Mount Notre Dame
Providing a challenging, college-preparatory curriculum for young women over three centuries.
Selected Reflections from Past Participants
Summer 2011
Malorie Mullinger (2013)
I got home from Liberty and my mom asked me to tell her about it. About thirty minutes into me rambling about everything that is Liberty, she realized she would have to go down to understand. That’s when I realized how one-of-a-kind the Liberty experience is.
Most service trips our family has been on, my mom was able to grasp. Megan built houses, Dad runs the food booth, Patrick worked the concessions, I walked around a track, Mary-Kate is making blankets. She was able to understand those things. But Liberty isn’t a service trip that is just about working. In Liberty, it doesn’t matter if you can’t talk, if you can’t walk perfectly; it doesn’t matter if you don’t have any hands- down there, everyone serves a purpose. Liberty is a place where money isn’t the most important thing in life. Where people can’t wait to help another person out. No human being, no matter how deformed, is seen as a drain on society- but a gift from God. Children aren’t punished for their parents wrongs. Every time I go down to Liberty- my faith is recharged. It’s amazing to see how some people love everyone- even those they don’t know. Jerome’s faith is so strong, he sees even the rocks in a chicken gizzard as proof. That makes me question myself. I struggle with my faith. I don’t understand God- and sometimes I don’t want to. I believe God sent me to Liberty to show me the goodness he can create.
I wish I could say that it was nearly impossible to live without my cell phone for a week. That tiny device is what my world seemed to revolve around. I plan social events, receive calls for my job, and connect with my friends with it. When I lose my cell phone at home- sometimes it feels like the most important part of my life is gone. But if I’m being honest- I couldn’t wait to give up my cell phone. My phone has become such an important part of my life, when it shouldn’t be. It’s refreshing to come home to friends- where they actually haven’t told me a story. In Liberty I remember- electronics, my future, and all those things that I’ve been told is the most important things in life- are not the most important things. Relationships- the people you are around, the second families you build- THAT is what is most important. Liberty is really a reality check for how I should be living my life.
When people ask me about what I did in Liberty, I can’t just say, “I worked on an organic farm.” Although that is what I did, it gives absolutely no credit to everything that is Casey County. I end up telling everyone about Jerry and Sandy Tucker, my best friend down there- Effie, the Angel House, the Blessing House, the Mennonites, the Lange’s, the Reusser’s, and the list goes on. Although I’ve come to appreciate farmers and all they do- that isn’t the most important thing on this trip. To me, the work I do down there isn’t for my own satisfaction, it’s to realize what type of person I want to be. I want to be like “The Liberty People” as we call them. I want to see people the way they do. Personality is what they see, and they don’t judge- ever. In Liberty, prejudice is a curse word, loving is a law.
Carolyn Schwarz (2013)
Whenever I am asked to explain to someone what the Liberty trip is like or what we do while we are there I have a hard time figuring out how to express my opinions and feelings. Just explaining the trip by saying you participate in a service trip and help people on their farms does not give the impression that you want to give based on the experience. People think “Oh cool you help people farm, that sounds really hard and not fun.” The Liberty trip is so much more than helping people on their farms - it is a whole experience. Every trip gives you different experiences than the last trip and provides you with new lessons and people to meet. There is an atmosphere that makes you want to keep coming back.
Many people don’t really understand a simpler lifestyle like the people in Liberty have and they aren’t interested in discovering what this lifestyle is all about. The simpler life style while in Liberty has helped me to get more in tune with the environment and helped me make new friends while there. At first I thought that giving up technology for a week would be really difficult, but once I got there and was enjoying the simpler lifestyle I totally forgot about technology. Going without technology for a few days has helped me to take the time to reflect on my life, who I am as a person, and what type of relationships I have with God and others.
The Liberty trip is such a wonderful experience that thoroughly enjoyed by many participants who can’t wait for the next trip. I personally love the atmosphere that is Liberty and graciousness and hospitality that everyone there shares with us and any one that comes to Liberty. The people there have really taught me to be more helpful and to lend a hand without thinking about what you are doing. This experience has really humbled me through the fact that sometimes I don’t always help people without first making judgments about them and I don’t do everything possible to help them, when the people in Liberty help out anyway the can just because. Overall the Liberty trip is a wonderful experience that gives me new points of view and allows me to learn and grow as a person through the actions and leadership of many people in Liberty.
