In early November 2010, AmeriCorps members from HandsOn Network affiliates across the country participated in what may go down as one of the most memorable membership conferences EVER! I personally will never forget this conference. Although the idea of being in the wilderness in the middle of November had me a bit on edge, I didn’t allow it to deter me from having an open mind for new experiences.
As one of the brave members who decided to participate in the Calvin Center’s Global Village experience, my time in Georgia was more than just the conference. The Calvin Center’s Global Village allows different groups to experience what it would be like to live in underdeveloped countries in unfamiliar and sometime uncomfortable conditions. Upon our arrival at Global Village, we were split into groups and assigned jobs throughout the assimilated villages. Some of our jobs included learning how to make bricks using cement and clay. Together we built make shift houses in the town using any resources we could find. We also built huts using dried bricks that were made earlier from the previous group. At the end of the day were paid for our hard work in small wages which were used to buy food in the global village market place.
Although Global Village was an assimilated version of what it would be like to live in these conditions, it made me realize that there are people in the world who are less fortunate who live in unsafe and unsanitary environments. One important factor that struck me was the notion of happiness. Being in those conditions for one night was completely out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed talking and meeting everyone in the AmeriCorps family. I had the opportunity to learn about all the great things that have been accomplished and plans for the future. In the midst of these great conversations, it dawned on me that happiness can come from anywhere. People who have less aren’t necessarily unhappy. Being around family, friends and neighbors can be enough to put a smile on a person’s face. Even though people are born into poverty and sometime don’t have the resources to get themselves out, I know that there are still some things that make them happy. Everyone has a story no matter what stretch of the earth we are from. Just because a person has less doesn’t make them less of a person.
This experience helped me realize that as an AmeriCorps Member, I am a part of such a great network of people who are doing great things for the world. For this year of service and beyond I will strive to make a difference and an influential impact on not only my community but the world!
Ameerah Abdur-Rahman
Jersey Cares
