Stepping into New Shoes

It wasn’t until a couple days ago when I stood picking out steel toed boots did the reality of this trip hit me. After months of talking about it, I was going. While of course I was excited as this thought dawned over me, I felt a slight drop in my stomach. I was actually going to don a pair of work boots and essentially work to help rebuild someone’s home. That thought alone was like an electric shock to my brain as I realized I had never done anything like this. Always having a passion for service, I have constantly sought to improve the quality of one’s education or better their lives though personal interaction. All my years of service had never included anything like this. As I packed my things and filled out the volunteer form (No, I don't have experience in roofing...or plumbing...or drywall), I became very aware of just outside of my comfort zone I will be.

In these next 12 days, I will find myself in situations I have never experienced before. But I feel ready and excited to aquire new skills and knowledge. I am very interested in gaining an understanding as well as learning from the resilience of those who have suffered great loss. Being able to see what others are going through at this time makes me even more eager to help.  I feel very blessed to have been granted with the opportunity to help both my neighbors of the Jersey Shore deal with the aftermath of recent Hurricane Sandy and the people of New Orleans who are still displaced after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Of course no one could ever claim that both tragedies were identical in nature; I am very interested in comparing and contrasting the two in hopes that I will be able to take away information that may enhance and improve the relief efforts currently in the Jersey Shore area as well as further knowledge of what actions should be taken God forbid another disaster of this nature were to happen again.   

I am proud to be traveling to the shore and NOLA as a Bonner, knowing just how great of an impact that we can make in such a short period of time.  I hope to emerge from this experience with a broader outlook.  I look forward to making a difference and doing my part so that I can ensure that when it is time for me to leave, I can walk away knowing that left these areas are in better conditions than I found them in.