Laura Hendrixson (2012)
A pink strand of yarn, a woven band, a tattered string with four worn beads, and a leather cord which bears the letters:
L-I-B-E-R-T-Y. At any given time, these are the items that can be found about my wrist. Each holds its own stories and sentimental value, yet the latter two carry the most weight. The summer of 2010, exactly one year ago, a new piece of string with five, small colored beads started the collection. As it hung there circling my wrist it signified so much more than the five senses for which the shining beads stood. That now discolored string holds fast memories and relationships that will not soon be broken. Though literally only four of five beads have survived the test of time, their lessons will endure.
The leather cord is clean, the letters still gleam white:
Lend a Hand • Inspiration • Beauty • Energy • Rest • Trust in God • Y?
The meanings are spelled out so clearly, yet each person perceives and remembers the days, the people, the work, Liberty, in a different way. This is the beauty of the experience, it is never the same. Though the reason for going remains, the people, seasons, crops, and work are ever changing.
Liberty: a word, a sought after state of freedom, a place, a town, a home, and a retreat. However when focusing upon the last four, one’s definition becomes blurred with those around it, until one retreats to the town of Liberty, because it is home.
Maria Mattei (2012)
Liberty for me is always a life changing experience. It may sound cliché but there’s much truth in it. I feel as if each time I go down there and live a simple life, I gain a better understanding of myself as a person and also for the world around me. I begin to value fresh crops more, I learn what real manual labor is, and I understand and experience firsthand what true friendship is. The relationships I build and continually strengthen in Liberty with my friends, classmates, and residents of Liberty never seem to end. Everyone is always there for one another no matter what the situation may be.
I also enjoy going down to Liberty because I feel like my relationship with God increases more and more. I gain a better understanding of what He expects of me as a person in regards to helping out one another. I also begin to notice all the beauty around me, whether that beauty comes in a copperhead snake or in a baby watermelon. I appreciate all that God gives to us and begin to not take everything for granted.
I’ve been down to Liberty twice and each time I leave I can’t wait to return for the next trip. The experiences I have there can’t be experienced anywhere else. The people are great, the work is great, and the reward is even greater. That is why I love going down to Liberty, KY and I can’t wait to go down again!
Hayley Hammerly (2012)
The week I spent in Liberty taught me a lot about the people down there, true country life, and also a lot about myself. Most of the people down in Liberty, Kentucky lived a very simple and quaint lifestyle. We stayed in a gym at the Galilean Children's home, which had really opened my eyes to the true beauty down there.
I met some of the most relaxed and comforting people. The people living in the Galilean home truely touched my heart and made me realize that I am such a lucky girl. Also, Every single family I met seemed soooo happy with what they had, which was not much. I never saw anybody complaining or fighting. It taught me to be more helpful to others and not worried about the little things and just enjoy life. Another thing that really caught my eye was that it took so much work to maintain a farm. It would take months and months just for a cucumber to grow.
This was a very eye opening experience for me, and I'm happy that I was a part of such a great group of people. I've learned that every opportunity that I have, I should take it and run with it.
Callie Buck (2013)
My first trip to Liberty, Kentucky was even better than I thought it could be. I knew that I was going to have fun and it was going to be a good trip, but I didn’t know the impact that the people and the experiences would have on me. On the first day of the trip, I didn’t know what to expect. When we arrived at the Lange’s farm and Jerome explained what we would be doing over the next week, I became a little bit nervous. But the next morning when we went out to the fields, I soon realized that there was nothing to be worried about. Just being out in the garden with my classmates and the people from Liberty is very relaxing and let me forget about some of the things that go on back home in Cincinnati.
The most influential aspect of my trip to Liberty was all of the people that I got to meet. Everyone one that I met had different stories of how they came to Liberty and why they chose to live the lifestyle that they do. We met with some people who had lived in Liberty for awhile, but we also met with families who had just moved to Liberty recently, such as the Reussers. I thought that their story was very interesting. They had lived what we would consider a “normal” life in Detroit, but decided to move to Liberty to live a more simple life. We were also able to meet some Mennonite people, and learn more about their way of life.
For me, Liberty is a place to take a break from everything going on at home. It is a place to relax and learn more about yourself. I learned how much effort goes into making the things that I take for granted everyday. Also, it is a place to learn about people who have lives that are very different from ours, and see how they live day to day. I can’t wait until I can go on the next trip to Liberty
Courtney Fasola (2013)
This was my first trip to Liberty, and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I was ready for hard work and being able to come back to Cincinnati saying it was just a service trip. Little did I know, it would turn out to be a lot more than just a service trip.
