Loving My Community by Amberlee

Loving My Community by Amberlee - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

Originally, until age eight, I lived of Charlotte NC, a neighboring community to Tega Cay, my current place of residence. As a child I often heard or observed the hardships in this city. Now that I am older, I can interpret the severity of the drive by shootings, thefts, and other frightening instances that occurred around me during my childhood. Personally I love this city and desire to help it heal. So when my church announced their plan for missions week, five days of working in intercity Charlotte, I felt compelled to volunteer.

For four to five days a group of teens, leaders, and I remained at the church overnight. During the day we volunteered with assistance programs and local projects. Samaritans Feet, Hoskins Park, and Hope House name several organizations I've worked with. In addition, we cleaned neighborhoods, served breakfast at homeless shelters, painted and fixed up broken down apartments, organized times of sports and games with underprivileged children, and once hosted a cookout at a recovering addict facility. These activities impact everyone from homeless to recovering addicts, showing them that people care enough to take time to serve and interact with them.

Understanding the hardships and pressures of living in Charlotte, I found great importance in a chance to offer hope to others. My first time participating in missions week presented great difficulty. At eleven years old, staying away from home for an entire week caused me to feel homesick. Also, waking up at 6 am, rolling out at 8am, and working until 6pm required a lot of strength. By the end of the first day, consisting of yard work, cleaning a neighborhood, and several other jobs of manual labor in the Carolina summer heat, I quickly grew exhausted. In addition, I started to feel achy and sick. Never the less I remained determined to finish out the week of service and not return home before then. Deciding to stick to my goal proved entirely worth the struggle. If I had quit then I would have missed out on the excitement and fulfillment of completing jobs such painting someone's house. Plus the experience placed me outside my comfort zone, allowing me to become comfortable around all types of people and helping me learn how to efficiently work as a team.

The annual mission week activities impacts all types of people. Volunteering with several outreach organizations, I preform various tasks at homeless shelters and recovering addict facilities. In addition, through this program I help pour into the lives of children of unemployed families, living temporarily in apartments funded by donations. Also, last year, we worked with Samaritans Feet at Hope House, a shelter for abused women. Basically, I participate with volunteer project that works to touch as many lives as possible. Whether spending time with children, offering to paint a house, or literally washing the feet of others, I resolve to continue participating in this service act, desiring to impact others with hope, and remind them of their value.

I believe other teens should know that the personal impact of volunteering puts your own life into perspective. Knowing the extent of how little others have, I find numerous things to be thankful for. Rarely do we consider poverty in America. This land offers opportunity and equality for all; no when thinking of hunger Africa comes to mind not our own communities. However, great need lies in America too. For example, my favorite volunteer memory springs from a trip to an immigrant apartment development called Birchcorft. Never have I seen such an impoverished, run down complex. After helping to fix up several buildings, I started playing with the children. The apartment parking lot centered around a small square dirt patch where the teens played soccer and for a playground the younger children climbed the trees. They possessed next to nothing but were the sweetest, happiest kids I have ever met. This really caused me to understand how blessed my life is. Witnessing the excitement on their faces the day we brought popsicles caused me to feel joyful yet at the same time wish I could help even more. Fortunately that particular complex closed because the government recognized terrible the living conditions. Where ever those families relocated to I pray it is a great improvement from Birtchcroft. Based off of the amazing memories and joy I discover in volunteering, I strongly urge all teens to participate in a form of service. It doesn't need to be with a large organization or in big city, you are the only thing required to start making a difference. Even if you never receive a thank you, never get encouraged for your effort, never see the people you serve again, or never fully know the significance of your impact still commit! "For if your kind word or act can lift a downcast heart or help a tired soul to live then do it now! For you shall not pass this way again."- Rebecca Martin, Narroway Productions