Virginia Wesleyan Reflection

For a week in January a small group of students from Virginia Wesleyan college participated in the Br. David Darst Center's Urban Immersion Retreat. During this full week they delved into a number of different issues of social justice, which broadened their worldview as well as impacted their personal outlook. One student reflected on her experience at St. Leonard's, and how this led to a transformation of a particular viewpoint:

"The experience that has stuck with me the most is the experience at St. Leonard's. This really touched my heart. Hearing the stories, especially from the three young men, opened my eyes on how I saw people who were incarcerated. Usually, I would just ignore them or not be friendly to them. However, now I will give them a chance or an opportunity to tell me their stories and help them out the best that I can. The reason is that I had a friend who recently released from the justice system and I wouldn't give him a chance. But right after we got back from the agencies, I contacted him and apologized for how I acted. I realized that he was a human being who just made a mistake and was looking for his friend again. So that experience opened my eyes to see how I was treating others and I need to change that. I am currently working on it."

– Brittany, Virginia Wesleyan student