IDEA Corps Intern: Madison Davern

Initially, at the beginning of my first week serving as an IDEA Intern at the West River Center, I felt like I was lacking direction and was somewhat confused as to what I should be doing. However, following Friday’s group meeting at the Mission Center I was able to leave feeling invigorated, inspired, and focused. At this meeting we were able to come together and recount a synopsis of our experiences so far, importantly we were able to remind ourselves of what we have been selected to do. 

Personally, my focus is on environmental justice education and advocacy. Thus, my placement on the waterfront of the Chesapeake Bay in West River has provided an amazing canvas of which I can explore and hope to further efforts to spread environmental consciousness and better establish a sustainable world. Of course, the location is beautiful and provides an amazing place for members of the community to come and take in the scenery. Even more so, my placement fosters a space in nature for us to come together and worship God and his magnificent creations. Particularly, I appreciate the fact that West River is open to people from all walks of life. 

The center’s welcoming and open nature provides visitors with an inclusive experience. During my time so far, I have often thought about my experiences growing up, where camp was always a distant dream but never a question. This made me question the availability of resources for disadvantaged children to access the center and its camp. I have begun research and am planning on looking into ways in which we can connect with these disadvantaged youth and provide them access to summer camp. Specifically, not only can it be a challenge for families to pay to send their children to camp, access to transportation may also be an issue. Overall, this week I was able to connect closer with God through my experiences in nature and great conversations with peers and mentors in the internship. A particularly heartwarming moment came on Wednesday when the Director at my program played me a TedTalk about “lollipop moments”. 

From my time on Appalachia Service Projects (ASP) trips I call these “God moments”. Lollipop moments are times in which someone or something instantly changed for the better. Typically, these are seemingly insignificant moments, but they fundamentally change the course of your entire existence and usually those involved are left without knowing their impact. During my time at ASP I was fortunate enough to have my very own lollipop moment, of which I can attribute to be the cause of considerably positive changes I have made in my life both mentally and physically. I believe that in this moment I was able to understand why I was placed there and why I am doing what we are doing as IDEA Interns. We are essentially laying the groundwork for others alike and different to experience their own lollipop moment, however insignificant or far out it may seem.

My siblings and I were born to two drug addicted parents, neither of which had even finished high school. When I was eleven-years-old, we were taken from our parents and placed into the foster care system. At such an early point in my life it had been completely changed forever. My experiences growing up could have pushed me towards the paths my parents took. However, I have always chosen to look towards the future and live a life rooted in faith. I have surpassed the limits that society places on a girl like me. 

In 2019, I graduated High School with straight A’s and a full-scholarship to the University of Maryland, College Park. In 2023, I will be graduating from college and continuing to prove others wrong through my accomplishments.  From the fascinating tours we took last Friday I would say what stuck out to me the most would be the inclusive nature the Old Otterbein Church has currently and has had throughout its history. Specifically, the fact that its members were not allowed to own slaves. Their stance on inclusion and acceptance of people of color is something that I deeply appreciated and found interesting from the church tour. Additionally, the balcony was not designated as an area for “colored” folk. Finally, I found it very heartwarming that today the church's congregation was extremely diverse and welcomes people from all walks of life. Their stance on LGBTQIA+ rights is not always typical of religious groups and needs to become the norm.  

Over the last week, I felt God in nature as I walked the shorelines of the West River and learned more about the environment around my placement. For me, I feel closest to God being outside and feeling fresh air. Throughout the rest of this experience, I pray that God lifts my spirits and reinstalls his plan in me. I pray that through God I am able to brainstorm ideas and effectively tackle my projects. This coming week I hope that I am able to become more focused on specific tasks and position myself to have a greater impact on the West River Center. 

In high school, when I moved in with my great aunt, I attended a predominately white school in an affluent county. Being bi-racial and coming from a completely different background it was difficult at times to feel comfortable or like I "fit in".

After adjusting, I was able to make several friends. My best friend was white and came from an upper-middle class, two-parent home. During our friendship her family was extremely welcoming, always allowing me into their home and going out of their way to not only invite me with them to places/ on vacations, even covering my expenses most of the time. On several occasions I witnessed her and her family make offensive and overtly racist comments.

Having felt like I was a part of their family, this was deeply troubling to me. Being young I kept quiet every single time, even when their "jokes" hit close to home. From these experiences I was able to understand two important things; racism and prejudices are deeply ingrained in our society and these prejudicial seeds are planted in childhood, causing ignorance and subconscious schemas to which we categorize and label those around us in a negative manner; 2. the significance of being proactively anti-racist rather than simply "colorblind". Possibly if I would have spoken up it may have been influential to their growth and to the entirety of what is increasingly necessary in society... a change. 

