best out of all the groups considering we had enough food for 2 or 3 more days. More importantly, it helped me realize part of what it’s like to be homeless right then and there. I was very proud of the meal we arranged, and also part of the challenge was to find a place to eat. We sat in DuPont circle and I ate with my head held high. Every single person I saw walk bye, looked at us like they were above us .They didn’t know us but for whatever reason they thought they were better than us just cause we appeared to be homeless. It hurt me but I knew that I had some point in my life did the exact same thing, so I knew right off the bat that I had to change my ways. On Saturday, we made bagged lunches and later in the day we delivered them to the homeless. I was about to hop back on the van but then we had to go and talk with them. I was very nervous because I’m very shy at first, but the good Lord gave me the strength to man up and be myself. Thank the good Lord for it. I went over to a picnic table with three men sitting and chatting so I asked if could hang out with them. They welcomed me with the most open arms. It was me, Tony, Ernie, and Michael Berry. I never felt a connection between a group of people so fast. You would have thought that we were the cast of four best friends on a new TV show. After people saw how much we laughed, other people decided to hang out with us. This girl named Nikki was on the trip with her church from New Jersey. I had not really met her yet but as soon as we sat down, Mike looks me dead in the eyes and says, “Is that your future wife right there?” I had never talked to this girl, but I decided to enjoy the moment. I told him,  “Yes, Sir.”  We all laughed so hard it had made my day. We talked about everything from sports, politics, and most importantly religion. Mike told me something that I will never forget. He told me to always go into anything I do, with no fear because God is with all of us all of the time. To not let fear hold me back from my dreams, because the good Lord is watching us.  I didn’t want to leave but we had to go to the next site. There I met another man who influenced me tremendously. His name was Bill. Bill was not like Mike. He was very quiet, had one eye and he made people who eat nails for breakfast look like major cry babies. To say I was intimidated was a major understatement. I tried to be friendly and talk about sports, but he didn’t like sports and he never understood why someone would waste so much money for a 3 hour game. He didn’t like to talk about politics either, and then I got a lecture on how the American people can criticize President Obama when they are the ones over spending. I just couldn’t find any common ground with him. I wanted to go meet someone else, but he was just so wise that every word he said had some kind of meaning behind it. Bill could quote the Bible as if he had it in his hand. It brought a lot of my friends over to hear what he said. When were leaving he said goodbye and thanks for the company. I thought that I would finally put a smile on his face and make his day, so I told him he was my friend. Bill looked at me like  I was stupid. He then angrily said “no.” I was ready to run, when he then peacefully said “you are my brother in Christ.” I was so touched I thought that this guy hated my guts but really he loves me like I was his own son. It truly made my day. As I left he said “fear only the holy trinity, do not let fear hold you back in life.”

After the Divine Liturgy on Sunday I spoke with my good friend Allie Galoozis to the church about my experiences on the trip. At first I thought I failed miserably because I tried to lighten the mood with some jokes but they didn’t buy it. Afterwards so many strangers came to me and told me they loved it and I felt so loved. Every one of my fellow goyans congratulated me on the speech. After church we had a goodbye pizza party and I didn’t want to leave at all. I learned a couple things over the weekend. I realized that even though the homeless people I met, like Mike and Bill, have nothing and they live in horrible environments, they are truly faithful to God, and they were happy because of it. They knew God did this for a reason beyond their control, and because they are so faithful, they just go along with the ride. I strive to be more like Bill and Mike every day of my life. To those of you young Orthodox Christians thinking of going on this mission trip, DO IT!!!!!!!!! I guarantee you will not forget or regret it. We did so many good deeds, and we had so many fun stories. I mean I got married how awesome is that. I hope that whoever reads this can get some kind of emotion from it, whether it’s a tear or laugh. Thank you for reading my story and may God Bless you all.

In Christ,                                                                                 

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Say YES to a Perfect Intention

The Lord puts tasks in front of us.  Some of them are small and some are huge.  If you decide that something is yours to do, based on your gifts, your desires, and your abilities, you need to make sure that the "why" of the task stays clear and present.

Why are you doing what you are doing?  And for whose glory?  The "why" can get lost when we get lost in the many anxieties and fears that come with responsibilities.  Who is watching?  Who sees me?  Who am I pleasing?  If the "who" is anyone other than God, then you need to check yourself and remember "why" the task is important to begin with.

