As day two and three for us wrap up, I find myself in a strange place. One where my experience and my mental images overpower the words in my vocabulary. Our group was devided in half for the past 48 hours. Group one was to visit a school, help give out deworming medication to students, and hand out school supplies collected by the Montrealers, while Group Two was to help build a school funded by JDC—the next day the groups would switch activities. My first day, volunteering at the school was absolutely remarkable. The children lined up ready to receive their medication, with torn dresses and some, without shoes. “Wat,” or “swallow” we demonstarted. The children gulped down the water, proving to us the extent of their thirst. We then sat, and played with the kids. It was remarkable, that language was not an issue. Singing, dancing, but most importantly smiling, are a universal dialect. We took pictures with them, and the students were mesmorized as some of them saw themselves for the very first time. Following game time, the group gathered to hand out the school supplies we had collected. The verb ‘rewarding’ does not begin to describe the rush of emotions that I felt. Seeing the sparkle and joy in the children’s eyes is an image that I will never forget. Day three, for me, was equally as incredible. All the emotions that I had felt the previous day, transformed into a rush of adrenaline—and I was ready to build. It was time to put our bare hands to good use. The desperation and the poverty in this country cannot go unnoticed and the fact that our physical labour was valuable made us feel as though we were truly making a difference. The school tht we had visited the first was such a beneficial addition to the surrounding community—we were about to change a community in Gonder forever.
To my Mom and Dad, don’t worry I’m eating, drinking, wearing sunscreen and being safe. To all other mommies and daddies, dont worry, so are all of your children!!
Much love from Gonder, Ethiopia!
Talia Bensoussan