Last week in my placement I had the pleasure of interviewing the Pastor of Eastern United Methodist Church in Baltimore City. The purpose of this interview was to discover information about the process of camperships. Camperships are scholarships given out to disadvantaged youth looking to attend camp, they range in the amounts covered. After conversations at my placement, I understood that funds are typically going unclaimed. From this I have decided to focus on increasing the amount of attention surrounding scholarships. I have reached out to a fellow intern, and we will be starting to work together to bring the communities of our two placements together and fill this need! Having attempted and completed this interview was an accomplishment for me due to my shy nature. Additionally, I believe these efforts will be influential to both of our communities. Currently, I think my colleague and I are curious to know the right steps to next take to best accomplish our goals. 

The campership program and the idea we have in mind could be extremely influential to the community around Eastport and beyond. Increasing knowledge of camperships will allow us to increase the diversity and inclusion of minority groups at West River's camp. Increasing the diversity of the camp will help to bridge the gap between the communities. Additionally, we hope to increase the knowledge of environmentalism and increase participation in its efforts. A year from now we hope to dramatically increase the number of students attending camp on camperships. Filling this void will provide an opportunity from oppressed children to experience faith, nature, and friends in a completely new way. The disadvantaged youth will benefit from these efforts by being able to gain fun new experiences, grow as individuals, and form diverse friendships. 

The topic of immigration is one of controversy. Some take a welcoming approach, opening their arms and inviting in migrants from all over, under a multitude of pretenses. Others may fear immigrants and hope to restrict access to their relocation. Historically, the opposing sentiments have contributed to the growing issue of racism and biases in society. Personally, I believe the ability to migrate is an inherent right. Further, it is the foundation for the United States. Our predecessors sought to establish a nation in which its inhabitants were free to live as they pleased, which from my perspective would include immigration. “The Melting Pot”, a commonly used term when referring to U.S. demographics, refers to the way in which different individuals and cultures combine to represent the diversity of America. To truly live up to our reputation as such, we must work to be entirely inclusive, welcoming, and supportive to all migrants. 

While I don’t know much about my paternal side of the family, I know that they are of Western African descent. As far as my maternal side of the family, my great-great-grandmother immigrated from Ireland in hopes of greater opportunities for work. Her husband, my great-great-grandfather, immigrated from Scotland.

Overall, I agree with the Social Principles. What I appreciate most is that they provide a common ground for which members should establish their frameworks of thinking and behaviors. The social principles guide Methodists to effectively serve God as we attempt to navigate issues of social injustices.  

Preamble, Environmental Racism, Globalization, The Dignity of Work. These four principles relate to instances of immigration because they establish our understanding as Methodists that are stewards of God on earth. We are called by God with no greater commandment than to “Love thy neighbor”, which encompasses immigrants. As disciples of God, we are required to love and nurture all of God’s children alike and different. Additionally, these principles urge Methodists to not only be accepting, but to cherish each other's differences as diversity is extremely beneficial to the greater good. Finally, equity is shown to be a valuable guiding principle. I agree with these principles because they call for members to become proactive and equitable.  

The Social Principles say a lot about Colonialism, Neocolonialism & Consequences, Gender Diversity: The West River Center is a community campground that annually welcomes diverse groups of campers. No camper will be denied based on their gender, race, sexuality, or more. These principles speak to the work in my placement as I hope to connect disadvantaged youth with the camps resources through the campership program. The ideals represented in these principles guide the center's efforts to welcome all of God’s children and provide them opportunities they may never have had. The church’s efforts to reduce the impacts of colonialism, neocolonialism, discrimination, and prejudice, and more by fostering a beautiful outdoors location for individuals to grow in their own faith and their connections with God. 

Migrants, Immigrants and Refugees.  These Social Principles establish the church’s opposition to the maltreatment of immigrants and refugees. Notably regarded as being vulnerable and in dire need of support. As United Methodists we should work to provide emotional, spiritual, and physical assistance to those in need. We must welcome them into our congregations and help them to establish normalcy in their new homes. We are tasked by God to take initiative, rally behind these people to fight against oppressive legislation and policies that will further exacerbate complications regarding migration. While the church cannot itself change the laws, they can work together to lobby for change. The church and government should respond differently, as their roles and job duties vary. However, they should work in conjunction and in the direction of positive change for immigrants. The church can make substantial impacts on a more individual level, a great example of necessary work from the church would be this IDEA internship. Rallying, educating, and motivating young people is a very important step that should be done alongside direct efforts to clothe, home, feed, etc. needy families. The government should focus on addressing policies that negatively impact immigrants, specifically, changing laws that separate families and prioritize imprisonment.

Over the past five weeks I have had the opportunity to develop a curriculum at the WRC focusing on environmental literacy, however, I have not been able to fully implement these lessons. Additionally, I have worked with a fellow intern in hopes to attract a more diverse group of kids to the camp. Specifically, we are hoping to connect with groups or organizations that have close relationships with disadvantaged youth locally. 

