Nick Kirkpatrick is a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in mathematics at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He volunteered at the Flint Summer Mission this past summer.

INSPIRATION

I’ve been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by people who have shown me many of the ways it means to live a Catholic life. Sister Rachel Benjamin has certainly shown me what it means to live a Catholic life passionately. I’ve been inspired by the devotion she has to loving the children of Flint and providing them with whatever resources she can. She has shown me how we can live out our faith and share Jesus’ love with those around us.

IMPACT

Volunteering with the Flint Mission these past few summers has certainly had a notable impact on my faith. The more I learned about the obstacles that many of these children and families overcome every day, the more I realized how fortunate I was to have had the opportunities that I did, even for things as simple as spending my summers playing at the neighborhood creek or just being a worry-free kid. It’s so clear that the community at the heart of the mission is ripe with love for each other and love for the Lord.