by Shelton Owen
A month ago, when I griped, “I’m hungry,” it probably meant that it was one o’clock and I had’t eaten since my muffin that morning. When I moaned, “I’m burning up,” I was probably lying by my pool trying to get a tan. Even today as I write this blog, I’m sitting in the comfort of my air-conditioned and spacious home, unaffected by the raging heat outside these brick walls. Though my physical environment remains the same, the outlook in my mind and gratitude in my heart is strikingly different from that of the girl who sat on this couch last month. I have witnessed the desperation in a homeless man’s eyes as he crawled out from under a pile of trash and sprinted to me for a sack of food. My hands have painted the cheek of a child who was both deaf and mute. My outlook on the world has been altered forever.
Arriving in the scarcely populated town of San Martin, El Salvador was a bit of a shock. Before me sat what can only be described as a shack — dirt floors, tin roof, no indoor plumbing, and a stifling lack of fresh air. Sweat dripped off every inch of my body, wet concrete coated my arms, and the remains of a four year old’s fingernail painting job stained my nail beds. Yet, the biggest smile spread wide across my face. In the midst of this widespread poverty, joy thrived. The children squealed as they chased a soccer ball, the neighbors waved as we passed by, and tears of gratitude filled the eyes of a mother as she thanked us for constructing her family’s new concrete home. Though they had such minimal material wealth, they were content. No one was worried about not having the newest iPhone, no one bickered about politics, and above all, not one complaint was uttered. I proudly attest I learned one of my greatest life lessons from men and women with an elementary level education.
Leading up to my departure, I was told by former team members that “while you may set out to bless these people, it is you who will be blessed.” As I flew home to my life of luxury, those words of wisdom rang true. It wasn’t my wifi or king sized bed that I yearned for, it was another chance to make memories like the treasured ones I have of dancing to Justin Bieber at San Martin, an orphanage for adults with special needs. I could babble all day about my experience and it still wouldn’t encompass the impact this country and these people have had on my heart. I hope to give a glimpse of my trip through these pictures, and I leave you with a challenge to have your life touched through a service experience of your own.
There are two types of servants: senders and doers. My hope is at any given time we find ourselves in one of those two categories. You may not be able to travel to El Salvador or Niger, or even within your own state to serve someone in need, and that’s perfectly fine, but support someone who can! Whether it is time, effort, or money that you can donate, I promise your gift is worthy and your love is felt. It was a privilege to be a “doer” for the people of El Salvador, as it is a privilege to be a “sender” for the dedicated Wells Bring Hope team in Niger by writing on this blog and raising awareness.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”-Winston Churchill
