By Jenny King

originally posted August 4, 2009

Before I came to CAP, I would have described myself as flexible, particularly in adjusting to unplanned events in the workplace. However, it didn't take long for me to be taught many new lessons about flexibility and transitions in my year as a volunteer with CAP. And as difficult a lesson as it is, it's become one of the things I appreciate most about CAP. I appreciate that CAP offers so many opportunities to volunteers who are interested in serving.....whether for a few weeks or up to two years. I appreciate that volunteers can choose to serve in a placement that best fits them. Over the year, I was able to volunteer in the school simply because it was across the street and I missed being in an educational setting....my manager was willing to allow me to spend time tutoring. Other long-term volunteers in my house were able to work through transitions by serving in multiple programs and every manager I have encountered has always been happy to have more help!

That all to say that transitioning and starting new projects is never easy. It's hard to have new people at dinner every night when all you want to do is have some alone time. It's difficult to adjust to new people--some who you immediately connect with and others that you have to search for common ground. Yet learning to appreciate the talents and personalities of short- and long-term volunteers is a skill that will help me for the rest of my life. It's hard to learn to work with new people and train new people. It's even more difficult to say good-bye to friends who I have lived and served with for over 9 months--who have been alongside me in new discoveries about ourselves and the unfamiliar culture we live in and who have shared dinner with me at least once almost every day. But learning to transition and remain flexible are such valuable lessons. It's especially hard at this time of the year when new volunteers are coming in and "old" volunteers are trying to soak up their last days in Kentucky and with CAP. Yet through it all, I'm thankful that God is taking this opportunity to shape me....and teach me these lessons...again.

Jenny King is a long-term volunteer in CAP's Family Advocacy program. SHe lives in Rockcastle Volunteer House.