Kerry Wilkerson
Why I'm Doing Mission Year
Hi Everyone. My name is Kerry Wilkerson and I am from Atlanta, GA. I graduated from the University of Georgia in 2004 with a degree in Business Management. I traveled for a year after college and then settled back in Atlanta working as a Recruiter for the last four years. I had been searching and praying a lot in the last year about a commitment to a long-term volunteer opportunity. The one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to be somewhere with an organization that would allow me to truly live and engage in community.
My search and prayers led me to Mission Year and on August 22nd I moved to Chicago to be a part of a team with 5 other people living in the neighborhood of Roseland. Our neighborhood is located on the far south side of Chicago. Through this next year we will have to opportunity to serve at a nearby ministry, be a part of a church in our neighborhood, and build relationships with those in our community.
The verse Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” has taken on a new meaning in my heart, and I realize that I want this verse to become a reality in my life. God has placed on my heart this transition from knowing this verse as head knowledge to intentionally learning how to love my neighbors better and how to demonstrate this throughout my life. I want to help make God’s love real for those living in some of the toughest neighborhoods in the world, while deepening my own relationships with God, and my community.
I’m excited about the journey me and my team will have this year and I look forward to sharing it with you.
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…
Kerry Wilkerson's Blog
Settling In / Sep 28, 09:30 PM
The month of September has gone by quickly. We have settled into our house, started getting to know people in our neighborhood and getting to know each other more everyday. There are 6 of us on Team Roseland and we come from all over. Sarah Wiant is from Buffalo; Sara Shackelford is from Memphis; Rachel is from Vancouver, B.C.; Jordan is from St. Louis; and Shaun is from Texas. We are all getting along very well, especially considering we are sharing one bathroom between all of us.
We have officially started at our service site. My team is working at Roseland Christian Ministries, also referred to as the “Center”. The Center has several arms to it including: a women and children’s shelter, a thrift store in the community, a drop-in for the homeless, the Homes Program, and our church – Roseland Christian Reformed Church. Our team is also helping with a breakfast every Sunday morning at the church for anyone in the community that wants to come. It has been a great way to meet people in the neighborhood. We are also working with Kid’s Club, an after-school program on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
We all have different roles within the Center. Jordan and Shaun are working with the Homes Program. They will be working at restoring homes purchased by the church to then offer to people the chance to rent to own a home. Sarah Wiant and Rachel are working at the women and children’s shelter, helping to prepare for Kid’s Club, and assisting one day with the Homes Program. Sara Shackelford is working most of the week at the thrift store. Jordan and Shaun will work with her there one day and then she will also be helping the Homes Program and Kid’s Club. I’m working as the Office Secretary, supporting those in the office with administrative duties and greeting everyone that comes in to the Center.
We are definitely staying busy with our schedules and I look forward to sharing more with you as we get settled into our roles at the Center.
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