Reflections from An Outgoing Intern

“Thank you Excellencies, distinguished  delegates, colleagues, and friends.”  Adrenaline rushed through me as I read the opening words to the oral statement on mining and homelessness last February. 

The moment my microphone lit up green in the conference hall of the Commission on Social Development felt like a climax, even though CSocD 58 was just five months into my internship with Mercy International Association-Mercy Global Action.  Ministry at MGA was a whirlwind of collaboration, meetings, and research.  The massive amount of reading and study helped catch me up to the world existing in and around the United Nations, but only a little.  I depended heavily on Angela and Colleen, and the many other organizations advocating at the UN, for constant explanations, definitions, and histories.

When I gratefully accepted the opportunity to join the team as an intern I stepped into a world of justice ministry unlike any other I knew.  After a decade of direct service in culinary arts, I had a lot of catching up to do in the unique field of advocacy.  I spent many meetings jotting down acronyms to be deciphered later and leaning over to whisper a question or two.  I found refuge in the support of the MGA team who guided me through every unusual day at the office. 

I never felt too lost or overwhelmed in the MGA office with the picture of Catherine McAuley gazing over my shoulder.  The charism of Mercy and the spirit of Catherine touched every aspect of my work.  Her words guided me to the connections between far-reaching corners of the world and seemingly mysterious aspects of international law.  Catherine’s spirit of service spoke to me with a fresh voice through my experiences in New York. 

Catherine often used her voice to encourage the gifts of her sisters and the women she serves.  She helped them grow, learn, and engage in new ministries just as Colleen and Angela helped me; I learned so much with them over the past nine months.  Now, I leave this ministry with a greater understanding of international advocacy, our global reality, and the slow but steady workings of the UN.  I also grew through the many wonderful relationships and encounters with Mercy through MGA’s connections with the Mercy World.  The way Mercy now encircles the globe, through sisters and coworkers, would delight Catherine.

Meeting voices of Mercy from around the world enriched my experience of ministry.  It has been an honor to be a small part of the ongoing work of Mercy at MGA.  I take with me many gifts from my time here, and I know the gift of my writing voice, nurtured so carefully over the past nine months, will be a significant asset to my future ministry as I continue to serve wherever God calls me.

I am truly grateful to God for calling me to a wonderful ministry at MGA and to all who helped make these past nine months exciting and edifying.  Thank you especially to Angela and Colleen, who welcomed me into their ministry.  My intern experience is a true blessing that will bear fruit for years to come.

Messages to: Amanda Carrier rsm - MGA Intern