Going into the Dorothy Menzies Childcare center is never an easy thing for me. It’s always an emotional experience. When I actually take the time out to sit down and truly listen to the stories of the kids, it’s so sad and depressing and makes me wish I could help at least one of them. I know it wouldn’t be much but at the end of the day every little counts. You meet children who’ve been in conditions so inhumane and so sadistic it’s so heart breaking. It really makes me step back and think just how lucky I am and how grateful I should be. I realize that I take for granted too much things and that these kids they make the best of what little they do have. It shows me how happy people can be living without the things I consider to be necessities.
Spending the afternoon at the children’s home was definitely a long, tiring one, but most of all fun. As I entered the compound the children seem excited to have visitors, they welcomed me with a smile. I knew right there and then I had chosen the right place to offer my time. I had a full afternoon of plans that would keep myself and the children busy. It was difficult at first to actually get the kids organized to play the games but after a while it all went smoothly. We played so many games and at the end of each I was crowded by many outreaching hands anxious to receive a prize.
By the time day was over I was completely exhausted but there was warmth in my heart and a smile on my face. It’s the simplest things in life that gives you the most joy and for me giving back is one of those things that gives me so much joy. Just knowing that I helped make someone’s day better is and will always be enough for me. This experience was a great one for me but I know for sure it won’t be my last.
Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life's blood. But everyone has something to give. "~ Barbara Bush We’ve all been given so much in our lives don’t you think it’s only fair to give back? Shouldn’t it be a responsibility of ours? Community service is a crucial part of having a well-rounded education. Participating in community service prepares us as students to be productive members of society. It allows us the opportunity to understand the importance of service to others as an essential aspect of being a member of any community.
The Dorothy Menzies childcare center is a home for many Belizean children who simply have no where else to go. There are children of all ages, size and backgrounds who call Dorothy Menzies home. These children have seen, and suffered it all but they somehow find a way to make the best of what little they do have. It’s amazing how these children find it in themselves to smile a little each day.
My experience was a good one. It felt so good to give back to those less fortunate, those who deserved it, and most of all those who appreciated it. Nothing can compare to the feeling I felt leaving Dorothy Menzies that day. At the end of the day, I felt satisfied because just for that short amount of time I helped in making those kids have a better day. And if I had to do it again we would without any hesitation because, giving back is apart of who we are, It’s that little part of us that academics, friends, and even family can’t fill. It is the satisfaction of knowing that we are not just taking from the community, but rather growing with it, as well as giving back.
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