Just a Little Can Make A Difference in Another's Life...and in Your Own
Many years ago, while I was 5yrs old, and lost my family in terrible accident in Pretoria, South Africa. I gave up my talent and energy and thought it was all over. The joy I missed and the life i wish i had was over. At first it was somewhat scary to be in this environment, Looking as if the whole world has turned over you. There was no one and i felt this is how my world had to be for life --but I think there was a reason for this.I learned from this worst time how to deal and cope with these situations and how to work with them. I spent 15 years living on streets and abandoned houses, living days with and without food , making a living by begging and eating in trashes which was also of my worst moments in life.To my surprise, One day a 70yr old lady she was a resident and once a friend to my parents , and that when I had lost my family, this lady searched for me allover Pretoria as she had wanted to keep me as she was unable to have children. After much time, she couldn't find me. She was told that i wasn't anywhere in South Africa anymore, but because i had no family to go to, i couldn't leave.This lady brought me up to date with pictures, brought her special items and brought me up to current times. The time came when i was able to piece things together, and i said to her one day "please dear, you should not come here, as this is not a place for you," but she wanted to bring something into my life , she did bring me to her own home on and i was welcomed by the whole community as a new child of her family......and I saw the joy of this lady "feeling like alive again" I have never forgotten this life experience. This lady later passed away but she had her fulfillment of having me into her life for the last days and leaving me a place to stay and call home , having been given just a home made a difference in the life of my own.
I felt so humbled by this, and I still give all thanks to her for directing me, and for being my mother again and telling me the story of why she searched for me for over 15years. From there and until now i've learned that; We feel unhappy because we always focus on things that we want and we don’t have rather than on the things that we are gifted with. If we start to look around, we will realize that there are many things happening in our globe, things that happened because of the continuing diseases, disasters and serious earth quakes that keep attacking our beautiful destinations. But we can really help, by lending a hand to the others, by changing some of our attitudes towards other people and also towards the environment.
She was a real volunteer and this is the story as best I recall it.
On my first trip to Kampala, Uganda, i had came to try and forget the past just by visiting this beautiful country and see where life ends, when i travelled across the country there were many needs around the communities and people i met, for example i met a wonderful community in Mbale and there was this project which inspired me , i got involved to build schools and dormitories. At that time, 90% of students in the community were not currently attending school. We jumped into the project with the villagers and finished the school — but ran out of materials for the dormitories and access to resources was severely limited. The times you feel you can do nothing, there is something you can do......!
As i spent more time with these people, we truly began to connect and listen to this community. We learned about their life. We built relationships, played with their children, taught them about culture and history about my wonderful South Africa. We embraced their daily life, and the more we did, the closer the bonds of understanding and joy grew. From there and then i never wanted to leave, until now am here building, living and sharing my experience with these beautiful people.
I tell you what?, it is wonderful to go to another country, get involved in a project, and feel that you really had an impact. But establishing a relationship with the local people is by far the most important aspect of traveling for good. Building true, lasting relationships results in the greatest benefit for our world: less barriers are formed and increased understanding is achieved. We are all a team working together to face and resolve the challenges in our world.
What i've learn and you'll experience when you join me on this beautiful journey;
1. Do the Project Together, Not on Your Own. You are a guest in their community. The most successful outcome is not that you built something and walked away, but that you and the community build something as a team. No one feels empowered when you do everything for them. Share skills. Build Together.
2. Be Flexible. Not everything is going to go as planned. Often the country doesn’t have the right tools, manpower, transportation or funds to get all the needed work done. In a word, they lack infrastructure. You can either get frustrated by this, or pitch in and help in other ways. Be flexible. Be creative!
3. Connect to the People in the Community. Often you will have “downtime” outside of the scope of the project. Rather than retreat to the group with whom you traveled, be sure to spend time with the people of the community. Listen about their lives. If you can’t speak the language, smiles work wonders. And you’ll be surprised — you will find a way to communicate!
Volunteering is a special, life-changing experience for everyone involved. Be prepared that the person who may be changed the most… is you. It’s a joyful, humbling, often rigorous experience which will encourage you to view yourself, your neighbors and your world quite differently. Remember volunteers are more likely to give, so we have designed our service allowing you to give and volunteer in one fell swoop! Mzungu Volunteers efficiently provides both in one service, allowing you to maximize your giving of time and funds to the real Projects in need.
Let us help you find ways to get involved! , www.mzunguvolunteers.org
Kennedy Ochieng
President, Mzungu Volunteers
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