Alabama Service Trip
The service trip to Alabama was
definitely eye-opening. I remember listening to one of the leaders say “you may
not be able to see the work you’re doing but what the thirty of us can complete
in a week is astronomical!” And now that I look back, we really did some
amazing things down in Mobile.
Yes, there were times when I felt that all I
was good at for was painting because of my sprained wrist, until the last
day when the team and I magically turned a huge lot full of dirt and puddles
into a large community garden. I’ll be honest, just the weather alone that day
made me doubt that real progress could be made, but as I looked around I seemed
to be the only one worried that the rain would destroy everything we’d put
together. I definitely got over all the doubting when I heard of a young man
still in high school but definitely missing class to help us help him and put
this community garden together. From then on, then pain in my wrist was
surpassed by my desire to help this young man and others like him in the
neighborhood.
I was delighted to build flower beds, fill them with dirt and
mulch, step in mud puddles, dirty my new shoes, and learn; at the end
of the day, it was worth it. As I used a mallet to dig the stakes into the
clay-colored ground, I began to smile; I could do more than paint. For four
days, I smelled of paint. For any project that involved paint, I was there to
volunteer my time, but that Friday something said, “Do something else, something
new.. you’re in Alabama woman!”
I had a blast yelling “STAKES?” and “does
anyone know where the caps are?” I gained personal strength and courage that
day! Eight hours later the team and I stepped back to admire our work and what
we had done was remarkable: eight rows of double-stacked flower beds, all filled
with dirt and mulch, all containing freshly planted fruits and veggies, watered
so that in a couple of months neighbors from around will be able to pick fresh
produce! And I helped make that happen, sprained wrist and all.
Encouraging and Supporting Kids
Being a first year and not really having much experience in
the Minneapolis community kind of put be on the wrong foot when joining my
first placement through the Bonner program. Sometimes a visit on a quiet
day isn’t always the best way to feel out your placement because my experiences
within the first weeks really began to challenge me an individual and the
program as well. These kids were struggling with basic social skills that you
are usually supposed to pick up from home and it made me extremely angry that
the school system in this area was purposely trying to fail these kids. It
wasn’t creating an environment where kids were learning to become confident in
their academics and also their personal relationships.These kids deserved more and at the moment of test and trial, I felt it was my duty to create that positive environment and to be that mentor for them. I wanted to make sure that these kids knew their own potential and that they always remembered that they could come to me for anything and I would try my hardest to help them, whether that meant I had to teach myself a new way of doing math or learn a new style of communication that involved me closing my mouth and letting them talk about whatever they needed to.
I was raised in a pretty unhealthy and abusive household and I remember that experience making me stronger as an individual and also becoming a part of my character, someone who was more humble and understanding. So, to be in an environment where kids are probably having it much worse than I ever did motivates me to seek out ways that my placement and I can help encourage these kids that they are safe there with us!
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