One of my passions in life is service. I love giving back to the community by serving marginalized communities. Xavier University’s Alternative Breaks (AB) program has given me an opportunity to do this through service and leadership. As a 2015-2016 Alternative Breaks site leader, I was responsible for leading ten participants in direct service to explore the impacts of HIV/AIDS on communities in Memphis, Tennessee. The immersion trip took place during spring break period.
In Memphis, we worked with Hope House, a preschool facility for HIV affected children, and Friends for life, one of the oldest and most comprehensive AIDS service organizations in the United States. Serving these two organizations while simultaneously leading other students enhanced my growth as it taught me that it is important to educate oneself about a specific social justice issue before embarking on a service journey. Before the service trip, together with my co-site leader, we spent many months educating ourselves and the participants about HIV/AIDS through watching videos, reading articles, and watching films related to HIV/AIDS. Through education, we were able to understand the issue. This made us well prepared to serve the communities.
It also taught me the importance of patience and effective communication. As a site leader, I was …show more content…
At Hope House, I met children who were affected by HIV/AIDS, yet they were full of joy and laughter. These children inspired me to be hopeful for the future, regardless of the challenges I face. I formed a close relationship with one particular boy who opened up to me about his experience and how it affected him. At the end of the day after completing the service, he often held on to me and made me promise that I would come back to see him the next day. This motivated me to be successful so as to help the HIV/AIDS community both in the USA and in my home country,
In Memphis, we worked with Hope House, a preschool facility for HIV affected children, and Friends for life, one of the oldest and most comprehensive AIDS service organizations in the United States. Serving these two organizations while simultaneously leading other students enhanced my growth as it taught me that it is important to educate oneself about a specific social justice issue before embarking on a service journey. Before the service trip, together with my co-site leader, we spent many months educating ourselves and the participants about HIV/AIDS through watching videos, reading articles, and watching films related to HIV/AIDS. Through education, we were able to understand the issue. This made us well prepared to serve the communities.
It also taught me the importance of patience and effective communication. As a site leader, I was …show more content…
At Hope House, I met children who were affected by HIV/AIDS, yet they were full of joy and laughter. These children inspired me to be hopeful for the future, regardless of the challenges I face. I formed a close relationship with one particular boy who opened up to me about his experience and how it affected him. At the end of the day after completing the service, he often held on to me and made me promise that I would come back to see him the next day. This motivated me to be successful so as to help the HIV/AIDS community both in the USA and in my home country,