This past weekend, I had the opportunity to see a friend I hadn't since going on a service trip together to Ghana, Africa. We talked about our trip and where everyone was today, but the most important thing I took from our conversation was how easy it was to forget what we learned in those three weeks. Two years have passed, and some of lessons I took with me have faded, but what I realized was that the most important ones have remained with me.
1. We live a very fortunate life.
When I went to Africa, I experienced immense poverty in the form of children walking to school barefoot in torn uniforms. I walked into a school classroom to find no electricity—the only light coming in from the windows—wooden boards used as desks scattered on the floor and a dusty chalkboard that hung halfway off the wall. We don't realize how lucky we are until we experience those who are not.
2. Education is the key to fighting poverty.
My first day teaching in a classroom was the beginning of my appreciation for education.The kids I worked with had only one thing to come to school for: the opportunity to learn.
3. The only people who will understand what you went through, are the people who went with you.
I struggled for a long time when I came home because I felt like no one understood what I saw or what I went through, and it's true. Not many people have the opportunity to visit a third world country, but it is your job to help them understand privilege and the world around them.
4. Every person deserves to be treated as such.
Human beings are human beings, and I know if everyone in the world saw people for what they are, we would not be subjected to racism, sexism or any sort of prejudice, but rather have something different—an appreciation. An appreciation for each other, as individuals, as humans, as equals.
5. Never think one person can't make a difference.
It's been two years since my trip, and the emotions have subsided and I don't feel like crying every time I think of my tiny classroom or the students I left behind, but I have my moments. Moments where I close my eyes and see the face of a child who finally got the right answer. Moments where I think of the people I met and wonder what lives they are leading. Moments that remind me of how fortunate I am for the education I receive. And when I am reminded of those moments, I remember why I am here, to make a difference, and my trip was just the beginning.
By the end of my trip, I became aware of the most important lesson I had yet to grasp: whether or not I made an impact on my kids. They made a lasting impact on me as person, on how I saw the world. Living in the United States, we live a very sheltered life, and I'm fortunate I got to experience tearing down that shelter. I'm grateful for those reminders of why service matters and I'm hopeful I will continue to carry these lessons with me throughout my life.
