A Personal Encounter
Sophomore, Boston College
"You
give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of
yourself that you truly give." - Kahlil Gibran -
While
thousands of college students nationwide were spending their spring break
in the tropical beaches of Cancun, Jamaica, or the Bahamas, I, along with
400 other Boston College students experienced firsthand, the truth in
those powerful words. From February 26 thru March 5, 1999, we participated
in a service trip sponsored by Appalachia to the Appalachian
Mountains and other desolate areas along the East Coast.
Appalachia
is a student-run organization which sends students--who have better
things to do than get drunk--to places 20th century America has
almost forgotten. Appalachia’s mission is to
provide a helping hand and to reach out to all the unfortunate souls
hoping to restore their faith in humankind. Thus, you see some students
participating in Habitat for Humanity projects, building homes for
deserving individuals, while others help out by picking up trash, painting
churches, community centers, private homes, cleaning up trailers, tearing
down abandoned houses, and doing other odd jobs around town.
Little
did I realize, when I first stepped into that bus on an eight-hour
journey, that I would experience a week which will forever be embedded in
my heart. The majority of the groups sent to these sites stayed in
community centers or churches where they had the opportunity to meet and
interact with the residents. Meal times evolved into community gatherings
where everyone would come to share stories. We played with the children,
met with pastors, community leaders, grandmothers, great grandmothers,
school teachers, bus drivers. They opened their hearts and embraced us,
making us a part of them. There was never a feeling of us being better
than them or that they owed us something in return; nor did they let us
feel that we were not important to them either. We came as outsiders; as
volunteers to help their town. Yet, by the end of the week, we left with a
sense of belonging, a feeling that we too were members of the community.
Such
sentiment was evident in this one incident I will never forget. It was our
group’s second night in Catsbridge, Virginia. Earlier that day, we had
attended a gospel marathon, a yearly event in Catsbridge. We had just
finished eating some homemade southern cooking. Still in the mood for some
more gospel music, we gathered behind the church and learned gospel songs.
One of the songs they taught us was "The Gospel Train." Due to
its mesmerizing lyrics and pulsing rhythm, it caught on, and quickly
became everyone’s favorite.
Come
along my friends
Get
aboard and ride this train
Nothing
on this train to lose
And
everything to gain . . .
After
singing the Gospel Train song for about the fifteenth time that night,
Sandra, one of the ladies in charge in the community remarked: "Now
that we’ve ridden the Gospel train together, we’re friends for
life."
For
me, and for many others who have experienced it, Appalachia was more than
a service trip. It is about understanding that with privilege comes a
social responsibility. It is about working together to accomplish what
first seems like an impossible task (for example tearing down a two-story
house, equipped with nothing but a rope, a tractor, and a few small
tools). Appalachia is about connecting with people. It is a place where we
were able to put aside our worries, our fears, our anticipations. A place
where we can rid ourselves of our pretenses and allow people to touch our
lives and build bonds of lasting friendship. It is a place where we are
able to experience each other’s strengths and help one another to
overcome weaknesses. YES. It is more than offering one’s services. It is
a lesson about faith, trust, hope, and most important LOVE.
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