Meaningful Service

I spent the first week of 2017 in the mountains of northern Haiti. I could take the next twenty pages just detailing the events of each day, but instead I want to share some interesting lessons I learned over the course of the trip.

Lesson One: A smile and a wave can break through any language barrier.

On the four hour drive from Port-au-Prince to the the university where we would be staying and working, I rode in the back of a van. Although this spot made the banging and bouncing of the trip a little more extreme, it gave me a unique vantage point on the trek. I can distinctly remember looking out the back window amazed at the beauty of the mountains and the contrast of the abject poverty butting up to the road’s edge. Along the side of the road were two little boys, probably about five and three years old, sitting on a big rock used to keep vehicles from driving off the road and rolling down the side of the mountain. As we drove by, I made eye contact with them. I don’t know why, but I continued to stare as we got farther and farther apart. As the van drove on, I raised my arm and waved at them. When they waved back it brought a huge smile to my face, and as my smile grew bigger, the two boys smiled back and waved even harder. Even though I had no idea who these two boys were, couldn’t say anything to them, and will never see them again, we connected, not through speech, but by a simple smile and a wave. It makes for a nice feel good story, but more importantly, it made three people’s day better.

Lesson Two: You may never know what your actions mean to the people around you.

I have to preface this by asking you to imagine what it looks like in a high school ag class or a science lab when you are conducting an experiment. This will make sense at the end. To start, I was working with a group of students at the university testing soil from their garden plots. I had about eight students who were working with me. I began by going through the soil test, explaining each part as I was testing it. When I was finished demonstrating and explaining to the students, then it was their turn. Now, to the moral of the story and why I asked what I did at the beginning. Unlike almost all of the classrooms in the U.S., this class was full of students who were completely quiet, taking notes on everything being said, and engaged and attentive the entire time. This taught me that the students and the people in Haiti are so hungry for knowledge and ideas that can help them. They are so grateful and appreciative for what we are doing to help them, they don’t want to miss any of it.

Lesson Three: Actually do something that matters.

Far too often we work on projects or go on church or university sponsored trips, and by the time we are done we walk away saying to ourselves, “I came in thinking they needed me, but walked away thinking I was really the one needing them.” I am not saying this is a bad thing, but I want to encourage you to do something that has residual, something that will leave a lasting impact. Don’t go into a situation thinking you have all the answers or you know best. What I learned was, often times, you get the best results when you talk to the people living in the situation on a daily basis, listen to what they need, and work to solve the problems with shared understanding. Be open to what they have to say and willing to selflessly go and make meaningful change that will last longer than the time you are there.

Cole Moody

Northeast State Vice President

Enjoying the Little Things

With a new year upon us, chances are we already have a few big goals set for ourselves to accomplish in 2017. No matter how big or small your goals may seem, it is important to enjoy the little things. Far too often, we get caught up on thinking about everything on a grand scale, which causes us to overlook the little things that make our lives worthwhile. When you think back on a significant moment in your life what do you remember? For most, we think about the moment as a whole rather than thinking about each individual thing that went into making that moment special. If you stop and think about the little things, you realize just how big they actually are.

As an example, this summer I went boating with some family and whenever I recall that day, I remember the little things. I remember the smell of the lifejackets that remained unused for almost a year, I remember the smell of the engine firing up to life, and I’ll never forget the sunburn I dealt with for the weeks after. It is entirely too easy to become focused on that next big goal. Rather than stressing yourself out about accomplishing multiple things all at once, take the time to fully appreciate all of the little things that go into your everyday life. Challenge yourself to enjoy the little things, and see how much of a difference it can make in your life. As I wrap up this blog, I’d like to leave you with a quote from Mr. Kurt Vonnegut. “Enjoy the little things in life, because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”

           Zach Hoffman

South Central State Vice President