This is a blurb that I submitted to the Chicago Marathon, to explain my motivations for running. My entry wasn't picked to go on the air, but it was a great opportunity to reflect on my journey, and hopefully, to give you more of the back story!
People ask me why I studied civil
engineering in college if I was going to become a religious sister one year
after graduating. Easy—I have always
believed that the best way for me to help others is by building bridges. I am running the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon because as every bridge builder knows, there is a lot of initial cost
before the foundation can be laid. In my
case, I fundraise to cover my college loans in order to enter my community
debt-free.
In the time before I
wanted to be a sister, I thought that I could solve social ills by pure
engineering: I wanted to design the systems that would distribute clean water,
or the roads to connect people with their jobs.
As I delved further into the big picture of segregation, economic
disparity, and my own religious vocation, I discovered that the physical
infrastructure was only one element to the puzzle.
Midway through college, I started volunteering at the
Mission of Our Lady of the Angels. The
terrible school fire there in 1958 spurred the economic downturn of the
area. The Franciscans who live and serve West
Humboldt Park at this Mission are bridge-builders in the big-picture
sense. As my religious vocation
materialized, I realized that providing for the neighborhoods’ temporal needs,
as well as building up their dignity based on the foundations of love and
friendship, was the bridge-building that I was made to do.
My civil engineering studies were not in vain. As the prophet Jeremiah wrote, speaking on
God’s behalf: “I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your
welfare, not for woe!”. I have always
desired to ‘walk the walk’ of the Christian life—to truly employ my skills, my
time, and my effort towards serving others.
I am running the Bank of America Chicago marathon because this is my
opportunity to ‘run the run’ of the Christian life; I fundraise because I need
the financial support to make this hope a reality.
As I transition into my new home in West Humboldt Park, I am
certain that the experiences I will share with my brothers and sisters—both
Franciscans and our neighbors—will teach me how to truly love and to serve. Although I am not a runner, and am terrified
at running my first marathon, I am running with our Mission of Our Lady of the
Angel’s charity team of 45 runners to build funds to better service our
neighbors on the West side. They are
running this marathon because they too believe that building relational bridges
with people can make a difference in this world, and especially in Chicago.
This marathon beautifully mirrors my life’s story, that of
training, sacrificing, and having hope that the triumph of a life well-lived is
worth the adversity. I run because I
believe in my future as a Franciscan.
I believe in a future full of hope: for my life, and the
life of my neighborhood.
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