Service

One of my biggest life goals is to serve.

I believe one of the most important things one can do in their life is serve others. Whether that be running an errand for a friend or loved one serving on mission trips and donating money. Whatever it is, it should have a positive impact on someone else’s life where you do not receive anything in return.

For example, I grew up going to church, and I have always been taught to put others before myself. Obviously, this does not apply to all situations, but I am called to help those in need. When I was in seventh grade, I had the opportunity to participate in a mission trip with my youth group. We traveled six hours from Pittsburgh, PA, to Louisville, Kentucky to work with a few different volunteer areas. We taught children the Gosspil while also providing them with a safe place to hang out, eat, and learn new skills that will help them in the future. From this point forward, I knew I had a passion for servitude.

I went on my second mission trip to Eastern Shore, Virginia, when I was in eighth grade. It was eye-opening, to say the least. This trip was the first time I witnessed poor living and people who did not have basic necessities. I would pick up groups of children on a bus and take them to and from the church camp I was volunteering at. It was amazing to see how each child’s mood changed: from lost to found. The most heart-wrenching moment was when I dropped them off back at their homes and I would see broken windows from bullets or broken walls and graffiti. It made me realize how priveliged I am which has shaped who I am today.

Everyone should serve the less fortunate at some point in their life in order to gain awareness of other issues that are happening in the world.