This past year I worked at a summer program Bonner held for high school students. They were a great group of kids and truly touched my heart as we served together in Trenton. We made many imprints on each other’s lives; yet since the camp, I haven’t taken any time to reflect upon their impact on me...
...Coming back from service in the middle of the week, we were all beginning to feel down about not being able to work consecutively on a home project for the entire week. Some days people found themselves doing physical labor at a nonprofit called Mission which helps the homeless population here. One day, many people, myself included, spoke openly on the van ride back about the “hard work” we had to do. We weren’t complaining - just mutually reflecting together and there seemed to be a lack of inspiration within our group. When we returned to our housing area, I laid down on my bed before dinner and looked for the most mindless activity to take up my 5 minute break: facebook...
I began looking through the pages of some of my students at the Bonner summer program. One girl who I admired dearly came to mind and I scrolled through her page. This is where I found a recent status of hers that stated:
“Every time I hear someone say life is hard, I want to challenge them to think ‘life is hard, but in comparison to what?’ ”
Suddenly I had my inspiration in the most unusual places, by a girl I was mentoring through her first service camp... It felt so ironic, yet needed.
Yes, our service was unusually challenging this week, but it is a blessing to have been given a life where we are able to work for others rather than being the people in need.
So, though this week wasn’t the work many have hoped for, we are blessed to have been serving the very amazing people of New Orleans and still making an important and beautiful difference in the area.
Bonner Love,
Danielle
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