We worked hard all week, meeting new people and making new memories every single day. As our departure day arrived, I found myself not wanting to leave this simple place. Here, I learned how to appreciate all the little things in life. I knew as soon as I got back home, I would be thrown back into the rush of things once again, hardly having time to simply enjoy life. Although I had a lot of fun while in Liberty, I didn’t realize the effect it had on me until I arrived home.
I felt the urge to wave to everybody who drove past, then realized people would think I was crazy… Everything was a lot louder than I remembered…. My family was running here there and everywhere; I was lucky if I got one sentence in before someone would have to leave again…. It was just different. I only fully understood the difference between living in Cincinnati versus living in Liberty when I had left Liberty. If somebody I had just met asked me to come in their house for lunch here, I would say “No, thank you” out of instinct, but in Liberty, I wouldn’t even hesitate to walk inside. Everybody was so friendly and welcoming. The people of Liberty are role models for so many and they taught me so much without even knowing it. I now find myself thinking more about how I can help others and how I can appreciate the tiny things in life.
Spring 2011
Lauren Lange (2013)
For some strange reason,
my excitement builds as I count down the days
I go back to simplicity
It’s a place where I have inner peace.
A place away from the worries and stress.
The gossip and pressure.
The rush of life.
We usually think that’s how
life is supposed to be.
Living in the fast lane.
An endless to-do list.
However,
this small town
has proved us
wrong.
What’s the point in life,
if you can’t breath?
If you can’t slow down,
and look around?
It’s not just a place
to escape.
To run away,
from the quick pace.
It’s a place
of love.
Where judgment or hate,
never crosses its boundaries.
Thank you Liberty,
for being the place
where I am never afraid,
to be the real
me.
Rachel Bronner (2014)
This was my first trip down and I absolutely loved it. My sister has come down in the past and always comes home smiling and just really appreciating life. This trip was amazing. I got to know a lot of new people and they are all so nice! They all really care and are so thankful about what we do for them. I was a little nervous at first about coming down to Liberty without my phone attached to me at all times and being on the computer a lot, but it actually made me appreciate everything around me and everything else that I have a lot more.
The first day I went to Pete’s house with 3 other girls. Not only did I learn how amazing Pete’s story was and how great of an artist he is, I got to learn a lot about the girls I was with. I realized that Pete is very thankful. He had a cancer that only 13 other people in the whole world have had, and he is the only one to survive it. When he took us to lunch, he talked about how much he thanked God everyday and the wonders that God does. I remember clearly one thing that he said, “love always lasts, especially God’s love” this touched me because it is true and God’s love does always last.
The second day I went to the Lange’s farm. Just seeing Paula, Jerome and Aaron work together was a sight to see. Many families work together to get things done but not this this family. They taught me how to plant onions, how to make the holes for onions, get onions prepared for being planted and then actually putting the seeds into the soil for more planting. Aaron taught me how to do all of this and he is really quiet, so if I didn’t understand what he wanted me to do I would just ask him and he would tell me a little more specifically. I really enjoyed working with the Lange’s.
All in all, this trip was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to go on another one. I loved being able to listen to people’s stories and how their life is, rather than myself talking about my life. I loved Liberty!!
Megan Cavanaugh (2011)
When I signed up to go to Liberty, Kentucky, I thought it would just be a cool place for me to go, have fun, socialize with my friends, and listen to good music, while helping those less fortunate than me. While this was the case, little did I know that the people I would be helping would have such a tremendous impact on me, teach me so much about the world, and show me the important things in life.
The families I helped weren’t less fortunate than me, they just owned fewer “things.” They personally chose to lead lives of simplicity, away from the distractions of the rest of the world. Most of them were farmers and would work all day, every day, except for Sundays. But in all their hard work, they had the time to contemplate life, God, and happiness, and this is evident in the way they act and treat others.
The people of Liberty have so much love for their families, community, and work that you can’t help but feel at peace. Everyone was genuinely happy and living life to the fullest! This entire experience opened my eyes to the goodness in all people, the need for simplicity, and the affect you can have on the lives’ of others.
