Participants Blog

Service is quiet acts of kindness founded on love for others and the world around us.

Erynne in Nicaragua discovers that true service requires being free of one’s ego!

Contemplating one’s own impact in a new community or family can be a challenging task. One hopes that their impact is positive, valued and sustainable; however this isn’t always the case! As my time with my host family, my placement at Funarte and within the community has deepened, I’ve gained a stronger sense of belonging and comprehension. The majority of my time is allocated to my placement and I find myself quite often hoping that I am recognized as a positive addition to the team. The other day, on my own initiative, I began to clear out a salón I knew was going to be used for an event the next day. As I began to lug out chairs one by one, I found myself sneaking peaks at others, wondering if they had noticed what a hard worker I was! I laughed to myself as I came to the realization that the grand part of my motivation to help out was to be recognized and valued by others. This humbling experience has opened my eyes to what service really is. Service is quiet acts of kindness founded on love for others and the world around us. I had to learn how to dispose of my own egotism and commit to what service really means. With only three short months within the program, I encounter the need to “make a name for myself” and be remembered within my placement after I leave. However, even if I am a small presence here at the NGO and not many recognize my commitment and contribution to the project, if my service is motivated through love then this is the biggest gift I could receive. Myself and another woman, have established dance and movement classes within the communities for the kids which will be sustained once I am gone. I also lead yoga and dance classes every Monday morning within the NGO teaching the other educators how they may integrate movement with their own creativity and teach other children within the project. I continue to reflect on the words of Jean Vanier as he reminds us that through being humbled and recognizing our own weaknesses, we may further recognize what is means to be human. On the road to patience, love and service.