The Third Wave_ A Volunteer Story - Alison Thompson [83]
Volunteering comes from your heart. You don’t get paid for it or earn school credits, and nobody forces you to do it. It is about free will and it is a very precious commodity. The leadership positions I found myself in through volunteering have given me inner confidence that tells me I can go out and make changes in the world. When I let go of my fear of what “might happen” or “could happen,” my life exploded into what I could achieve, and fulfillment and happiness followed. It gave me the strength to stand up and be heard, to feel that what I had to say was important. Try telling me now that I can’t do something and I will find a way around it. A powerful me stands up and screams from the mountaintops, “Hey, the world is really messed up. What can we do to help?”
Saving lives and putting other people’s existences back on track used to be the turf of superheroes and comic strip characters, but now we know that anyone can do it. Volunteering can happen anywhere at any time and can last for just an hour. My trips evolved into very long ones because it felt important to me to stay and my life elsewhere seemed irrelevant. I was also having the best time of my life. Volunteering came down to using my common sense and not being bound by rules. These lessons continue to help me daily in every other aspect of my life, from the workplace to relationships.
Volunteering also gave me a deeper passion for and understanding of humankind. It isn’t always easy, especially when people don’t want to be helped. In Sri Lanka, I endured harsh trials that nearly broke me, but in the end they only made me stronger. They made me feel that the hardest challenges in my life were behind me and that I could take on the world in whatever way I wanted to. I feel passionate in knowing that I am willing to die for some causes that are bigger than myself.
If we could rise above the earth and look down, I think we would see a very dark place. But upon closer inspection of the darkness, we would see millions of shining lights sparkling out from the world. The people who care and show love for one another are these lights, and some burn bright while others stay dim.
Be the brightest light you can be and lead the way in the dark. I feel a real hope for the volunteer movement in the United States and around the world. Let the revolution begin.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Here is a basic packing list and some general tips for preparing for a volunteer trip:
• Before you go, prepay any upcoming bills and leave checks with friends who can pay your bills while you are away. You might end up staying longer than expected.
• Find out if malaria or any other diseases are prevalent in the country you are going to, and get the appropriate vaccinations before you leave.
• Before your trip, Google the area you are going to and print out a few basic maps of the region to take along.
• Pack light. You never know how you might end up having to get around once you arrive—it could be by motorbike, boat, train, on a horse, or by foot—and you won’t want to be burdened with an unwieldy suitcase. For the same reason, it helps to have a flexible attitude and a sense of humor.
• Some great organizations to volunteer with, in Haiti and elsewhere, are J/P Haitian Relief Organization (www.JPHRO.org), GrassRoots United (www.grassrootsunited.org), Global DIRT (www.globaldirt.org), and Youth With a Mission (YWAM.org), but you can also just go with a few friends and create your own volunteer adventure. To apply to become a medical volunteer in disaster zones around the world, visit the International and Canadian Medical Assistance teams at www.imateam.org and www.canadianmedicalteams.org.
• A soft backpack is generally easier to travel with than a hard suitcase. A bag with side compartments is great for stuffing things in on the go and finding small items in a hurry.
• The last thing you want to do is become part of the disaster, so bring your own first aid kit. Ask your local hospital if they will