Marc in Georgia?
So my parents werechatting with me online the other night about what I was doing here. The next day three friends asked me thesame question. I determined I better write out the story out so here I go.
I have been here for9 days. I drove out May 13-15th,2008 From Orem, Utah to Buford, Georgia. To some up: the weather is hot and humid,the traffic is horrendous. However, they have fantastic storms (with tornadoes- when I first got here at the place I am staying my host showed me the bathroomwe all go into if there is a tornado!), a beautiful landscape with forests andhills and diversity!
So the big questionis what am I doing in Atlanta, Georgia?
Well I am completingan internship for the summer required by the Master of Social Work Program I amin at BYU. I am working withthe LDS Deseret Industries Initiative. So far we have mostly been meeting with bishops and Stake presidents aboutthe services DI offers. There is no store here so it is different but we offerthe same services as the DI storelocations. I work with LayneDaybell who ran the DI in Provo. He's been here or 4 months or so.
My job is to counsel people and preparethem for gainful employment. We focus on individuals who have serious barrierspreventing them from gainful employment. People who are unemployed and justneed to find a job we refer to LDSEmployments Services. They arelocated in the same building we are.
We do assessments with the "associates"and look into resources and will do minor counseling... anything major we referthem to LDS Family Services (also in the same building). This is the leastclinical internship, but I really enjoy it.
I will be working in Substance AbuseCounseling in the Fall and Winter, so in that internship I will be counselingexclusively.
It is awesome working for the church,we have so many resources and opportunities. DI is part of a new mindset the church is having with manythings. With our program the church is wanting to help underemployed people toget skills and training worth up to $3000 per person, and its the bishopschoice who we work with. We canserve community members if the bishop sees a need, but we don't advertize it. Wealso are offering a business partnership where members get into a job to gain experienceand we pay their salary for 6 months. It is incredible!
The really neat thing is that theresources to fund this are from the profits from people donating to the 43 DIstores in the US. So if you everwonder what your donations do at DI its this work! The church is planning on having a DI Initiatives like oursin every employment center in the world! They are opening international onesalso in Brazil, Africa, Philippines and a new one for Detroit MI. So in the future this program will showup at a church near you!
Church leaders are so excited andmembers also. It's all free and we travel around North Georgia to see themembers outside Atlanta. We spenda lot of time driving places up to 3 hours away. But the individuals really are in financial trouble so we goto them. It made for some latenights so far sometimes getting back at midnight.
It always amazes me whatthe Church has done throughout the world. How can this church not be of God? Ifonly people would look deeper into it and get passed their initial judgments. Another thing is how the church ischanging its focus to help non-members and doing more PR work.
It is time to "get out of obscurity" and go out to theworld. They are asking churchleaders to get to know the leaders and pastors in the community and servethem. The church has started a newprogram where each Bishop is authorized to donate and help communities inneed. The amount of humanitarianaid and welfare services is wonderful and I am so excited to be doing this work.
Well you can email me at mg1@byu.net or catch me online. Brooke and the boys are still inUtah. Brooke is working, applyingfor housing assistance etc. She is amazing!
Take Care Y'all!
Marc