Rebecca Tenorio - CMC Missioner
The thoughts that come to me as I sit and reflect on the past year are ones of joy and also sadness. My memories of entering CMC are of the plane ride from my home in New Mexico to Pennsylvania. I didn't know how I could possibly survive a year away from my family. As I look back on that year, I don't know where it went. I do know that the good and bad times have brought enormous changes to my life.
My first days at Mother Cabrini High School were difficult for me as I tried to figure out where I belonged and what exactly I was supposed to be doing. With the tremendous support of the faculty and staff, that didn't take long. The spirit of MCHS soon ran through me, urging me to work as hard as everyone else at the school. Not long after I settled in, I fell in love with the students. I organized service projects with the help of extraordinary young minds. We had many meetings in which we talked, shared, planned, and prayed together. It was through these projects that I learned about the heart of Christian service. I also coordinated the After-School Tutoring Program that again allowed me to become involved with many students. The roles that I played at MCHS challenged me to grow in many ways. The support that I received from everyone at the school permitted me to fall, get back up again, and continue even stronger.
Community life was an experience that I never expected it to be. It was the people that I came home to at the end of each day who put real stability back into my life. I learned many new things about food, culture and praying. I especially learned about the power of communication and forgiveness. I have been a witness to God's honesty and love, and that has given me the courage to grow and change.
In addition to work and community life, I had various opportunities to spend time with my special friend and fellow missioner, Heather Mancil. It was through our time together that our friendship grew to what it is today. Heather has always been someone I can rely on and trust.
God has indeed blessed me numerous times this year with many wonderful people. I continue to seek God's will for my life knowing fully that He will give me the graces I need. What started off as a year that I thought I could never survive has turned out to be a year of new life. The toughest part of my time as a CMC missioner is going to be saying good-bye to everyone who has made this year amazing. Thank you to my family and friends at home for their constant love and support. And thank you to everyone within the Cabrini Family who has carried me, guided me and helped me to walk along this journey.
