My Service Experience

      Over the past two days, we have been serving at Gordon's Early Childhood Institution. And to be honest, it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. From the moment that we pulled our van into the property, the children's faces lit up and they were all getting excited and cheering, which was amazing! However, once we got there, we immediately had to set up and go to work.

      The result of our work was a new wall being put up. And as simple or difficult as this may sound, to whoever is reading this, it was much more challenging than I had expected. Yet through this challenge, all of us came together as a team and were able to complete this task in TWO days. As we left, I found it profoundly rewarding how this wall will be able last for years and hopefully decades, and that I was able to be a part of that. This is why service is so amazing. It's because what may seem like a menial task or just a small, modest project could give so much to others in ways unexpected.

      But honestly, what is service? Is it just helping someone when they want your help? Or is it just naturally having the drive to help someone knowing that it is going to benefit both them and yourself positively? Personally, I believe it is the second option. I went into this experience thinking to talk to the children that I would be helping by putting up this wall. And I did this because I think that it is important to make a connection with those who you are serving, and because it makes all of the work more meaningful, knowing that it is going to help someone you know/care about. 

      So initially, when I went into the school to meet the children, I put up my hand for high-fives just to be welcoming and friendly. But the response I got from them was incredible! The amount of excitement that they got would have made someone think I'd given them a million dollars. And the fact that I was able to make them happy, even for just those few seconds, made my experience all the more meaningful. Overall, so far, my service experience has been amazing and I am glad and grateful that I have been able to participate with something so great.