Service Learning Blog 2

Service Learning from October 23, 2011

(I’m so sorry this is being posted so late!)

Activism:

On this day Lindsey, Carmen, and I went to Seville and finished our work with AMA and NFWM.  Lindsey and I finished painting our set, and put further details on it to make it truly spectacular.  Carmen and other volunteers from AMA worked together to make posters with information of the Poison Control Hotline, recycling information, and more information that the audience who comes to see the play may need.  Once again, the time flew by and before we knew it we were faced with our finished products.  We are very proud of what we have accomplished, and we were sad to have our project end so quickly.  We hope to go back to Seville to see the production if we’re able.  We plan to meet up with Lariza (our coordinator from NFWM) sometime soon to review our project and see if there’s anything else we can do. 

Reflection:

This past week during our Environmental Scavenger Hunt, we learned about women’s impact on the environment, and how women are working to prevent more destruction to the environment.  This is precisely what NFWM and AMA are working to do with their project.  These groups are concerned with the harsh chemicals that large produce corporations are putting into the environment.  The groups are working to promote environmental justice (p. 541) for the workers and families that are constantly exposed to the chemicals.  Through the play the groups have created, they are teaching the workers and their families the truth about the chemicals and the illnesses that can come from them.  I admire their work very much, and I’m very grateful to have been a help to their cause.

Reciprocity:

What stood out to me the most this week during our time in Seville were the three members of the AMA Youth Group that came to help us create signs.  These three girls, ages 20, 18, and 10 are family, the two oldest are sisters, and the youngest is their cousin.  We asked them about their work with AMA, their lives, their goals, etc., and this led them to tell us their heart-wrenching story.  The two sisters lost their mother in a car accident when the older sister was seven, and then lost their father to cancer just a couple of years ago.  To see these girls bravely tell their story to us -a group of strangers at the time- was incredible.  The strength and fortitude they have shown at their age is inspiring.  Even though they have suffered a tremendous amount of loss, they are still optimistic and hard-working girls.  They are striving to make a good life for themselves by finishing school, working, and going to college. 

These girls blew me away and made me ashamed of myself.  Just earlier that week I had called my mom (again) to complain about the rising gas prices and my car’s terrible gas mileage.  I would need more than just two hands to count how many times I have complained about trivial things within the past month alone.  While my life has not always been a bed of roses, I have no reason to complain about my petty problems while there are people who are truly suffering every day of their lives and are just trying to survive.  I am so glad those girls came in and told us their story.  It helps put life in perspective, and teaches us to count our blessings.

Work Cited

Kirk, Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey.  Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives.  Fifth ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2010.