My job has community service projects all year round for employees to participate in all around the city. Over the summer they have the same opportunity for the interns. This summer I signed up for Gods Love we Deliver. In the project Gods Love we Deliver we packed food for people who are sick and homebound. When I was there with a group of seven other employees from my job we met this lady named Ms. Anne. Ms. Anne is an older lady who volunteers at Gods Love we Deliver every Tuesday and Thursday. She has been volunteering at this organization for almost five years now. Ms. Anne has one daughter who lives in Philadelphia and has lupus. She told me how they don't know how her daughter got lupus because it doesn't run in their family; it was something she just got. Ms. Anne described her daughter with such love and are. She told me how they used to travel around the world together when her daughter was doing consulting. They way Ms. Anne talked about he daughter reminded me of my mother when she talks to people about me. I usually hate when my mom talks to people about me because it makes it sound like she's bragging, and it makes me always feel like I have standards to live up to because she speaks so highly of me. Ms. Anne and I talked about our lives, our travels, and the people we were packing food for. Ms. Anne made an impression on me because she got me to open up and talk to her and it made me realize the amount of similarities I could have with a lady in her 70's. She helped me to appreciate how much my mother talks about and realize it's not that she's bragging she's just very proud of me. Ms. Anne hoped to see me again volunteering and I hope to volunteer again with her by my side.
Going to Gods Love we Deliver made my day because it reminded me why I would love to work in non-profit as a career. The joy that came to my heart every time I sealed a package of food, put a label on a meal as to when the expiration date would be, every time I wrapped a roll, etc is indescribable. I felt the same joy during a hard job that I did during one of he easier jobs like wrapping the rolls. All the work touched my heart. When I walked into the kitchen, scrubbed my hand like I was going into surgery, all I could smell is fresh garlic, parley, etc. The freshness and wonderful tasting air let me know that all this food was being made with love. This food wasn't any old food that was donated already made or already packaged, all this food was being made on the spot, and handed off to volunteers to deliver to the home-bound sick.
Volunteering at this place and meeting Ms. Anne was one of the highlights of my summer. Although I gave up my time to pack some food for people I don't know, the experience is what leaves a lasting impression on me. I cherish these moments because not only do I feel like I'm impacting people in this world, but they are also impacting me. I feel like most times I volunteer, I take away more from the people then what they take away from me. In other words their faith and appreciation for life and the people around them is something I truly admire and hope to imitate.
This post was very warming and inspiring. I also love doing community service. I am part of health leads at Loyola, which helps give insurance and other necessities to people would do not have it. I also participate in clothing drives every summer at a church by me and try to lend a helping hand whenever I can. Your post described perfectly how one feels after doing some service. It truly is indescribable and you can't help but smile. The part about Ms. Anne was sad to read but it reminds people to not take life for granted and to be thankful for what we are given in this world. Your blog was great to read! Have a wonderful summer.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Brittany Gruber