Nothing Can Prepare You

In an online journal, she is sharing her reflections on the country and the people she met during the second of two trips to Africa organized this spring by the Chaplains’ Office.

“Everything surprised and shocked me,” she says. “No matter how many times I have seen appeals to send aid to Africa or listened to the news or read articles about the continent, nothing prepared me for actually being there.”

An English major and anthropology minor from Boston, Moran was in Tanzania from May 25 (two days after she graduated) to June 4. She traveled with 13 other students and assistant chaplain Rev. William R. Campbell, S.J.

“I could not drag my eyes away from what we saw as we drove in our bus, and I could not help but feel such a strong connection with the people that we met. I did not expect to feel such love for a country so different from my own,” she says.

Moran, who is pursuing a career in book publishing, hopes that other students will be encouraged to explore immersion trips after reading her journal.

For two decades, Holy Cross students have participated in the international immersion programs offered by the Chaplains’ Office. By traveling to areas in Africa, Mexico and Jamaica to meet people who are poor and marginalized, this faith based program responds to the Jesuit call to work for peace and justice in the world.

“I highly recommend the immersion programs at Holy Cross to every student,” she says. “It really was a life changing experience — both for the Holy Cross students who went on the trip and the people we met, as our job on returning to America is to share what we have learned and raise awareness, better aiding these people who deserve all our support and love.”

For her, it was the ideal way to end her Holy Cross career.

“I could not think of a more perfect ending to my life at Holy Cross,” she says. “What we saw in Tanzania completely reinforced the Jesuit ideal for me that we all are meant to be ‘men and women for others.’ Standing in solidarity with the poor in Tanzania helped me appreciate even more the past four years of education I have received at Holy Cross, and gave me a better sense of purpose in my own life.”

Related Information:

• Read more about the Tanzania trip in the Telegram & Gazette • Holy Cross Blogs • Chaplains’ Office