A Life in the Service of Others

Why you should learn more about service trips at Rockhurst
By Lauren Pennell

            Culture.  Education.  Friendship.  Gratitude.  Spirituality.  Service.  Rockhurst University provides students the opportunity to attain all of this and more through the service trips offered each year.  With the heavy emphasis on service learning here at Rockhurst, there are innumerable chances to give back to the community and serve others.  Sure, it may seem a little risky and nerve-wracking at first, but everyone should take advantage of the many opportunities to do service—not just to build up a resume, but to become more well-rounded, cultured, and grateful for the things we’re blessed with in life.

            Sophomore Sarah Crudden has already had the incredible experience of going on a service trip to San Lucas, Guatemala in the spring of 2013.  “The trip was rather educational - unlike any service I've ever partaken in,” said Crudden.  “We did simple things - most of the time requiring minimum levels of skill.  The main purpose is to humble the volunteers, while doing the work that the Guatemalans really need the most.  Tasks included sorting bad coffee beans from good coffee beans, hauling massive bricks up a mountain to build a wall for a man, fixing and installing ovens in homes, and some construction work to convert a home into a school office/directory.”

            Preparation for her trip included meetings devoted to ice-breakers, team building, and reflection.  The trip did cost money, but the payments were broken up and Rockhurst covered a significant amount of the cost.

            Crudden had the privilege of growing as an individual through her experiences in Guatemala.  She was able to learn a lot about the culture there as well as about herself all because of the service she did.

“I really was humbled with the tasks that I did in Guatemala,” she said.  “My eyes were truly opened to the extremeness and reality of impoverishment.  I also fell in love with the culture.”  While on their way to a mission site, they came upon a tree that was blocking the road.  A man in another vehicle happened to have a chainsaw and took two hours taking care of the problem as the cars waited at a standstill.  In America, someone would have called a service and the issue would have been resolved almost immediately.  In Guatemala, they have to do it themselves, there is no service to call.  Exposure to the disparity between cultures was a learning experience for Crudden.  “I saw the intimacy of the culture and community and the personal responsibility that Guatemalans hold for themselves.  I feel like we've lost that sense in the U.S. as a consequence of our advancements - and we've lost that warmth in society.”

Although service is rewarding, students may be subject to sad situations while learning about and taking part in another culture and way of life.  Crudden did see some things that somewhat upset her during her trip.

“One thing that did disturb me regarded the garbage issue in Guatemala,” she said.  “The country is so beautiful, but without a system to arrange for garbage control, the Guatemalans have resorted to throwing their trash in the streets and allowing it to accumulate in their lakes.”

Fortunately, the positive experiences far outweigh the negative.  Crudden details a plethora of stories and anecdotes of experiences she had while in Guatemala which transformed her way of thinking and filled her with humility and gratitude.

“My favorite experience was climbing a mountain one dawn,” she said. “ It was so much harder than I expected, but such an amazing experience.  We passed a few Guatemalans on the way up back down the mountain.  My favorite was when I traded no more than some eye contact and a warm smile with them.  I felt like I had made such a deep connection with the people despite such different lives.  I would go again in a heartbeat!”

Those going on trips this year have already begun preparation and students participating are already feeling the excitement.

“I am looking forward to the experience in general,” said sophomore Shauna Krause who will be doing service in Belize this spring.  “I think it will be a really exciting and eye-opening opportunity to go to Belize and get a chance to kind of see and experience the culture as well as be able to ere the people that live there for the short amount of time I’m there.”

            Groups will be going out to New Orleans and Nicaragua in the winter and to South Dakota, West Virginia, Guatemala, Belize, and the Dominican Republic in the spring.  The service trip participants have already been decided for this year, but you should definitely consider taking a chance and embarking on a life-altering, self-actualizing journey devoted to the service of others.  All it requires is an application and short interview and you may be selected to work for the betterment of humanity rather than for selfish goals and ideals.

You’ll never be the same again, but you won’t regret it for a second.  If you’d like a glimpse of what it may be like, attend the sendoff blessing at 6 o’clock mass this Sunday, Dec. 8^th at St. Francis Xaver.