Krista Ulbricht--2007 High School Team


My journey started with a flight that landed about 5:15pm in Newark, New Jersey from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ( my home town and parish is Youngstown, OH).  Cathy and I drove to the local grocery store called "Stop and Shop" were we bought our grocery's for the week.  What should have been a short stop turned into a two hour trip!  Most our time was spent in the produce section, where we were discussing which vegetables we would both eat!  Cathy and I do not go well together when it comes to what food (vegetables) that we like.  We eventually were able to come to a mutual agreement about the produce and other food items. 
We arrived at the ST. Sophia Seminary about 9:00 PM.  After getting settled in, we went for a little self tour of the Seminary.  It was a little scary for us, all the doors were open and the exit lights made an eerie red color on the walls.  We first started on the first floor looking at the newly renovated chapel, which by the way is amazing!  Then we moved toward the kitchen and checked out all the side doors which were either a bathroom or a closet.  Then we went to the huge dining room. The dining room that we went into has magnificent windows to show the fabulous views of the outside.  We then stepped into an amazing room which the walls had amazing wood work which was mind-blowing!  Then we worked our way back to the living room which was huge and very open and welcoming.  We walked up the stairs to the second floor to check out the rooms.  They all had incredible views of the property; I think my favorite room is the one facing St.Andrews church, because you can see the steeples over the tree tops.  All the rooms were very clean and all set up and ready for the seminarians.  We both loved all the comforters, they were so lovely.  We worked our way up to the attic just to take a peek; it was scary because all you can see at the doorway was red from the exit signs.  But other than that the attic is incredible. It has several rooms, a whole room for showers and another room for the restrooms.  We decided it was enough adventuring for one night, so we left exploring the basement for another night.
The next morning we started at 8:00am and started on painting the porch railings.  We were hard at work when we left to go to the ground breaking for the new Historical and Educational Museum.  It was really exciting, even more so when I found out I get to represent the Jr. Ukrainian Orthodox League in the ground breaking ceremony. His Eminence Archbishop Antony spoke and other people who represented different organizations spoke on their group's behalf.  I got to keep the shovel I used to do the ground breaking.  We had the opportunity to join the people in the Cultural Center afterwards for a luncheon.  It was really cool, I got to meet new priests I never met before and I got to see the Cultural Center which is just incredible.  I got the chance to talk to Helen Greenleaf ( a committee member) about the new museum that is going to be built.
It is way more than any museum I have ever heard of!  It is not only a museum it is our heritage, our church, our Ukrainian language and so much more.  Don't judge a place by its name; you have to know what it's all about first.  I pray that we all can pull together and be able to raise the rest of the money that is needed to be able to pay it all off, so the building itself can be completed and open to the public faster instead of stopping construction and having to wait many years to collect enough money to finish.  After our extended lunch we went back and cracked down to finish half of the porch railing. 
Tuesday morning Anastasia Zawierucha of Holy Assumption in Northampton, PA (a San Francisco Team Member Alumni) came to help us paint but before we started working, we all attended morning prayers at the Consistory Offices.  We started painting the second half of the porch when the Martin family showed up to help as well (Charissa Martin is the Director of Teenage Conference).  Cathy and I were so grateful that they all came to help.  It was so much fun. The Martin children, Euphrazinia and Metro both helped us paint.  We enjoyed a nice big lunch but then we had to get back to work.  We laughed (having a good time) the whole time we were painting it was really fun.  Everyone thought we could only get the porch railings done, but we showed them! When we were done we noticed the side patio was covered with weeds, so we decided to clean up the rock patio.  We were able to weed about half of it while everyone was there.  The day was coming to an end and we all ended up the same - covered in paint and dirt, but it was worth getting dirty for.   
Wednesday Cathy and I left for the Goodwill Rescue Mission in Newark, New Jersey.  Goodwill Rescue Mission offers help and hope to North Jersey's urban poor and dispirited.
· For mind and body: food, clothing, shelter, training and teaching.
· For soul and spirit: the life-changing message of God's love revealed in Jesus Christ. (from the Goodwill Rescue Mission Statement)
I was really nervous about everything. I had no idea what to expect when we would arrive.  The drive was supposed to be only forty-five minutes but it ended up being a three and a half hour long drive.  Now I know what you all are thinking - that we got lost, but we didn't.  There was a big storm the night before and all the subways and trains were closed so everyone who usually took the subway or train drove to work instead.  So when we did arrive we were sent to help in the kitchen.  It was like we all knew each other for ages.  Everyone at the Rescue Mission was so welcoming and really funny.  Our first task was to de-bone the salmon.  It was a teddies job, but we got through it.  We then formed the loose pieces of salmon and added seasonings to it and formed them into patties.  We had to leave at 2:00pm, so we could get home safe and not have to go through rush hour traffic.
Thursday we went back to the Rescue Mission, we arrived there in forty five minutes!  We helped clean up from breakfast and helped serve lunch.  After cleaning up lunch we attended a class with Aaron from the rescue mission.  That class was so interesting, they went around the room and told their stories of what their life was like and how through the Grace of God they found the Rescue Mission and how it changed their lives greatly.  There is one story I still remember, it just stood out to me. 

This one man lived in Kentucky. Growing up his whole family was into alcohol and drugs.  So when he was about 18, he felt like he needed to get out of that situation - so he ran away to California where he eventually ended up falling into that same type of crowd.  He was coming to Newark for a job interview, but at the bus station the first bus was packed with people so he had to wait for the next bus, which was about three hours later.  He called up the company and told them what happened and that he would be a little late.  When he arrived it was about a day later and the company was closed for the day.  So this man told him of a place where he could stay for real cheap for the night till morning, but the place was full. The owner told him of the Goodwill Rescue Mission and that he could stay there.  He went to the Rescue Mission and they let him call the company to tell them he would be in the next day.   They also let him spend the night. He was planning on leaving in the morning, but he decided to stay for prayers.  As he was waiting to get into the chapel he noticed a pamphlet about a program that they offer.  The program is a nine month program where they get the men back on their feet and help them with their drug problems.  Something in him told him to stay and be help with that ministry - now that's where he's been ever since. 


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