St. Ephraim the Syrian's words here give us the assurance of what the Lord asks of us when we desire to approach Him and follow the direction He is leading us:

"These are the things which befall someone who approaches God: first temptation, then tribulation, then toil, despondency, nakedness, sufferings, anguish, contempt; in these the endurance and testing of believers is manifested; and in all these the person who gives himself wholeheartedly to God’s direction, and submits to his will, triumphs completely.

For God only asks of us a perfect intention, and he himself will give us the strength and grant us the victory; as it is written, He is the champion of all who hope in him. And again he says, The Lord is near to all who call upon him in truth. He will do the will of those who fear him and will listen to their supplication and will save them." -St Ephraim the Syrian

If your intention is truly perfect, God will bless your work.  Serve Him and others through all that you do. This will bring true joy and peace that will overcome anxiety and fear. Be careful to be self-aware and don't get lost in serving yourself and your desire to succeed.  As Mother Teresa said, "I do not pray for success.  I ask for faithfulness."

In Christ,

Katrina Bitar

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SAY YES TO SOLITUDE

One very important part of being able to be in community is being able to be alone.  As Christ took his time away from the crowds for time alone with the Father, we must do the same to know His will for us and to know ourselves.  This quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer says it all:

"Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. He will only do harm to himself and to the community. Alone you stood before God when He called you; alone you had to answer that call; alone you had to struggle and pray; and alone you will die and give an account to God. You cannot escape from yourself; for God has singled you out. If you refuse to be alone, you are rejecting Christ’s call to you, and you can have no part in the community of those who are called..."

If we are to truly find community with the poor, we must take time away in silence as a means to a necessary end:  to be strengthened in Christ in order to share His love and healing with others.  Start with 15 minutes a day in a quiet place that you consistently visit at a planned time.  Ask the Lord to bless that time, being with you as you allow the reality of your thoughts and feelings to surface and helping you to be open to His will.

Time alone with the Father will center you and help you to feel comfortable in your own skin.  It is through being alone that you will find yourself better equipped for community.

Katrina Bitar
YES North America Program Director

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As we approach the great feast of the Nativity of our Lord, it is likely that we will be feasting in various ways with various people.  It is a time to see each of these opportunities as a blessing to connect with family and friends... but also to connect your family with your needy brothers and sisters in Christ who will not be celebrating as you will.

There are some that won't have the warmth of a fireplace or the company of loved ones.  As you look around your dinner table and laugh with numerous family members that have come together for this feast, consider giving thanks to God for the love of the people around you by taking it to the streets!

-We all love leftovers.  That is true!  However, there will likely be a greater enjoyment in making your leftovers someone's first meal.

-Also consider the gifts you receive that you are likely to put away in a closet and never look at again, or toys that the children in your family don't get super excited about. Those gifts would do much better in the hands of someone who will find it to be such a treasure.

Bring your family and meet your extended family in a homeless kitchen or on the street.  It is not the amount of food or the quality of the gifts that will matter most, but the love and fellowship that you extend to your extended family- our most needy neighbors.  Give thanks for your family by being family for someone else.

Merry Christmas!

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Say YES to... putting first things first.

Reflecting on our priorties and how we spend our time can become very overwhelming.  Before taking on the task of restructuring your entire life, think about just one day.  Decide that from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed, that you will be present and mindful of the needs of others in every situation that God presents to you.  Keep your eyes open and stay on your toes.  Someone might have a task to accomplish and may just need one more set of hands to get it done.  As long as you are not neglecting something that is necessary for you to do, be the first to help them!

Whether it be your mother, sister, friend, or someone at school or work that you don't know at all... if you can help with what they need, step up! So often we wait for others to do what we can easily do ourselves because we don't want to exert the extra energy or take a break from something that can probably be put off for a few minutes. If you make the choice to be the first to help, you are choosing to set aside yourself and your comforts and let Christ work through you for someone else's sake.  This is being truly human.  The simple decision to put the other person first is not always easy, but it is simply being true to who God created you to be.  You will then soon discover the difference between comfort and joy.

Have goals and plan ahead, but don't forget to be present in the moment with the people you are surrounded by.  Bloom where God plants you!  The people around you RIGHT NOW are the ones to put first.

With love in Christ,

Katrina Bitar
YES Program Director
FOCUS North America

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