Living on the Road

Reading week is among university students all across Canada and many of them, oddly enough, don't read. If you talk to my friends, they plan on going home, relaxing, are travelling or, in my case, road tripping down to Mississippi to volunteer with Mennonite Disaster Service.

At our first meeting as travelling group, students of Conrad Grebel University College went around and shared reasons for why they wanted to go on this trip. Answers ranged from having heard about a successful and fun trip two years ago, to glorify God or to really just having nothing else to do. I am fortunate enough to have taken part in the previous trip to Diamond, Louisiana and decided to go on the trip to Mississippi as well. But why did I choose to come? Ultimately, my reasoning was to have a good time and to connect with other Grebelites. Having taken part in the trip two years ago, I was mentally prepared for the trip down and I had thought it would be very much the same -- I was not expecting to learn much.

Since the start of our two and a half day trip this past Friday, February 18th, I had been struck by the capacity for human compassion and the power of gratitude.

Being in a car with the same people for 12 hours a day is not easy. It forces you to get along with one another. You start to notice the little quirks of one another and sometimes, you need your own space. Schedules are mixed up and you must eat on the schedule of the group: you lose autonomy of your life. Yet despite all these minor setbacks, there is a bit of magic in all of this. You really get to know your peers beyond the superficial. You learn a bit about yourself and how you react under stress and to an extent you learn about how others change in situations of stress. However, what is most touching for me is that 43 different individuals chose to spend their reading week to serve others. They chose not to go to a resort but instead they chose to spend their time to help rebuild a stranger’s home.

Two events stand out in my mind thus far. First is our attendance of a local church in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a group of close to 40 individuals, the church could have easily denied us entry into the church. However, they welcomed with open arms, introduced us and wanted to hear our stories. In fact, one woman gave all of us candy! The energy from the congregation was uplifting and its members went out of their way to shake our hands and greet us. Although we did not know these individuals, their capacity to welcome us into their community showed me first-hand how I want to life my life. The simple act of greeting others openly and lovingly is so powerful. To recognize and appreciate others is a gift, and although it is sometimes difficult to do, ought to be lived out more frequently.

Secondly, as I wrap up my first day here at Pass Christian, Mississippi, I appreciate more the power of compassion and its effects. I will only be here for 5 days but there are long-term volunteers that have served for months at a time over the last 4-5 years. Their desire to serve without compensation is remarkable. Throughout my day of scraping and painting, the future homeowner of the house passed by to greet us not once but three times. Each time, he greeted us with gratitude for the work that we are doing. He came to chat with us and told us the story of how he lost his past two houses since Katrina. But despite all the tragedy in his life, I could see the hope in his eyes. His thankful attitude towards all the volunteers truly reminded me of the impact little actions can have.

Often, when we think about “doing good”, we think about saving the world and changing it. This experience has really brought me back down to earth and reminded me that it is not necessarily the “big” actions that matter. Simple everyday interactions can have a lasting effect on the attitudes of others. The painting of a house is simple labour yet it serves as the backdrop for someone’s home. It is important, then, to not forget about the small things in life and to live out a life of positivity every day.

To be honest, I was hesitant about the work I would be doing in the Dominican Republic this summer. The Esperanza Project is a noble cause yet I kept thinking of it as summer camp. To me, its work could be done almost everywhere and to have two others with me at the placement seemed to make the placement even less special. However, the last three days has reminded me that it is not the big things in life that make the most impact. This lesson, for me, is important to me and encourages me to own my experience in the Dominican and change lives through inspiration. I, now, absolutely cannot wait to meet the children, the volunteers and my host family in the Dominican!

Check back soon for pictures from my trip to Pass Christian, Mississippi!
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