St. Noel - Natalie

Hey guys!  Happy Day 2!! :) What an amazing day.  I am from Cleveland, Ohio, and while familiar with Buffalo due to my relatives, I have never gotten to know the area thoroughly and the various ministries present.  This week, I am working at St. Casimir (Monday, Tuesday, & Friday) and Habitat for Humanity (Wednesday & Thursday).  I am excited to construct with Habitat for Humanity later this week, but I had no idea what to expect when I arrived on site this morning at St. Casimir.  A Polish parish located in Kaisertown, St. Casimir is full of love, stories, history, and a passion for family ministry.  We received a tour from the Pastor of the church, which is rich with beautiful architecture.  It was built Byzantine style, with large domes representing the connection between spherical Earth and God's presence.  Father described to us the various symbols throughout the artwork, and the meaning behind each.  It struck me that all the global & cultural traditions engraved on the walls were discovered from word-of-mouth communication, rather than Google or book research.  Additionally, I learned from Father the difference between symbols & pure decorations: parallel to windows and their drapes.  Following our tour, we got right to work, some of us outside and some of us inside.  I helped to begin the reconstruction of the garage roof siding, from scraping chipped paint to drilling in wood boards and caulking cracks between panels.  The work was unlike anything I had done before, and I relished in the new experience while gaining an experience for trade workers.  It was very rewarding at the end of the day to see our hard work coming to life and our tangible work progress.  I very much look forward to the rest of the week (especially more service & Maid of the Mist)!  Thanks for reading :)