Emily Baur (2014)
I finally understand the joy of a dog sticking its head out of the car door window. The clean, fresh air sends your hair flying in all different hilarious directions, and you feel like you could just fall into the sharp-green hills and towering trees that grasp tiny pale buds of life. You’re stuck in the moment – you don’t want the car to stop. You want to enjoy it all while it lasts, however short that may be.
Driving back from the Ruessers, I felt so free, but had a lot to think about. You see, the Ruessers have nine children. They used to live in an upscale house in Detroit, with everything they ever “needed.” But the Ruessers were smart enough to know that money and a “good life” wasn’t what they really needed. So they moved down to Liberty, Kentucky to let their kids have an escape from our truly awful materialistic society. They put most of their money towards growing their half a million watermelons, and live in a very modest home. I myself wonder how they survive with nine kids in there. The kids are homeschooled, whereas they probably could have gone to some fancy private school in Detroit. Obviously there’s something the Ruessers find more important even than our idea of a “good education.”
Our whole lives we’re told to get good grades, so we can get into a good college, so we can get a good job. But what is a “good job?” In this society, it means a job that brings in lots of Benjamins. I always thought of myself as someone who never oriented their life around money, but in a way, I do. With my overachieving workaholism, I tell myself the goal in life is money. But anyone wise enough could say that is totally wrong, and that the goal in life should be the relationships and affect you have on others and their lives.
The whole trip, I couldn’t help noticing how many people in Liberty gave their LIVES to others. Even those who weren’t working at the Galilean Home or Angel House affected others, especially strangers like us, with their smiling faces and helpful attitudes. As Mr. Gray pointed out, it’s awfully different from a city like New York, where “you can get arrested for saying hi to some stranger!”
The biggest thing I’ve learned from Liberty is not to obsess. You can put lots of effort into something and care about it, but don’t obsess. Don’t obsess over school, don’t obsess over sports, don’t obsess over how others see you, don’t obsess over money, don’t obsess over what might happen to lose you love. Instead, obsess over Jesus.
Fall 2010
Claire Husting (2014)
Lanky wheat bows to the wind,
Cows with marble eyes sit munching on grass,
Trite shops burst with homemade candies.
Dirt coats trucks the way
Icing covers a cake.
Wet, crinkled clothes dangle limply from a clothes line, swaying
Softly
In the wind.
Within the quaint churches, attendants raise their hands to the sky
And cry
‘Amen! Praise the Lord!’ In the middle of a homily.
Vibrant green sprouts poke out of the
Rich, chocolate, cultivated soil.
A little fluff ball of a kitten curls up in the lap of fondling, cooing girls.
Hands are tough-like-leather, worn from the toils of that day.
When the sun sets,
The magnificent beast dips below layers of fading hill tops.
Then,
At night,
Stars are sprinkled across the sky like freckles scattered across a face.
The end to a flaw-filled, yet perfect, day.
This is a place of bonnets, suspenders,
aprons, and long wool socks.
The line between “friend” and “family” is blurred.
Clopping horse-drawn carriages are as common
As polluting cars.
An absence of wifi is filled with the presence of
sanity.
Contentment takes the place of ipods. Wealth is measured by
Time spent with family and friends.
Down here, hearts are warmer than the Amazon, and time is venial.
Down here, life is
Simple
Patient
Kind
Brilliant.
Caroline Walsh (2013)
In Liberty, we went star gazing. That night, the stars were definitely a sight worth seeing. There were millions of them---all spread out before us. One question we could not keep from asking, however, was why there weren’t that many stars in Cincinnati. Well, technically, there are that many stars in Cincinnati. We just can’t see that many. Why? Well, the lights from the city block them out. I could not believe how great the truth was in that. Even though I am blessed to live in the city of Cincinnati, the city itself brings so many unnecessary distractions to my life that keep me from seeing the true purpose of it all. After visiting Liberty, I feel so blessed that God gave me the opportunity to learn how simple life could truly be.
While in Liberty, it was pretty warm for the end of October. Mr. Forman would say that the reason Liberty is so warm is because we’re so much closer to the equator than Cincinnati. Well, for me, life in Liberty is so much more enjoyable because we’re so much closer to God. In Liberty, you’re free from those everyday stressors and distractions, leaving you less things to worry about and more things to thank God for. While working in the fields at the Langes’ and the Risers’, I was able to really just realize how much God had blessed me. He had definitely blessed me with the opportunity to serve and meet such wonderful people. Without all of the distractions of city life, I was able to be so much more in focus of what’s really important in life and just live each day to its full potential.
