A Different Kind of Spring Break
Last week was spring break here at Widener! Instead of going to Mexico or Miami for a typical spring break vacation, I, along with twelve other students of the Presidential Service Corps, went to Jamaica to build houses for the less fortunate. We traveled with three faculty members, Dr. Harris (the President of Widener), Professor Cecilia McCormick (Executive Director of Widener), and Michael Bivens (Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations).
Our group was lucky enough to be able to raise enough money to build two houses! It was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. It certainly was life-changing. This trip helped me to discover that I am so fortunate here in America and that I should cherish everything that I have and be grateful every day.
Jamaica is a second-world country, which means that they do have the possibility of running water, but the poverty there was so great. The houses we built were no more than 10x20 feet, each with two small rooms, and neither had a kitchen or bathroom. But the families we were building the homes for were so appreciative and thankful to God. I have never been anywhere where there was such a firm belief in God and where the people had so much faith. This really struck me because the people of Jamaica are so much less fortunate than most of us in the United States, but so much more appreciative. Just seeing the smiling faces of the children and the families made the trip totally worth it.
Our last day there, Friday, we did have a chance to go to the beach at a resort area. The ocean was the most beautiful shade of blue and the weather was perfect! It was a great end to a wonderful week.
Here are some awesome pictures from the trip...
