SERVICE I MME RSION PROGRAM
A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK ON LIFE
Quito
A SERVICE IMMERSION REFLECTION
FROM A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF 2019
I have had the unique experience and
privilege of attending two Christian Service
Immersion trips during my time at Fordham
Prep: one to Tennessee in the summer
of 2017, and one to Ecuador this past
summer. I witnessed extreme poverty on
both trips, and my outlook on life itself and
the attitude with which I approach problems
in my daily life was changed. When I was in
Tennessee, one of the future homeowners
with whom we were working shared a story
about her current living conditions. She
told us that she lived with her husband
and their daughter, and they all had to
share one bedroom on the second floor of
their house, because the basement was
completely flooded. She and her daughter,
like most of us, slept at night, while her
husband slept during the day, because he
was working night shifts at Walmart as the
family’s only source of income. This living
situation was a paradise compared to ones
that I witnessed in Ecuador, headlined by
a two-room “house” with dirt floors, no
running water, and no electricity, which
was home to a mother and seven children.
These conditions, that most of us can
barely imagine, are just some examples
of instances that made me realize how
unbelievably fortunate I am, and why these
trips are so important. On my trips, I felt
like God was communicating to me through
the experiences I had. I saw generous and
caring sides of my friends and teachers that
I had never had the chance to see before,
and I learned of the incredible impact that I
was able to have on people. Reflecting and
praying each day helped me to understand
that God is as present in the people I met in
Tennessee and Ecuador as he is anywhere
else. I consider my trips to Tennessee and
Ecuador to be the most memorable parts of
my time at Fordham Prep.
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RAMVIEW
MEET
JACKSON GOODMAN
CLASS OF 2019
Hometown
Eastchester
Grammar School
St. Joseph School, Bronxville
College Destination
Boston College
Activities
Baseball,
student government,
Ministry Leadership Team,
Freshman Retreat Co-director,
Labrinth magazine,
service immersion trips to
Tennessee and Ecuador
Forever Grateful
The Homeowners, Staff and Board of Directors of Appalachia Habitat for Humanity are
forever grateful for the partnership between this ministry and Fordham Preparatory School.
Those words just don’t seem adequate though.Appalachia Habitat serves two very rural and
economically distressed counties in Tennessee, Scott and Morgan. According to an article
published earlier this year by USA Today, Scott County was ranked as the poorest county in
the state. This makes what Fordham Prep does even more important.
Since 1999, when this partnership began, Fordham Prep has raised over $2M and helped
to build 30 new homes for families who would not have been able to purchase a home of
their own any other way. Those numbers are very impressive, but they also translate into
even more than new homes, even though that is the main objective of this partnership. The
local economy benefits greatly as well. The building materials for the homes are purchased
from local suppliers. Local subcontractors are also hired to do the work that our staff
cannot. The ministry also employs a staff full time. So, the funds raised for the new homes
is recirculated into the local economy numerous times helping this area and its residents
financially. The students and chaperones coming to build the homes and purchasing items
for their stay also positively impacts our economy.
Congratulations to Fordham
Prep on your 25th anniversary
of solidarity, community,
and service with our brothers
and sisters in Christ. We have
been honored to partner with
your students, faculty, and
staff for almost a decade.
Sharing in many construction
project mingas, classroom visits,
playground soccer games, and
dinner preparations has meant
so much to us and all of the
families we serve at the Working
Boys’ Center in Quito. Thank
you for being such an important
part of our family of families-
here’s to many many more
years!
Con cariño,
C4WF
Center for Working Families,
Quito, Ecuador
All of this is said because without Fordham Prep supporting this ministry, I truly don’t believe
this ministry would be able to exist at this point. I believe that God’s knows exactly what we
need when we need it and I feel He led Fordham Prep to Appalachia Habitat all those years
ago because He knew what we needed, even when we didn’t.
So “Thank you” Fordham Prep students, faculty, staff and families for your incredible
support of the Appalachia Habitat ministry all these years and we hope that this amazing
partnership will continue for many more years. We also want to send a special thank you to
Mr. Brian Carney for choosing Appalachia Habitat for Humanity and bringing that first group
of young men to Robbins in 1999.
Sincerely,
Haley Terry
Executive Director
SUMMER 2019
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