Nicole’s Story
Nicole had always wanted to work with kids living in financial and emotional poverty. Since she was in high school, she dreamed of working in a Title One School, especially because she valued how building relationships can turn someone's life around. During her freshman year at Franciscan University, she heard about Vagabond Missions. “This is the perfect resume booster,” she’d thought, since the demographic Vagabond serves is the same as she wanted to teach. Nicole ended up volunteering at the Steubenville site all four years of college. As her time at the university came to a close, Nicole realized these relationships had become more complete and friendship-based than she would have formed in a school. As a plus, she was able to evangelize and share her Catholic faith. In 2022, she put her teaching dream on hold and officially switched from volunteer to full-time missionary.
During her time in Steubenville, Nicole has watched God show up in the most unsuspecting places and people. She’d meet many closed-off young people, who were angry at the world and not interested in talking. After one heart-to-heart conversation, Nicole saw their demeanor do a complete 180, like uttering a nugget of wisdom or showing uncharacteristic kindness. One young person, who had to take a break from the youth center because she was fighting all the time, unloaded on Nicole in the van about life as she dropped her off last. That simple moment changed everything. Through these interactions with difficult and easygoing people alike, Nicole grew in relationship with God, reminding herself that we are all His equal children.
“Hey I’m going to adoration, why don’t you all come with me?” is Nicole’s way of evangelizing through shared activities. She is close with some older girls who are teen moms: picking them up from school, seeing all three babies on a regular basis, and babysitting their kids. Through these invites, she is able to grow the web of people that encounter Christ.
In addition to the invites, she encourages prayer during tense situations. When a young person is angry, freaking out, or complaining (especially in the van), they are met with a: “Let’s pray about it. I see you are frustrated, but let’s give it to God,” from Nicole. Although not always welcomed, the young people never really say no because they know being brought closer to God is Nicole’s goal.
Living in the midst of missionaries, young people, and their families has been one of Nicole’s greatest joys. Whether it is a young person stopping by to hang out on the porch, encountering a group playing basketball in the street, walking to the gas station to get soda, or attending orchestra concerts and football games, the organic, familial feel is unmatched. And the community keeps growing!
Nicole states that this mission is not just a job: it is a way of life. She is not just a mentor who clocks in and out; the young people are a part of her life. They are what gets her out of bed in the morning, and they have such love and respect for those around them as they strive to grow in their relationship with God. Her teaching dream? Exceeded.