These youths will then go through the process of applying for financial aid (“Camperships”). Additional costs would then need to be supplemented through donations and fundraising. This would provide a great opportunity for children from marginalized backgrounds to partake in new experiences and grow in their love for Christ and his magnificent creations. Overall, I would say the construction and implementation of projects thus far has been somewhat difficult as there is a lack of direction and communication at my specific location. As such, I feel like I could possibly have made a greater impact in my placement. Despite these obstacles I have stuck with the projects as mentioned and pray for their lasting impact. 

Throughout this experience I often found myself praying to God for guidance, asking him to grant me strength, patience, and understanding so that I may grow in grace and wisdom. I prayed: “Lord, give me the strength to wait upon your promises. Help me to stay patient when the end goal seems so far out of reach. Just as I must wait for your revelation, I pray that I learn to wait patiently with understanding for all things to come to pass in my life. Amen.”

I found comfort in the Lord’s healing spirit, which strengthens me to persevere. In this final week I pray that God watches over me in my placement so that I may end this experience having given it my all. Additionally, I hope that through God I am able to comprehend the specific value I should derive from this work experience in regards to my future. Finally, I hope that the Lord’s spirit continues to warm the hearts and open the mind of members in and around the WRC community. 

Howard Thurman declared, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive. And when you go ask yourself, ‘Who will go with me’”. I took this to mean that the noblest deeds are actually derived from personal goals and passions. The greatest impacts one can have are involving issues of which individuals are personally tied to. 

This idea is also true in relation to issues of social injustice work. Altruism is regarded as vastly necessary and inadvertently virtuous, but also has the greatest impact because it is followed up with intentional action. This environmental injustice advocacy is a passion of mine through which I believe I can make a considerably positive difference because God has instilled this plan in me. I believe that is what Thurman described, that an individual should aim to recognize God’s plan in them and then follow it completely through. Finally, we should work as a team with others as we are all God’s children. Together as a whole we must carry out the Lord’s mission; acting as stewards of his creation, teaching and inspiring others, all while focusing on the specialties we know best to properly address issues of social injustice.

From this internship I was hoping to expand my understanding of environmental issues, especially as it relates to social injustices. The first week in my placement left me feeling mostly undirected as far as plans for the rest of the internship. However, I was curious to learn more about the missions and goals at the West River Center (WRC). Over my time at the WRC I learned about the “Living Shoreline” project that was carried out at the location. It was installed to decrease the negative impacts of erosion and better preserve the coastline, as well as protect and promote diverse groups of wildlife. Additionally, I learned more about the grave issue of environmental racism in which people of color are disproportionately affected by climate change. Overall, I would say the most important lesson I have learned from this internship experience was the importance of stewardship and advocacy in regards to faith. It is a noble idea to wish to care for the Earth, but it is much more than a hobby or interest. Stewardship of the Earth is a responsibility we have been tasked with by God, as we are to lovingly care for his creations. Despite formerly knowing the importance of service, I had never truly connected and understood stewardship in the context of Nature and the environment. Finally, stewardship and advocacy go hand in hand. For one to further environmental justice they must also educate and motivate others. 

Over this internship experience I have had the pleasure of meeting several different people from the community, BWC, and its churches. Importantly, a conversation I had with the pastor from Eastern United Methodist Church in Baltimore City had a great effect on my understanding of this work. This pastor eloquently described to me the importance of intentionality in ministry. Specifically, the notion that thought is great but direct action is required. I would like to thank him for taking the time to expand my understanding of the importance of inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism in a camp ministry setting. The concept of intentionality may seem minute, but is greatly powerful as no action is carried out without some form of intent. There is always a reason behind someone's behavior. So, when it comes to increasing values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism we must be motivated, direct, and proactive. 

Despite my love for socializing I have always struggled with public speaking of any kind. I have a hard time being myself in front of people I don’t really know or am not comfortable with. So, teaching lessons and completing competitive activities in front of big groups was somewhat difficult for me. I would say I am most proud of pushing myself to step outside of my comfort zone in order to further the education of our young people.  

From this internship experience I have been able to strengthen my own skills of patience, perseverance, and integrity. Due to difficulties in my placement I often felt discouraged or that I was not doing enough, but I remained consistent, flexible, and motivated. In the professional world it is crucial to be able to stay focused even in times of adversity. Further, I have been able to gain strong knowledge of important environmental issues our society faces, as well as ways to combat them. 

As this internship comes to a close and it is time to say “goodbye”, I believe it is never goodbye but see you later. Although presently I am moving on from the WRC, I will continue to pray that the Lord watch over the people and ministry of West River. God fill their hearts with your love and strength them with your spirit. Father we thank you for providing us such beautiful nature that we can enjoy for you. We apologize Lord for the ways in which we have destroyed your land and we pray that you will continue to uplift us, so that we can care for your magnificent creations. In Jesus’ name. 

Amen.