Why Am I A VISTA?

Why am I a VISTA?

I could tell you that I am a VISTA because the pay is great and the benefits are unbelievable. Ummm…

nope! The pay is a poverty level wage and the benefits are not too bad. There are resources and there

is training to support the VISTAS who need to live on these wages. Because the pay is a poverty level

wage, we can better understand the people we serve.

I could tell you that I am a VISTA because of the Segal Award. Actually, that one is really cool and I

intend to take advantage of it after my first year of service. The chance to go back to college for another

degree AND have that college potentially match the Segal Award is an amazing opportunity. However, it

is absolutely not the reason I became a VISTA.

I could tell you that I am a VISTA because of my co-workers. I work with other outstanding VISTAS

and have learned so much from them already. I also work with amazing people at my place of service

and I am developing wonderful friendships already. I love to see their passion and drive to help the

refugees and immigrants in our community. Again, this is a good reason but it is not the reason why I am

a VISTA.

I could tell you that I am a VISTA because of the amazing people I come in contact with on a daily

basis. These resilient folks have come from refugee camps or third world countries to start a new life for

themselves.. They have to navigate an entirely new world and culture as well as learn to operate the

technology that our culture wholeheartedly embraces. Many of them are struggling with PTSD because

of the immense trauma that they have endured. What an example to our community! This is another

good reason to be a VISTA but it is not my motivation.

Honestly, I could list reason after reason to become a VISTA and, maybe even a few reasons why you

should not be a VISTA. When I was job hunting I looked for one big "thing". I kept an open mind and

thought outside of the box, past my own preconceived notions of what I could do.

My big WHY is to make a difference. I want to know that my job is impacting someone’s life for good.

I want to affect change. I want to teach people how to fish and not to expect fish. I want to be passionate

and deliver results for a cause bigger than myself while helping people who can’t help themselves. Most

importantly, I want what I do to last and carry on, even when I am no longer there to drive the change.

Ultimately, I will feel successful if people walk away from me knowing that they are loved and feeling God’s

love because of me.

Jude 1:22 (KJV) And of some have compassion, making a difference:

All opinions expressed here are solely mine and are not a reflection of the opinions of the Americorp

VISTA program or of City of Refuge in Columbia, MO.

VISTA in the City