What could be better than giving your time to a neighborhood nonprofit? Young people are eager to attend networking events held in bars and restaurants, I've lately discovered. A young person's goal might not always be to set aside time to take part in a volunteer project at their local church. I encouraged my pals to come up with an alternative activity. My team thought it was time to try something new. We came to the conclusion that volunteering is both an opportunity and a necessity during our four days of service at a nearby church.
Pastor James, the pastor of the nearby church, suggested that we participate in environmental cleaning efforts. We joined other volunteers to make the church a better place. The church surrounding was a mess. We were concerned by the disposal of litter near the church. We spent four hours picking the garbage in the informal dumpsite. Pastor James said that he was worried that the increase in pollution would deplete the environment. When we were done with cleanup, we placed metal bins in the former dumpsite. The local vendors praised our actions.
At the end of our activity, the pastor praised us for our commitment. It was a successful day. That is exactly what every individual should do. If we all joined hands to clean the environment, there would be a good ecological balance. I learnt that being a Christian does not only mean that you worship in a particular church. Cleaning the surrounding ought to be a social principle of all Christians.
Day 2
The church filling system was disorganized. It was difficult for one to find the necessary documents. I proposed that we organize the system. Our team embarked on a mission to fix this problem. We started with a plan. We were supposed to create s system that accommodates all types of papers. We began by sorting documents into broader categories. We then subcategorized the list. Each section of paper work was assigned a specific color code. We then placed the subcategories of files in one individual folders. We thought that color coding saves a lot of time during the retrieval of papers. Information coded by colors makes sense to anybody who is retrieving the files. The colored files were then labelled. Our goal was to arrange related files closer to one another.
We did this for all subgroups of files until everything was clear. When we were done, we placed the files in an alphabetical order. The office was neat at the end of this activity. The pastor praised our deeds. He said that our contribution had helped save the church from premature destruction of important records. He promised to keep the records neat because the church should remain clean. We felt proud for making this difference. It will now be easier for concerned individual to pick files without wasting time. To make sure that the system was maintained, we wrote rules and instructions of retrieval. We promised the pastor that we would check on the system every month.
Day 3
To promote cleanliness, we consulted the local dentist for help. He agreed to join us in teaching the local community about dental hygiene. He also agreed to provide minor services. To make us effective teachers, he spent the one hour educating us. We placed a few posters inviting people to attend a free checkup in the afternoon. People were asked to come and get checked because that was a cleanup action of the action.
At first, I thought that my team would not be useful. This was the first time most of us gave a health talk. We were confused on how to begin. The pastor helped us to make a makeshift clinic in the church compound. We prayed that the day would be a success. To our surprise, people came in numbers. We took the responsibility of giving health messages. The dentist would give detailed information and perform checkups.
Clients who had complex teeth conditions were referred to the nearest facility. We were surprised at how people ignore teeth problems also learnt a lot from this activity. Although dental services are quite expensive, one can reduce this cost by going for an early checkup. We educated people to go for checkups at least twice in a year. There should be checkups even when one does not have teeth problems. My team also emphasized on regular brushing and flossing as ways of taking care of teeth. The pastor was pleased. He commended us for our commitment and professional skills.
Day 4
We spent the fourth day with children. They had come to prepare for Sunday school service. Helping the children prepare was quite fulfilling. One of my friends taught them a new poem. It was hard for us to organize children. Apart from the poem, we also participated in drawing bible figures. The children had a good time. We noticed that one of the children was low during our sessions. Later on, it came to our attention that her mother was ill. Being a single mother, she did not have someone to help in daily chores. We offered to accompany her home. It is true that her mother had sustained a back injury. My friends thought that we should help her clean the house. We spent two hours cleaning the entire house. We also cleared bushes in the compound. It was tough for some of us but no one complained.
All of us were amazed by little Jane’s determination. We prayed that her mother would get well so she can take care of her daughter. Since the pastor did not know of her situation, we went back to inform him. Luckily, we found him in his office. He said that he was going to check on them on a daily basis. Well, this was our last day of volunteering. I must admit that before this, I never knew how fun volunteering was. My friends were also happy. We agreed to form a volunteer group. That way, we would mobilize more people to participate in volunteer activities.
