sjsprWriting

I have fed the homeless, organized a bookstore to raise money for a homeless shelter, and volunteered at a home for children who are government wards. I had been exposed to the lives of people who faced terrible adversity, and worked to help them. However, I aspired to move further out of my comfort zone, in order to fully realize my fortune in both blessings and ability to help those less fortunate.

Last summer, I went on a 4-day trip to Haiti with a group of orthopedic surgeons who volunteer at Hopital de la Paix in Port-Au-Prince. It was a learning experience that exposed me to the realities people face in one of the poorest places on Earth. Each day, around two hundred people gathered in the hospital clinics, hoping to be diagnosed and treated. While our surgeons performed surgery and taught the local doctors, I helped in the clinics. I ran errands, fetched and carried for the doctors, called the next patients in line, and helped with any details I could.

One day, a young girl with an amputated leg and a pervasive tumor in her knee was told she needed an x-ray. I saw her lay down and wait. A full day later, I came back and she was there; she slept on the hallway floor. We were ordered not to give anyone our food, but I would not forgive myself if I had not given that girl the little food I had with me. As I left Haiti, I reflected about my experience and of ways to translate my strong desire to help and the many ideas running through my brain, into real and achievable projects. During my time there, I helped in small ways that were within my reach and capability. I recognize I did not change their lives, but I believe I made many people's days better by giving them a smile of hope, something I barely saw in Haiti. The impact this third world nation had on me was greater than the impact I had on it, but I plan to one day contribute on a much larger scale.