So, despite the flees and many GI issues, I could not resist. The people were so amazing. I had only known people who had so much, everything in fact, and never seen such a generosity that I saw from these people who in my mind had "nothing". What I realized was that they did have something, they needed more, but they had something alright. They had love, family, friends, a sense of community, heart, and determination, passion, dedication, and a generosity and tenacity that was unmatchable. Don't get me wrong, this community still needs a lot of help, which is why Amigos was there in the first place, but boy was I ever so wrong to think that they had "nothing". That was my "snuburbian" upbringing getting the best of me. I was thinking things, partly because we had so many (shout out to my mom who is a dedicated Christmas Tree Shoppe lover) but also because our society in the states seemed to focus on the tangible.
I had an amazing summer. I lived, loved, suffered, formed friendships and opinions/ideas that will last forever. But, that just wet my appetite, like a good appetizer does. So, my journey continued. The moment I got home I re-enrolled with Amigos and decided to head to the Dominican Republic the following summer for eight more weeks.
Boy was every box of fruit sold worth the trouble!
Pretty amazing that it had impacted you so much that you signed up again. It sounds like the service learning truly goes both ways. It is great that you are sharing these stories and someone may find some inspiration to become a part of a program like Amigos. Keep the posts coming.
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ReplyDeleteIts so amazing to see things like that! I think in our culture we get material possessions all tangled up with family, friends, and love and that we become fearful if we lose the former, we won't have the latter. If we invest with our whole hearts in our family and friends we'll have something material possessions can't touch. Thanks for the reminder!
Amy! Service truly changes who we are! You had such a shift in your thinking that it almost became as tangible as the material items you referred to. I have 2 Hispanics in my classroom, they are highly motivated students. The growth they have made is astounding! I attribute this in large to their family life, filled with love, family, friends, a sense of community and a good work ethic:) they have so much because of this...
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