The Nuns on the Bus came to Terre Haute, Indiana where we participated in a Caucus to Mend the Gaps at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. We were very  warmly welcomed by the community.

Sister Simone greeted the large groups of caucus participants, grouped at tables labeled by the Nuns on the Bus gap and access issues. As she does at every caucus, Simone asked the group some “buzz” questions to get the conversation started. We all discussed the divides in the local community.

We then had small group conversation, after which the groups reported out the need for more jobs that pay a living wage, and the need for re-tooling workers for today’s jobs. The healthcare group raised the issue of child hunger, and we learned that 60-65% of children in the area suffer from food insecurity. The group asked “Why is this happening in our community?”

From the housing group, we learned that many local people need to work two or three jobs to afford housing, which results in less time available to support their family in ways other than financial.

The absolute interconnectedness of all of the issues was a key learning from the evening. At the end of the evening, caucus participants committed to mending the gaps together, and signed the bus as a demonstration of their commitment.

See also:
Slideshow: Terre Haute Caucus
Reflection on Day Four: Creating Community

“Excuse me, do the sisters take turns driving the bus?” Sarah Spengeman, our Grassroots Mobilization Manager, laughs and then responds, “No, we have a professional driver, Bill.”

Years ago Bill was on tour with Elvis Presley.  When Bill is not driving the bus for Anthony Williams, Mary J. Blidge, Fantasia, Maxwell, or Justin Beber he is driving Nuns on the Bus. Conversations with Bill are enjoyable and interesting!

Today, Bill is driving us from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Toledo, Ohio. Thus far, we have travelled more than a thousand miles, visited seven different ministries, have now crossed into our fifth state, and met several hundred people.

My vocation as a Religious Sister of Mercy has been reaffirmed. This call and commitment to serve God’s people, to seek justice for God’s people, has been echoed by those I am traveling with. We all agree that witnessing to Gospel values and staying strong to Pope Francis’ call of love and service, continues to be the role of Religious Woman in the 21st Century.

Our morning prayer, the impromptu bus discussions, and our evening transition conversations are rich! We have all been touched spiritually and emotionally by the passionate stories we have heard.

Presently, I am the only Mercy on the bus. The nine of us have formed community with ease; already knowing we will miss each other after next week. We represent the Sisters of St. Agnes, the Comboni Missionary Sisters, the Dominicans, the Religious Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, Sisters of Social Services, and the Ursuline Sisters.  We are modeling that we can pull together to achieve the possible; charism, age, and culture should not alter God’s plan for peace and love.

Perhaps, our different ministries are not in the trenches of despair with the people we have met. I am sure, however, that their faces and stories are forever carved in our minds.

After Toledo our journey continues to Cleveland, Ohio for the Republican National Convention.  Please pray for everyone headed to Cleveland; a special prayer for Nuns on the Bus and our professional driver, Bill!

From state capital to state capital: we spent several hours traveling from Springfield, IL to Jefferson City MO, surrounded by beautiful farmland. Water was like a background theme. A couple of strong thunderstorms accompanied the rally in Springfield, IL and our drive to Jefferson City, MO; we crossed the majestic Mississippi river and the Missouri river; we joined our tears to those of the people sharing the pain for their underserved and marginalized community.

In Jefferson City, we visited the Central Missouri Community Action Agency Family Resource Center. This Center is dedicated to eradicate the causes and conditions of poverty empowering people and families to achieve self-reliance. Sarah Nichols, a community organizer for CMCA, explained that despite the unemployment rate is 4%, the rate of poverty is 16%, since most of the jobs are part time and/or low pay, and families need second and third jobs to make ends meet.

Another issue which impacts the poverty rate is the limited public transportation, which runs only during weekdays until 5 pm. People walk and share rides, but often this is not enough if you have a night shift at work. To help people to get out of the spiral of the day pay loans, the Center recently started a loan program that pays out its clients debts and offers them financial education. We met some clients of the Center. Angela lives in public housing and is a strong advocate for her community. She is worried about children having free meals during summer and promotes dialogue with the local police in a drug-infested area. “I am in a journey to save somebody, because somebody saved me and my children,” she says.

Public transportation is a big issue in this capital city: it runs only until 5pm in weekdays, unnecessary complicating the life of people with multiple low paid jobs.  (Later that night at the caucus, a man told us that he needs to take a taxi to get home when the shift of his second job ends at 11pm.)

We met also Ann. Because she didn’t have access to Medicaid, she postponed too much a doctor visit complicating a medical issue that, otherwise, would have been easy to treat: she had to choose between paying her rent or going to the doctor. “Bad legislation kills people,” she said. The staff of CMCA helped her to overcome the situation, and now Ann is a Board member of the agency.  “When I help others, I help myself”, concludes Ann.

The busy day of interacting with people of different faiths, ages, and cultures in Jefferson City was topped off with an evening of Italian cuisine and vibrant conversations.

The citizens of Jeff City greeted us at the caucus with joy and enthusiasm. Our tired bodies were refreshed and our minds ready to engage in at least two more hours of visionary conversation.

As always, Sister Simone, with her warm, humorous and inviting personality, cast a wave of serenity upon the integrated audience. The majority of the 100 plus residents who participated had never met, but their concerns and hopes were the same.

In every place, thus far, we have listened to God’s people. The main problems seen as causing gaps within cities are: lack of affordable housing, unaffordable health care, a lack of public transportation, unjust taxes, and unjust wages.

Before the tour of Nuns on the Bus ends we will have heard similar concerns from different faces, but the same goal. We must come together! Listen! Vote! Envision a new tomorrow!

See also:
Slideshow: Central Missouri Community Action Agency Family Resource Center
Slideshow: Jefferson City Caucus
Reflection on Day Three: We Are All Hungry For Justice