This reflection was originally published in the Summer 2022 edition of The Companion.

“I would like to take a gap year,” were words that frankly raised a small amount of concern for my wife and me as we wondered how this would impact our son’s ability to get into medical school, given he had worked so hard through his four years of college at Notre Dame. But when Christian sat down with us and passionately explained the service opportunity at Bon Secours Volunteer Ministry, and the work he would be doing to both immerse himself within and serve the Baltimore Community, we quickly came to realize this was exactly what he needed to do. There are certain things you can’t learn from a book, a lecture, or a lab, but you must experience in life, and within the BVSM program, Christian was given the unique opportunity to live daily within the intersection of his faith, his pursuit of medicine, and his desire to serve those in need.

The house that he stayed in was sparse and situated well within the community he served, and within five minutes of meeting the housemates he would be sharing it with, we knew he had found himself a home. He told us many stories of how they shopped, prayed, and lived simply as a family, and he developed deep friendships that he will carry with him for life. And yes, he even learned how to cook dinner for a family of five! He discussed with us the opportunities he had to have lunch and spend time with the CEO of the local hospital he worked within, knowing how rare that level of access truly was, while also being equally moved and humbled by spending time on the hospital floor speaking to and comforting patients who often had no one else in their lives to speak with during their difficult ordeal.

Through his time with BVSM, Christian learned not only what it means to be in service with the community but more importantly, why his service is so desperately needed. After being tired and slightly worn out by college, we saw him become fully re-energized and excited to move onto his next chapter of his education. Upon completion of his time with BVSM, Christian was accepted into the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of

Pennsylvania, where he is now just finishing his third year. I know how much he cherished his time with BVSM, the memories he made, and the friendships that he gained, and that he’ll take that experience with him through the rest of his life.

– Michael & Kathy Wood | Reflection on son’s BSVM year (Christian Wood, BSVM 2018-2019)