Overall this service trip was a successful one; we stayed safe, we did God’s work and although we didn’t solve the problem of homelessness in New York City, we did help those in need.
We traveled to NYC as a group of 12, we were split up in 2 teams, and my team was appropriately named Team Diva, 5 girls and 1 guy. We made the best of every situation despite the working conditions or lack of direction. There was never a time I didn’t have fun with my group, even when we were showing up to work sites late because we kept getting ourselves lost, we always laughed and figured it out (just fyi, it is very rare that a situation like this wouldn’t drive me within an inch of my sanity and end with me getting crabby at everybody).
If I had any regrets about this service trip it would have been that I didn’t really evaluate my goals and expectations of the trip. I knew there were a number of things I wanted to do in New York City, but not one thing on my list of things that I wanted to do dealt with the reason that brought me to New York in the first place; the chance to serve. It makes me think (maybe even realize) that my motive for going on this service trip isn’t exactly admirable. I think that I was so excited to go to such a famous city in another part of the country that forgot to put my heart into the service aspect of it.
I’ve been involved with Newman for 5 years now, I wish it would have occurred to me to set a good example and encourage the other people on the trip to go to church, or pray, or just to take a minute to apprehend that we were attempting to do God’s work. I’m just hoping the other group members are not feeling this way too…
