This is to those who commented on my last post and thought that I should include something about my achievement of going to Africa. About a couple of years ago I was able to go to Zambia with my aunt Teresa to visit my aunt Lynn who lives there.
The first couple of weeks I spent at the village my aunt lives in: Mukingi. There, I did random acts of volunteering at the hospital or schools. Some of these things included organizing the surgery supply room, handing out some of our old stuffed animals to the kids in the children ward at the hospital, and finding workers to help build an orphanage.
The story I want to tell you about though, is the one where my aunt Teresa and I went to a school. So one day we got out of bed early and went to a nearby elementary school. While we were there all school day (7am-1pm) we did various activities that was part of the everyday routine. They had lecture time, reading time, resses, and a lot of work in educational work packets about reading, math, grammar, and other things. While they had work time this one girl became very fond of me and my help. She would come to me for all of her questions in the work packets that she may have, she would tell me what was happening next, she would hold my hand when we went outside to play, and much more. It just made me feel good about myself that I was able to teach her something, but at the same time make her day as well and that she was able to help me along. To teach me something: How it all works in this part of the world. I had an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and selflessness. I was surprised at how easy it is to help people who are really in need of it. Even if it is just holding a hand to lead the way out through a door. It was one of the most enjoyable things that I had done throughout the whole trip, as simple as it was.
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6 comments:
I really like the idea of every little thing we do making a difference. It can be really stressful to take on huge volunteer projects, but doing lots of little things does make a difference in the end. yea for helping kids in Africa :)
This is such a great story! Going to Africa must have been absalutely amazing! Most people would have focused on the larger aspects of the trip, but I really liked how you focused on that one simple thing. It really goes to show that it's the simple things in life that give us the most joy. I'm glad you were able to have fun and help people out!
Wow-- cool experience, Nicole! It sounds like it was rewarding on many levels.
This is nice, hopeful story is a nice change from all the doom and gloom ("A Clean, Well Lighted Place," "Bartleby," "The Metamorphosis," etc.) we've been reading as class!
Nicole-
That is a really inspiring blog! I am so jealous that you were able to go to Africa and have that amazing experiance. I think that it is so cool that you had the chance to volunteer at all those different places and you got to see how their country works. I also think that it is amazing that your one aunt lives there. I could never imagine living any where but the US. Expecially Africa!! Well I hope that you had fun there and I am glad that you had some unforgetting experiences there(like helping that little girl)!!
Nice Blogging Nicole!! I would love to hear more about your trip to Africa sometime!!
-Rachel :)
Yay!! :D
I'm happy I got to hear more in-depth about your trip to Africa; it was really neat hearing about how that one little girl grew so fond of you while you were there.
I remember when I got to come over to see some of your pictures at Marisa's house, and I'm fairly sure I wouldn't be able to handle living conditions with such big bugs (Spiders in particular @.@).
Your experience sounds very inspiring. It's very nice you helped that little girl out. You've probably inspired her as well. Volunteering and helping people is so rewarding.
Cool story!
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