In Liberty, I was able to see life without all of the “city lights” getting in the way. I loved being able to just live life simply and happily----the way I think God wants us all to live. Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Therefore, I want to continue to remind myself of the lessons I learned down in the small town of Liberty. I never want to forget what I learned about living life the way God wants it to be lived. I am so thankful that God did give me the chance to meet the people I met and experience the things I experienced down in Liberty because I now have a greater understanding of Him and His purpose.
Summer 2010
Katelyn Sussli (2012)
When thinking of the word simplicity, I personally think of taking things away, picking and choosing between items that are absolute necessities and then things that are really wanted and making cuts whether its cost, number or quality. But never did I think of anyone choosing by their own free will to want to have simplicity. In this twenty first century, a century containing people consumed with the latest innovations, fashions and quick fixes to success, the significance of life is lost. People plan their lives; they go to grade school to get to high school, high school to get into college, college to get a successful and beneficial job and job to retire. But what about all those moments in between, all the little things; the people you encounter, the accomplishments you obtained and failures you learned from, the support from family, friends and neighbors, the experiences that shape your life or the morals the shaped your being. Compare the two lists; money vs. failures learned from, a new car vs. family support, designer hang bags vs. a best friend, material awards and praise vs. extra minutes with a loved one. What has the world become? Why am I living like this? This is the wrong way to live. These are a few statements that came across my mind upon my return from Liberty, Kentucky.
Service trips are completed daily across the world, in different countries, different states and different cities. When packing for my trip to Liberty, I was skeptical about what was in store for me over the next week. Garlic harvesting season, weeding, sleeping on a gym floor, hot HOT weather… that sounds like an ideal week! But hey colleges like service trips, and to be honest that was the only reason I was attending this Liberty trip was for college and to get some service. But although it was only seven days, I can say that I will never attend Liberty because it looks good on an application, it will be because I miss the relationships I have built with different people at the Blessing Home, Lange’s, Reusser’s, NAPA, Galilean Home and Dunlap’s and also for the lessons that they have all taught me. While down there someone told me that no matter where you go to help people or do service and also no matter how much time you spend or work you put in, the people you work with will always give you something more. This statement could not fit a description for Liberty better.
While in Liberty, I worked with the Lange’s, Pete, Reusser’s and NAPA and was so lucky to experience different people, listen to different experiences, and learn from so many wise and happy people. For the Lange’s, Pete and Reusser’s, their life was simple, but the work was hard, but never once did I hear any of them complain about the weather, the crop or their conditions; in fact I honestly believe that they truly understand what life is about and truly appreciate all their blessings. While performing different tasks like weeding, cutting down a bush that we agreed was a tree, or staking acres of peppers the work no matter how laborious or how demanding never seemed bad and at times was quite enjoyable. It was made this way by a few things; the hospitality of the families, multiple sets of hands and water breaks, but mainly by the conversation and the skills we “suburban” girls were reminded of such as listening without anticipating a text message, savoring a moment, seeing things beyond its surface description, working together, smelling the beauty of nature, of life and feeling the love and support that each family had not only for their own family but their neighbors and even us strangers. The simple events of having lunch together, a volleyball game, cards or a cookout seem do dull in my home while in Liberty they are more fun than seeing a midnight movie premiere or throwing a party. It was the simple things that left the memories.
After the drive back home and unpacking all the garlic scented clothes, I couldn’t help but to reminisce on each day, each moment, each stake drilled into ground, each new friend I had met, each story I had listened to, each song I heard played, each dog I had seen at Pete’s, each auto part that was cleaned, each piece of wood assembled into the shed, each laugh, each smile, each hug. The people in Liberty, Kentucky although they seem to be behind in the latest innovations are actually ahead of our materialistic twenty first century society because they choose to live simply. Each person has free will meaning that each person makes the choice to turn on the TV, to constantly have their phone with them, to skip family time to finish work, to yell and scream at loved ones because of stress, to make their life complicated. We choose to not live simply. Through my Liberty experience I have learned that although it seems harder to live a life without television, devoted to God, and have limited distractions, it is the best life and the least complicated of any life we have in Cincinnati. The simple times are what we will remember and when we die one day we won’t remember the car we drove in high school, the extra hours put into a job or the number of digits in a salary. Instead the family, friends, lessons, and stories we heard and learned from will reflect who we truly are.
In the words of Confucius, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”