July 7, 2008. Atlanta, Georgia. The Regnum Christi coworker program is a year of self-giving and tremendous growth for the young men and young women who decide to take the plunge. In the following interview, Colleen Dittmeier shares her thoughts about her recent decision to give a year.

Why did you decide to be a coworker? 

I never really gave coworking a thought till the summer before my senior year. I was on a young women´s Regnum Christi convention and it was the last hour of our silent retreat. I had never really understood conversational prayer with God; for me, it was all just a monologue. His way of responding to me was usually through other people telling me things, and me taking it as a sign.

So there I was doing the same thing, asking him questions about what I should do when I go to college, what should I study… and then all of a sudden, clear as day and out of nowhere, I heard God say, “Colleen, open your heart and then we´ll talk.”

That caught me off guard because I realized not only was it true, but that God had just talked to me! Then a past coworker came over and talked about her year, saying, “My coworker year helped me to open my heart.”

Right then and there I knew what I was doing after my senior year.

What one word would you use to describe the coworkers you have known? 

I grew up going to Pinecrest Academy and was always around coworkers. One thing that always struck me was their joy. They would come over for dinner and the whole house would fill up with laughter.

I wanted the joy and maturity that I saw in them.

How do you think your coworker year will change you?

I know this year will be tough and that’s good because it will allow me grow in ways that I never thought possible. What will really measure the success of my co-worker year will be whether I have been able to open my heart completely to say “yes” to whatever Christ asks of me and to allow him to be the first person who occupies my heart.

What do you think will be the hardest part of being a coworker? 

I think the toughest part of this year will be, of course, leaving my family and friends for a year, but also having every moment scheduled and not being able to go hop in the car and get a burger if I feel like it or sit at home in my pajamas, watching chick-flicks all day.

But I know that I need this year to become anchored in my faith and realize that I´m not just here to do whatever floats my boat, but to do what Christ calls me to do.

Where would you like to be sent and why?  What kind of work would you like to do?

I actually don´t have a preference of where I want to be sent. It would amazing to go international, but I´m pretty much open to anywhere. I would love to work with Pure Fashion because I´ve been with it for seven years, since it started.

What would you like your legacy to be at the end of your coworker year?

The legacy that I would want to leave at the end of my coworker year is one of enthusiasm for loving Christ. I also hope to spark a desire in other hearts to want to give a year.

I´m so excited about my year and I know it´s because the coworkers in Atlanta have put enthusiasm into my heart— I want to pass it on.